tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39254961900876615742024-03-21T14:41:31.001-07:00des jours de joieLa plus perdue de toutes les journées est celle où l'on n'a pas ri. - Sébastien Roch NicolasAubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-41895820318821068022013-08-08T06:52:00.002-07:002013-08-08T06:52:31.328-07:00an apology & some reflectionFirst of all: boy have I failed in keeping you all up-to-date on what I've been doing. I am truly sorry. The good news is, I've still got lots of stories that I'm going to be sharing with you! I have photos and words, and I'm working on getting caught up, but it may take the next 8-10 days to completely catch up.<br />
<br />
But in the meantime, here's a <i>very </i>quick summary of what's been going on the past...month...or so...(again, yikes, I'm terrible at this apparently), and what you can look forward to:<br />
<br />
- saw the end of Stage 14 of le Tour de France in Lyon<br />
- Avignon, France, in the land of lavander<br />
- goodbyes<br />
- hellos --> Max arrives!<br />
- Max's and my adventures through five countries of Europe over the past two weeks: Grenoble, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Salzburg (where I write to you from right now) & Zurich (tomorrow)<br />
<br />
And now, some reflection. I figure I'd better go ahead and write this now while leaving Grenoble is still (somewhat) fresh on my mind.<br />
<br />
I knew this summer would be life-changing, exciting, and memorable, but I had honestly no idea what I was getting myself into. This summer was the most challenging, wonderful, terrifying and 'pushing' experience of my life thus far. I say 'pushing' because I felt pushed to my limits on a daily basis - pushed in my ability to communicate in French, pushed to conform to cultural norms that I only sort-of understood, pushed to my limits to navigate life sans my usual support system. And I can honestly say that all that pushing, however painful and difficult it was at (many) times, has pushed me into becoming a stronger version of myself. I feel more comfortable with conversing in French than I ever have in 7 years study of it; I feel more sure of myself and my ability to be truly independent than I ever have, as well. And with all of that growth, I feel that so much of it is woven into the hot, busy streets of Grenoble. I love this town, and I love its people even more. The French have a reputation for being extremely rude and cold, but let me tell you, I found that to be nothing short of completely false. There may be some people, Parisiens in particular, who tire of ignorant, rude tourists, but what I have found is that French are some of the kindest, warmest people; they may be much more guarded than a girl raised in Texas is used to, but they are more than willing to help if you need directions, don't understand a word, or see a completely foreign food. They appreciate familiarity, and the closeness of their <i>quartiers</i> (neighborhoods). And this social infrastructure is one of the many things I will (and do already) miss about Grenoble, France, and the French people. Speaking of which, I'm coping Abby and giving you three lists, each which have been forming in my mind the entire summer, to sum up things "going back to normal" (whatever that means).<br />
<br />
Things I will miss:<br />
- French <i>everywhere</i>. This absolutely goes to the top of my list because having grown up in the States, and Texas in particular, it is a rare thing to run into a francophone on the street, much less see it on a sign. My first, very sleep-deprived and delirious evening in Grenoble with my host family, I was surrounded by 5 native French speakers, and even in my horrendously-sleepy state, I remember being in awe that <i>french is just their language. what they think and speak and dream in, all the time.</i> That idea blew my mind - I knew people like that existed but I had never met any and so it was kind of like seeing a unicorn, on that first night, something I'd always dreamt of but never witnessed. I already miss conversing in French on a daily basis. I love the way it sounds like a song, how it feels in my throat and on my lips. If I was in love with French before I left, I'm head-over-heels, never-going-back with it now.<br />
