My Royal Obsession: A Bit About Me

Hi! I am Mariette Koenis, my friends call me Jet. As you may have noticed, I am fascinated by castles and palaces. At least, that's what I thought when I started this website. It turns out the people who lived in these grand buildings are actually even more intriguing to me!

Since you're here, you must share this fascination with me. The impressive architecture, the lavish gowns of Sisi and Marie Antoinette, the curious court etiquette at Versailles and the Hofburg Palace – it's all worth exploring, reading about, watching movies about, and visiting in person.

Every new detail you learn leads you to another fascinating aspect of history or a tragic figure who deserves further investigation. There are just so many captivating people and topics to write about that the palaces themselves have gotten a little less attention lately!

DISCLOSURE: I get commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this article.

A bit about my background

My son, already living the royal life in the gardens of Versailles (a few years ago, of course!)

This website is a work in progress, so there's always something new to discover. There are countless stories to tell! If you can't find what you're looking for today, it might be here on your next visit. Even better, feel free to suggest a topic you'd like me to cover, and I'll consider writing about it.

Being from the Netherlands, one of the few countries with a royal family that still lives in their palaces, has its drawbacks. It can be slightly inconvenient because I can't visit these palaces whenever I want, and some aren't even open to the public.

However, my fascination lies with historical figures and events, not the current royals. Let's be honest, kings and queens are pretty cool, but I believe that democratic systems offer a more equitable and representative form of government.

This site focuses on historical figures and events. It can be Kings, Queens, and all the people that surround them that grab my interest.

Movies like SISSI and holiday visits to georgeus palaces in Germany sparked my interest as a child. I've also devoured many history books and biographies. My husband and son have become involuntary participants in my castle-hopping adventures. Every vacation, I'm on the lookout for the nearest palace, ready to detour at a moment's notice.

I have a degree in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in archaeology. I like to think that delving into an exotic culture like the society of the Versailles Palace can be considered Anthropology. After all, it's a foreign culture we're trying to understand. In hindsight, maybe I should have studied history instead!

My Dutch background is my excuse for my imperfect English. Please forgive any mistakes I might have made.

About making this website

Years ago, I was browsing for the perfect holiday destination and stumbled upon a Dutch website about traveling with children called www.vakantie-met-kinderen.com. It turned out the woman who created this amazing website lived in my very own village! I was so impressed and curious about how she did it.

Further exploration led me to Solo Build It! (SBI!). I was intrigued by their philosophy – "doing what you love," "your passion becomes a business" – it all sounded fantastic. But was it really achievable?

I discovered that many ordinary people like me had built successful online businesses using the tools and knowledge provided by SBI.

You can read their stories here.

After reading their stories I thought, "I can do this too!"

So, I decided to create a website about my passion for historical palaces and their inhabitants.
SBI! gave me all the tools to get started. They are more than just a site builder or web hosting. They offer the Action Guide, with the step-by-step process that will lead you to build a successful website that attracts real visitors.

You start out with brainstorming, for which SBI! offers Brainstorm It! This proces delivers hundreds of possible Site Concepts based on your areas of interest. It helps you find your perfect niche, domain name and the best keywords to write about.

Read more about all the helpful tools that SBI! offers. I certainly learned a lot from them.

When your site is up and running, and visitor numbers are growing, it is time to start "monetizing", in other words: Start making money with your website!

I am just starting to make a little money from this website. The best part is that it continues to generate revenue even when I don't have time to actively work on it.
Having a family and a 'regular' job as a travel agent, I often have limited time to dedicate to my website. However, I've noticed that both visitor numbers and income consistently grow, even while I'm on vacation!

Yes, I do earn a commission if you end up purchasing SBI! It is one of the monetization methods that I use. Rest assured, everything I recommend on this website are things I love and want to share with you. And I love SBI! It gives you the opportunity to turn your hobby into a business!

If you're motivated (because it certainly requires dedication) and have a passion you want to share with the world, you can absolutely achieve success with your own online business.

There is no risk signing up for SBI! because there is a 90 Day Guarantee. If you find that SBI! isn't the right platform for your business, you're entitled to a full refund.

This gives you plenty of time to to explore all the valuable tools and comprehensive support that SBI! offers.

You can contact the team of Solo Build It! if you have any questions about Building An Online Business With Solo Build It!

My Royal Obsession: A Bit About Me

A bit about my background

About making this website

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