07/02/08

Here are the Biltmore pictures. Oh goodness.... it took me all afternoon to get them on here. I am glad I didn't wait until tonight. I was busy doing various things while waiting for pics to upload. Enjoy the view!

Biltmore was beyond words. I am still "chewing" on how big this place is. I actually never remember seeing the square footage for this house, but I know Morgan would know! LOL She loves this place. We took the audio tour because the guided tours were booked. It was good and gave us what we needed to know. Of course, do I remember everything? NO.. Remember, I am a visual learner. lol It took over 6 years to build this house. Vanderbilt owned a railroad line so he had the railroad track literally come to the front door to deliver stuff as they built the house. The guy who designed the house died right before it was completed. It was kind of sad that he never got to see the finished product. His son did that for him. George Vanderbilt was a smart man and gave details to this house that are amazing. They said in the audio tour that no one knows exactly how much the house cost him to build because he thought that was a private matter and didn't keep records. I thought that was interesting. There is a bowling alley and huge swimming pool in the basement... as well as a gym! This was when physical fitness as we know it was just beginning. The kitchen was beyond words as well as all of the pantries, etc. His room was huge... and then he had a sitting area that was the size of our house between his room and his wife's room. There were so many bedrooms... oh, the list could go on and on. I am truly still trying to absorb this house. It was sad to find out he didn't get to enjoy the house for as long, though. He died around 17 years later (I think) from complications from appendicitis.

After we walked through the house we ate some lunch, shopped a bit and then headed to the gardens. We walked and walked and walked. Let's just say there could not have been anyone who lived there that was out of shape. The walking alone in the house would keep someone fit!! We were terribly tired by the end of the day but I am so glad we went. I would love to go back and visit again someday. (Right, Morgan???)

Enjoy the gazillion pictures below. :)

I had to take a picture of our room KEY. You rarely see an actual KEY anymore.... they are usually like a credit card. I was shocked when Kevin gave it to us when we stayed in Waynesville so I had to capture that! lol
Yes, I am crazy for taking a picture of this place, but we fell in love with it. We stayed in Waynesville, NC for three nights while going to Bryson City, Cherokee and leaving for Asheville. It was in between all of them. We found this little "Mom and Pop" restaurant named Beaver's and we ate there every morning for breakfast. They had awesome food and it was not expensive. For that we were thankful! It had a down home feel and the "regulars" knew we weren't from around those parts. I have said it before, but I honestly don't feel as country as I used to be. Those people were down home and good folk. Not saying we aren't, but it just isn't the same around here as it used to be. This town reminded me of a modern "Mayberry" and it was quaint. If you ever go to Waynesville, NC find Beaver's and eat breakfast there... it is great. lol

These pictures still amaze me at the size of this house! I couldn't believe it when I stepped out from behind the trees and saw it for the first time. I honestly wanted to go up further on the hill and capture it from there, too, but we didn't have time. If only all of those people and cars/vans would have not been in my way. lol If you look closely in the first picture (click on it) you can see Steve with the kiddos. Mikayla HAD to go to the bathroom so he went in search of that while I stood there and gawked.

Front of the house above the front door.

View from the back windows of Biltmore. That tallest mountain is Mount Pisgah. They situated the house in this area just for the view. WOW.

My lunch in the old stables. We were all so tired from walking around the house on the audio tour for 2 hours that we were so excited to sit and eat whatever we could! It was an awesome cheeseburger. lol

View of the grand staircase outside. I could not get over how the staircase had no supports from underneath. It all had to do with how they built it within the house itself. Amazing people, they were...

Can't remember what this flower is, but I know it creeps around. I took this shot and the one below that was closer of the blooms. Loved how it was interwoven through the architecture.

This was the walkway that led to the garden areas away from the house. I could have hung out here all day! It was beautiful.

Grapes on the main walkway to the greenhouse in the gardens.

View from the center walkway out to the gardens.

"Kellie, we're going to stop and rest while you go take more pictures....."

The rose garden was a bit of a disappointment because I think we got there a week or so too late to see them. I was hoping to see oodles of them, but only captured a few. Oh well...

The greenhouse for the garden area. HUGE.

Inside the greenhouse. I love this picture. I couldn't get over how big the greenhouse was, but what did I expect with a house so big!!!!

The kids on the bridge at Bass Pond. I thought it would be a short walk to get here... NO, it wasn't. I didn't think we were EVER going to get there! See that bench on the other side from the kids on the bridge? Yep, we sat there and rested a while. A neat thing on the way down to the pond, though. We walked past this tree that smelled WONDERFUL and as we stopped to figure out what it was, we kept hearing this "swarming" noise. We looked up and realized thousands of bees were all in that tree gathering the nectar!! It was something neat to hear.

Flowers growing by Bass Pond.

Creek on the walk from Bass Pond.

A bridge over a creek on our walk back from Bass Pond.

View of the gardens looking back towards the house.

We had walked SO much that Steve had to "rest" a bit. lol

Wide angle view of the gardens.

View of the side of the house as we were coming up from Bass Pond and the gardens.

Side view... you see the natural awning in the foreground. You'll see closer up pictures in a bit. :)

As much of the back of Biltmore that I could possibly get. I wish I could have gone around to the back. I didn't know if there was a way to do that. I don't think it is, though.

Steve, Kevin and the kids looking over the side at the "playing area"... made me nervous with the kids there because it is higher up than you think! Of course, me and my sensitivity to heights now... I am really having to chill with that. lol

View from the "playing field."

View from the steps leading to the awning out to the "playing field"... this area was amazing, too, and the view...

Trumpet vine growing on the side of the house for a natural awning... it was lovely.

We saw hummingbirds while standing under the awning of trumpet vines. I tried my hand at capturing a couple. It was difficult with the little guy moving so fast and hand holding my camera but I thought these turned out quite well.

Front door.. looking up. Beyond words how big this house is!!!!

Lion out front... up close.

From the front door out, looking to the left. This would have been where carriages would have dropped off people. Beyond that is the old horse stables which is now the restaurant where we ate.

Even the lighting was beyond words here... He built this house in the late 1800's and it was fully electrical when he moved inside.

Outside view of the solarium that is inside.

View from the front of Biltmore out. There is a gazebo at the top of that hill and people use that area for marriage ceremonies.

Officially pooped and waiting for the "ride" to come pick us up.

Last view of Biltmore as we left. There was so much there to absorb that I was sad we had to leave it so soon. I still can't believe how big it was.

This is the same kind of tractor that Mrs. Vanderbilt rode on to encourage agriculture in the area. She and her daugher, Cornelia, were great advocates of agriculture.

We found this horse made out of a grassy material in the old horse barn. Mikayla was all about that.

This was at the horse barn at Biltmore. Mikayla wanted to see horses quite badly. She finally decided to walk down the path by herself to go meet a few... we had to call her back. lol There were a few different farm animals in this area. Wesley was quite excited over the Oliver tractor. lol

This cute ram was sticking his head out of the barn. Loved seeing them.