- The <i>boulangeries</i>. Fresh bread every morning, afternoon, and night. Fresh pastries that cost next to nothing but taste so expensive. The fact that there is one on nearly every other street (and in Grenoble I can tell you where most are, when they close each night and which days they're each closed).<br />
- French children, speaking French. They're precious and I'm obsessed.<br />
- Outdoor cafés.<br />
- <i>Bisous</i> aka kissing on the cheek as a salutation. The French do it once on each cheek and I think its absolutely lovely. I apologize in advance if I forget that's not normal in the US at any point.<br />
- Cheap, delicious sandwiches. Cheap, delicious wine.<br />
- Long, <i>tranquille</i> dinners. No rush. No shoving food in mouths then running away. Lots of talk, laughter and food.<br />
- Grenoble water, straight from the mountains.<br />
- Mountains. Thunderstorms rolling in over the mountains. Looking at the mountains. Hiking in the mountains.<br />
- Parc Minstral. 'our' park. Playing soccer. Running. Having picnics.<br />
- pain au chocolat. succès. tarte de framboises. réligieuses. éclairs. crêpes.<br />
<br />
Things I will not miss:<br />
- Dog poop on sidewalks.<br />
- Only being 55-70% sure of what's going on/people are saying to me at all times.<br />
- Everything, <i>everything</i> being closed on Sundays and by 8pm on weekdays and between 12-2/whenever-people-feel-like-coming-back-to-work-after-lunch.<br />
- Having to rely on public transportation 100% of the time. I have been late more times this summer than probably the rest of my driving-age career combined.<br />
- Being foreign in general.<br />
- Having exactly zero air conditioning.<br />
- Not being allowed to shower after 10pm because the pipes are too loud in the apartment.<br />
- Horrible service at restaurants. No really, I don't actually want to order within 30 minutes of sitting down. And please, take an hour after I eat to bring the bill.<br />
<br />
Things I cannot wait to have back in my life:<br />
<br />
- Barbecue, sweet tea and things that are spicy.<br />
- Chips and salsa<br />
- Having Ethel there at my beck and call, just waiting for me to drive straight to where I want to go, leaving as soon as I'm ready, and not having to pick up a single other person on the way if I don't want to.<br />
- Understanding the words coming from people's mouths without intense concentration, five repetitions or having to say "<i>Desolée, je suis une étudiante américaine. Lentement, s'il vous plaît.</i>"<br />
- Being able to go to the store in the tshirt and nike shorts I slept in and have that be completely socially acceptable<br />
- My phone being useful 100% of the time. Need to call my mom at the store? No problem! Need to know the name of a movie I saw 10 years ago while walking across a parking lot? Go ahead! Want to check the weather on the bus? Go for it!<br />
- Living in the same time zone as 95% of the people I talk to on a daily basis.<br />
- All of my electronics being compatible with all of the electrical sockets at all times, sans adapters.<br />
- Family & friends. Near me, with me, all of it. I was blessed with an incredible group of people in Grenoble, many of which will return to Aggieland with me, but the rest of you - and you know who you are - I have missed you so much, have missed your presence in my daily life. I can't wait for all the catching up we have to do.<br />
<br />
Well, I'm off now to go hiking in the Austrian Alps (I'm going to miss that, as well, saying ridiculous things like that so casually) with Max. We head to Zurich for the day tomorrow and then head back home to greatest country on earth on Saturday! That being said though, part of me will always remain in Grenoble, and in the beautiful country of France. I don't know when I will get to return, but mark my words, I will. I will return and I will also explore so many new places - that's one thing this summer definitely succeeded in, reigniting my deep desire to travel, explore and experience the world. And in the coming years, I plan to do just that.<br />
<br />
<i>à bientôt, Grenoble, mon cœur.</i><br />
<i>je reviendrai.</i><br />
<br />
& to my loves in the states: I will see you all very, very soon!<br />
all my love,<br />
AubreyAubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-81914571845419475772013-07-16T13:11:00.002-07:002013-07-16T13:25:54.127-07:00Les VercorsOn Sunday, June 23, the weekend after Paris, some of our group took a day trip van-tour of the Vercors mountains, one of the three mountain ranges surrounding Grenoble. It was <i>beautiful</i>.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8KRiw6Jff9DUqKYtoH3q07kKkuZ5XKdNFgCb0cIf_xV9cgyxz6eph9xmjARU9XLIUEMQtQZ81tPClvoSYVXywG4BUNETDHwC0yM-9eB7u721ez_lZD0r4w2VymnnZYX96085p7NsCKM/s1600/DSC04486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8KRiw6Jff9DUqKYtoH3q07kKkuZ5XKdNFgCb0cIf_xV9cgyxz6eph9xmjARU9XLIUEMQtQZ81tPClvoSYVXywG4BUNETDHwC0yM-9eB7u721ez_lZD0r4w2VymnnZYX96085p7NsCKM/s400/DSC04486.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grenoble from the mountains</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ-IEf7fzNNX4qQdZKuQS-O661fHcfjmN-FmySU3R-Ern9kiWZpW9HdVKppUB7fdMrUt3KE0L_9q4ZMivM7-wNqzBQmmbYL3j7pEf9ndagexrxWItp1UM4J8wylLfK0aTWFvY-zqRtfY/s1600/DSC04482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ-IEf7fzNNX4qQdZKuQS-O661fHcfjmN-FmySU3R-Ern9kiWZpW9HdVKppUB7fdMrUt3KE0L_9q4ZMivM7-wNqzBQmmbYL3j7pEf9ndagexrxWItp1UM4J8wylLfK0aTWFvY-zqRtfY/s400/DSC04482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village cemetery</td></tr>
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Our first stop was just outside Grenoble, at a prime spot for looking over our city. Up at the panoramic spot was a cemetery of the local village - cemeteries are always so interesting. This one wasn't too big, or very old, but it was still worth looking at.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qs0fGiOcC2DeEDv1R5g1hf30kMFS7vauctXSE7MrNRDAp85u4c0RCXlx2uKi27pi5YtZov8RXpYmEhYEG3QTAPgWYCARSxux_tbdYJXUKkpwCwqaznPldbgRo-_GVyyk-7HF-BqDRIo/s1600/942612_10200538031185643_1999567318_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qs0fGiOcC2DeEDv1R5g1hf30kMFS7vauctXSE7MrNRDAp85u4c0RCXlx2uKi27pi5YtZov8RXpYmEhYEG3QTAPgWYCARSxux_tbdYJXUKkpwCwqaznPldbgRo-_GVyyk-7HF-BqDRIo/s640/942612_10200538031185643_1999567318_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole group for the day!<br />Lauren, Nate, Doug<br />Me, Holly, Hannah</td></tr>
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Also on our way up into the mountains we got to see the Olympic ski jump that was used in the 1968 Winter Olympics! That's something that's really interesting about the Olympics in general that I always forget about - just because a certain city (ie: Grenoble) is hosting the Olympics doesn't mean all the events are confined to that one city. Many of the events were held up in the mountain villages, where the major ski lodges are. That was definitely fun to see.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQuBsiO4H48v6IzIp2kzjYdhHf3FRnaqjsII2FZBk58wwmQNUKHGKnwgpCQwkFZNs6XAm-DPDxq7_Sg-DktEMnNLbXnUPfr9E8P6NySDwcHNRHO0ZhjUJfcZhMc_W_-BPCKvi4zzo8JM/s1600/DSC04487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQuBsiO4H48v6IzIp2kzjYdhHf3FRnaqjsII2FZBk58wwmQNUKHGKnwgpCQwkFZNs6XAm-DPDxq7_Sg-DktEMnNLbXnUPfr9E8P6NySDwcHNRHO0ZhjUJfcZhMc_W_-BPCKvi4zzo8JM/s400/DSC04487.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That wooden structure was the ski jump!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0Uo4o9o2yegsBlr5V62kGpHohF_R3gf9rk1C-ZD267BTAyoQ1l0opCLR7HXVPDQO3Sx_qJ4Lw0yskYetGZC3E15XOb6Wtnjdu3o2ZiznqQHjExWaHL17f2l-Z1jTynerILYFUEqAY6w/s1600/DSC04489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0Uo4o9o2yegsBlr5V62kGpHohF_R3gf9rk1C-ZD267BTAyoQ1l0opCLR7HXVPDQO3Sx_qJ4Lw0yskYetGZC3E15XOb6Wtnjdu3o2ZiznqQHjExWaHL17f2l-Z1jTynerILYFUEqAY6w/s400/DSC04489.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty church in the mountains.</td></tr>
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After stopping to look at the ski jump we drove for awhile up to another mountain village to look around a bit and then eat lunch at a hotel-restaurant. The town was so picturesque (though I feel like all European mountain villages are). I wish I had more time here, I would take so many weekends to go hiking through the mountains - there was so much I wanted to explore up in the Vercors that we just weren't able to. Although, there's just so much in the world I want to explore that I won't be able to - even if I travel as much as possible, I'll never see everything. Which is kind of depressing, but at the same time, really incredible. Its a testament to how big the world really is, that no one person could ever actually discover all of it in a lifetime. But I digress.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7wRXM9tstP0FYWPSaNVrlrbNlpPAEUADjwpOBzWKkDuYbUIeeFsL9bTn7f4P7oz_Sst-tCsHWzY1p7WW-Ir1R9IgT2onnGuCCMlL0Azo6zphPUbwvAhq_kiBu4yUdPA_Vc2jLYj1Ojk/s1600/DSC04490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7wRXM9tstP0FYWPSaNVrlrbNlpPAEUADjwpOBzWKkDuYbUIeeFsL9bTn7f4P7oz_Sst-tCsHWzY1p7WW-Ir1R9IgT2onnGuCCMlL0Azo6zphPUbwvAhq_kiBu4yUdPA_Vc2jLYj1Ojk/s400/DSC04490.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hotel-restaurant we ate lunch at.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8W4CakeimGbMxGO_cz_fki5ArdK57YMhB_t6WjVBZgo0r6qtJ3tgMejrMO0aaTA-S0JrTj8vCW5GTzPhRwZSM0sKm_rMlYY-ze2YxRmmJQ7FULrYfs6Z6EiysE51sVUcO9LG3l81f8Y/s1600/DSC04494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8W4CakeimGbMxGO_cz_fki5ArdK57YMhB_t6WjVBZgo0r6qtJ3tgMejrMO0aaTA-S0JrTj8vCW5GTzPhRwZSM0sKm_rMlYY-ze2YxRmmJQ7FULrYfs6Z6EiysE51sVUcO9LG3l81f8Y/s320/DSC04494.JPG" width="320" /></a>We had such a good lunch - a true French meal, there were 3 courses, each beautifully put together. I had a salad for lunch, with toasts with local bleu cheese - that region is known for its bleu cheese. It was really good, but the cheese was a little too strong and too rich for me to eat all of it. The salad was wonderful though. French salads are actually quite simple usually - just a vinaigrette, nuts and maybe a veggie or two with the greens. I don't remember what else was in this one, but I know it was delicious. Also, whoever told me that the portions were going to be radically smaller in France was painstakingly wrong. Maybe at the super expensive, super fancy restaurants that's true, but otherwise, it is not the case. The French seem to love giving you way more food that you could finish - the difference is just that its all usually fresh, natural foods, unlike all the processed stuff in the States. But again, I digress. Several of my friends got salad with fois gras - that's duck fat for those of you who don't speak french (or french cuisine) - but I wasn't brave enough to try it. Its basically just like spreading bacon fat all over your bread, but much richer, and I just didn't have the guts to give it a go.<br />
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After the salad course we had our main course, which sadly, I did not like one single bit. We had a choice between trout (no way) and lamb (okay, I'll try it). And as pretty as it was, I just couldn't take the texture - it was very fatty and chewy, which are my two least favorite textures, especially as far as meat is concerned. Thankfully my salad was big enough to fill me up enough, and even more luckily, my friends finished it for me so the restaurant didn't know that they almost wasted a whole serving of (probably somewhat expensive) lamb. However, luckily for me, the dessert more than made up for the lack of edible main courses. Because if there is one thing I don't think the french could ever screw up, that thing would be desserts. Its actually quite amazing we haven't all gained 20 pounds this summer, because patisseries are <i>everywhere</i> and <i>everything</i> is incredible. And the restaurants are even above and beyond that.<br />
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So what you see here is ice cream cake with an in-house-made merengue bottom, three layers of ice cream (raspberry, blackberry and vanilla) and the best not-disgustingly-sweet frosting I've ever had. Nate got a Chartreuse ice-cream thing that was also really good, but Chartreuse is still not my favorite so I wasn't sad about my choice at all. But I am sad about my apparent decision to not take a photo of the other dessert, cause it was super pretty too! Ah, well, c'est la vie.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the town we ate lunch in. And yes, those are Christmas decorations hanging above the street.<br />
That's apparently a thing in France - we have them all through Grenoble, as well, but they don't light them up<br />
since, you know, its July and all.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nm0ZmS9_FZBKXQHmX18TNR9f4xfDZ_clOdVTqFu86WFwSsr1q4zG_gC055r77JI4wkWEjW39ORn0ncqYCiciDUOMGpDUU1KabrRaHu8yQ27d6BIJPM76fKZWGeQjVgcdMt9MJYcLgrY/s1600/DSC04507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nm0ZmS9_FZBKXQHmX18TNR9f4xfDZ_clOdVTqFu86WFwSsr1q4zG_gC055r77JI4wkWEjW39ORn0ncqYCiciDUOMGpDUU1KabrRaHu8yQ27d6BIJPM76fKZWGeQjVgcdMt9MJYcLgrY/s640/DSC04507.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of the view at the overlook we stopped at</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrkpP882OT9lt0zn7a7a3qQobhIKcixpHTArWXvdP5g0rPJHqtHl3SpSjEadp2xra7oSnaghCEDwZgn7_0BBlC367O9K2tBRlwoB5BXyIOj3u61sgqc0A4iNY2uqgB0aJ8oGrt8CkK9g/s1600/DSC04505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrkpP882OT9lt0zn7a7a3qQobhIKcixpHTArWXvdP5g0rPJHqtHl3SpSjEadp2xra7oSnaghCEDwZgn7_0BBlC367O9K2tBRlwoB5BXyIOj3u61sgqc0A4iNY2uqgB0aJ8oGrt8CkK9g/s400/DSC04505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ruins of the village, along with the still-standing church.</td></tr>
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After lunch, we drove for quite awhile through the mountains to get to this really awesome cave. The drive was gorgeous - I kept trying to get pictures but I was always two seconds too slow in getting out my camera. We made one more quick stop on our way to the cave that tugged at all the right strings of my heart, for a multitude of reasons. The point at which we stopped was at the same time majestic, beautiful and haunting. The view itself was breathtaking - as all mountain views are (I will take the mountains over the beach 99 days out of 100) - but there was one area down below us that made gave me chills. It was the ruins of a village that stood in that spot until the Germans bombed it to pieces during WWII. What's interesting to note is that the Germans destroyed everything, everything, except the church, which they left standing due to its sacred significance (that idea, in the minds of the Nazis, is such a strange paradox to contemplate). Many of the villages in France that were destroyed during the war were rebuilt after, but for some reason no one ever came back for this one, and today it stands as a memorial in honor of all those who were killed. This overlook was one of my favorite things I've seen here, in France, because of the historical significance (anyone who knows me at all knows I'm completely fascinated by the Nazis and the Holocaust) thrown together with the natural beauty and majesty of the mountains. It was just breathtaking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMnf4iImd4W5Veo8AQVsb-x8FFxxGkwdu4UnY6S8GBeCaiuLCcOYBdLYufyghPd2V2cKFMTn11tOaIhmypR4eDTA68s5gJsP2ZPnCn8iQBpKOC1Mb_rPMmmQV7MIPecOc7PONOcl-tlE/s1600/DSC04510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMnf4iImd4W5Veo8AQVsb-x8FFxxGkwdu4UnY6S8GBeCaiuLCcOYBdLYufyghPd2V2cKFMTn11tOaIhmypR4eDTA68s5gJsP2ZPnCn8iQBpKOC1Mb_rPMmmQV7MIPecOc7PONOcl-tlE/s640/DSC04510.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">smiling extra big cause we're the best friends forever (& cause the mountains are so pretty)<br />
(Nate and me)</td></tr>
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After an hour or so of driving (and everyone falling asleep in the backseat of the van) we finally made it to the cave! This cave is famous because the stalactites are so fine and numerous that they look like thousands of crystals hanging from the ceilings. And all the water in the cave was the clearest water I have <i>ever</i> seen - it honestly looks like glass, like liquid, moving glass. Sadly I can't tell you too much else about the cave because a) the tour was in French and contrary to popular belief (including my own) I'm not yet fluent (and so echoes in caves of quick-French with tons of vocab I don't know is really difficult to decipher) and b) I'm three weeks late writing this so I just flat out don't remember much of what I <i>did</i> decipher. BUT I have tons of pretty pictures for you! Basically, just know that it was cold (hallelujah), damp and beautiful. And large. Very, very large. Now for pictures!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZm2qdGLCP6KtIDcRJSTnpJ7xO7XDY7kdXzBoKzZQ49s5d8RYYxRChd-mEDwuOv4g8bgN5QQNkUS2nDzqLVcs5GPcxkDBmniG8lwBw2nl2g5yFrESkkZFOM2FQDvJqr0_EsoEWMou3MQ/s1600/DSC04523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZm2qdGLCP6KtIDcRJSTnpJ7xO7XDY7kdXzBoKzZQ49s5d8RYYxRChd-mEDwuOv4g8bgN5QQNkUS2nDzqLVcs5GPcxkDBmniG8lwBw2nl2g5yFrESkkZFOM2FQDvJqr0_EsoEWMou3MQ/s400/DSC04523.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave entrance!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfyFVLmQRjywN1qzssvQHOYwWAS2J9ivhhvwEaPUnvqaf_UojSRd1btc2IRsuoQsmHFvawr5JYRLhZQbkjHQtuD1_bkI4VSpX4BzipeVANrGevtFFD07-Su_pcX_DyLq9ivmh81m2qB8/s1600/DSC04526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfyFVLmQRjywN1qzssvQHOYwWAS2J9ivhhvwEaPUnvqaf_UojSRd1btc2IRsuoQsmHFvawr5JYRLhZQbkjHQtuD1_bkI4VSpX4BzipeVANrGevtFFD07-Su_pcX_DyLq9ivmh81m2qB8/s640/DSC04526.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First large cavern. Huge beautiful pool of water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, you're looking straight through the water at the bottom of the pool. Like I said: the water was like glass. Amazing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More crazy-clear water. I still can't get over it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved this part - the rocks look like people are carved there! But its all just the natural eroding and building of the cave all on its own. Nature is so cool, y'all.</td></tr>
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So yeah, the cave was beautiful. It made me want to go to caves in the States, partly because I want to get to know my own country better, and partly because it would be really nice to understand everything being said about them! Cause you know, I like learning and stuff. But I still so enjoyed this one - the stalactites truly looked like crystals, it was just stunning.</div>
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After the cave, we drove through a few other mountain villages on our way back towards Grenoble. One that we stopped in, Pont-en-Rayons, I know you would have never left, Mom! It was just this tiny little thing all situated around the river. The scenery was lovely and the temperature was even better. Not a whole lot to say because we didn't do much but look around, but the pictures are more than worth sharing:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, Mom, I saw an apartment for sale! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View at the chateau ruins; you can see what remains of the fortress wall on the right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrGqKzeNyW0T1kbMQdDn1D9wBJDa-yeMP0UhxkDzB4PJqpkXWMEt51YOk4QTk2GdPVTNff13_8R374A8UmvbwxJCivGkxBbyWyu4bf7mkiXtJGY53EKYfFMhHK1KDXAQ_xU5gaijDuZk/s1600/DSC04588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrGqKzeNyW0T1kbMQdDn1D9wBJDa-yeMP0UhxkDzB4PJqpkXWMEt51YOk4QTk2GdPVTNff13_8R374A8UmvbwxJCivGkxBbyWyu4bf7mkiXtJGY53EKYfFMhHK1KDXAQ_xU5gaijDuZk/s400/DSC04588.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall still standing of the private chapel.<br />
That darker grey base is over 3ft high,<br />
to give you a point of reference for<br />
the sheer size of the thing.<br />
It is believed that was the alter.</td></tr>
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To end our Vercors tour, we stopped at the site of now-gone chateau of the last Prince of Dauphinois (the ancient name of the region Grenoble is in). All that is left standing now is a wall of the private chapel and parts of the fortress-walls. The sheer size of the chapel wall is incredible - its obvious how large that chapel must have been, and to think, it was just for the Prince's own personal use. The French nobles were such an elaborate bunch (though I guess most nobles are). There was also a wonderful view from up there - so peaceful. I think that's what I love most about mountains: while they are majestic, they are quietly so. I much prefer the beauty and grandeur of mountains to that of the gaudy, man-made beauty of palaces and castles. The buildings are beautiful, but they can be so in-your-face. Mountains have a humble quality about them that I just adore.<br />
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Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-7873941546988250622013-07-15T14:07:00.002-07:002013-07-15T14:07:41.933-07:00Paris: partie finale: VersaillesSo let me just start off with the most important bit of information regarding our trip to Versailles on Sunday: we forgot to plan at all. We did zero research on visiting Versailles other than looking up train times/ticket prices. If any of you would ever want to see Versailles, I strongly suggest you plan ahead...because it will probably go a lot better than our visit did.<br />
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Basically, there are the longest lines ever. Lines to buy tickets, and then lines to wait in to be admitted into the palace. It took us about 30 minutes to figure out that we didn't care enough to wait to go inside, so we figured we'd just walk around the gardens, cause they're free, and that would work out fine.<br />
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Yeah, no.<br />
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We tried for about an hour to figure out how to get into the gardens without having to pay - all the signs were extremely contradictory, didn't make sense, or just were flat out wrong. We finally figured out where the free entrance to the gardens was...but it meant about a mile walk on a fairly hot day. So we finally just capitulated and paid the 8€ fee to get in where we could see the "dancing fountains" show (even though we had to leave before the next show even started). I'm pretty sure that's their strategy - get all the tourists confused, hot and frustrated enough and they'll just go ahead and pay you to get in the easy way. Well, it worked, and in we went.<br />
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The gardens were <i>so</i> expansive, oh my goodness. They went on forever. The grandeur of Versailles is definitely something that isn't lost even if you just see the outside. Its not difficult to see how the rest of the country starved while Louis and Marie built and maintained it. Parts of it are pretty, absolutely, but honestly it was too much - too grand, too elaborate, too much. Versailles, in my opinion, is the definition of gaudy. Worth looking at, but I would never want to look at it everyday, and I definitely wouldn't want to live in anything modeled after it.<br />
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That being said, the gardens were beautiful. Its insane to realize that where you were standing, Louis and Marie both walked there, entertained other nobles there, <i>lived</i> there. The history behind everything in France gives me chills constantly. I love that about this country. So we walked around the gardens and just soaked it all up for a few hours, before returning to Paris just in time for Hannah and I to catch our train back to Grenoble. I am so glad I get to spend a few more days in Paris at the end of this month, because two days is definitely not near enough.<br />
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(the blog site is being difficult and I can't get my photos to be integrated into text right now, so here is yet another long list of photos for you!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of the palace. So. Much. Gold.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEVS-rkbAfUb9HU-AebuyFAmY9WkwZBRHz_sghAf-g-2pGRqHeHwkhFRy5gL8z0q1wXWNOexakACTt63D7knKQAPE42skQnAhr6iFWKLR1t3kTbMOyPLW9wAeFT730k851VtcfAccBk0/s1600/DSC04456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEVS-rkbAfUb9HU-AebuyFAmY9WkwZBRHz_sghAf-g-2pGRqHeHwkhFRy5gL8z0q1wXWNOexakACTt63D7knKQAPE42skQnAhr6iFWKLR1t3kTbMOyPLW9wAeFT730k851VtcfAccBk0/s640/DSC04456.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE37SmTX3uGPZEGr_hPgCkC80Qb9G1skJ7ZNEZNZPMjJ5KibgCYVQ0VHFLzyv-wnkdsBepkBF7Ulo8con4vLRIFNpMVOyC8f1nht9NVYNHmH3oVN3ZYMyBK9Jkxkp_mIAPVfYhk1uAjk/s1600/DSC04458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE37SmTX3uGPZEGr_hPgCkC80Qb9G1skJ7ZNEZNZPMjJ5KibgCYVQ0VHFLzyv-wnkdsBepkBF7Ulo8con4vLRIFNpMVOyC8f1nht9NVYNHmH3oVN3ZYMyBK9Jkxkp_mIAPVfYhk1uAjk/s640/DSC04458.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is only half of it. I couldn't get one panorama of the entire facade.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZ4XcPDNk6v87EWugqH42y5UTN3Y4lLGOb6JrAE_hmcNBupX628kOhOM9vyVsbeWrM2TxjZ0M_9jBnlpFRZRzL8RK6VWxlMycO_xVSLHrUBmgYHZeAOcEVu5O3kowaCFfExn76_sXHCc/s1600/DSC04459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZ4XcPDNk6v87EWugqH42y5UTN3Y4lLGOb6JrAE_hmcNBupX628kOhOM9vyVsbeWrM2TxjZ0M_9jBnlpFRZRzL8RK6VWxlMycO_xVSLHrUBmgYHZeAOcEVu5O3kowaCFfExn76_sXHCc/s640/DSC04459.JPG" width="394" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, that's all gold. All of it. Again, pretty easy to see why the rest of the country was starving to death.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RXocTu_MtRAXpf8zTXDItfQhzAfnnWCQIAXfX4YJWFMp6lZ4ve9lwWCDdWtoCLe60fpTif1G-sNsOmuryF7oE9WBv-sOMmmZmM7QKfPamLTqXkRKlFxC2fyKk-cGShUcX0BsqYzuN0M/s1600/DSC04461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RXocTu_MtRAXpf8zTXDItfQhzAfnnWCQIAXfX4YJWFMp6lZ4ve9lwWCDdWtoCLe60fpTif1G-sNsOmuryF7oE9WBv-sOMmmZmM7QKfPamLTqXkRKlFxC2fyKk-cGShUcX0BsqYzuN0M/s640/DSC04461.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the gardens directly behind the palace.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On of quite literally hundreds of statues in the gardens.<br />This one was made ~1685-1688.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the steps behind the palace.</td></tr>
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<br />Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-89210276333391030752013-07-15T13:26:00.003-07:002013-07-15T13:26:45.935-07:00Paris partie 4: le sommet du Tour EiffelAfter soaking up l'Arc de Triomphe, we found a cafe to have dinner at, and then proceeded to le Tour Eiffel to go up to the top! The line wasn't too bad, we got through to the first lift in under an hour, and then waited around 45 minutes halfway up. You can climb up to the halfway point, but if you want to go all the way to the top you have to pay the full lift price at the bottom in order to proceed. And let me tell you, if you love amazing views, it is so worth it. Especially at night - seeing all the lights of the city 900ft below us was absolutely breath-taking. But, a word to wise: bring a jacket, and definitely way more clothing if its winter, because it is COLD and WINDY up there. There honestly isn't a whole to say with words, because the photos tell it all. So here are the views, as best as I could capture them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking east - I'm not sure what building that is, but I <i>think</i> its the Pantheon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking north - l'Arc de Triomphe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friends at the top of the Eiffel Tower. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We could see fireworks to the northwest - we think it was EuroDisney. So pretty (though not in this photo).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champs de Mar, looking west</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Seine is so pretty at night, especially up high.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a proposal!!! I just turned around, and there<br />he was, down on one knee! Sadly I have no<br />idea who they are, so I can't give them these photos.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So the architect had an apartment up at the top<br />to entertain important people. So now they have<br />these really creepy mannequins on display.</td></tr>
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<br />Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-45449700454577056322013-07-03T07:58:00.003-07:002013-07-03T07:58:25.488-07:00Paris: partie 3: le LouvreSo le Musée de Louvre was overwhelming to say the least. That place is GINORMOUS. Like. Seriously, I think you could spend an entire week there, all day, every day, and not see everything. Its also a labyrinth....we got lost SO MANY TIMES and we were only there for like, an hour and a half. Maps are only slightly helpful.<br />
However, that is not to say we didn't enjoy it, because le Louvre is a work of art itself. The first hall we went into, which housed tons of Greek statues, literally took my breath away when we first walked in. Pictures absolutely do not do it justice. However, I did my best.<br />
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There isn't a whole lot to tell about le Louvre, other than we literally were almost running through the whole thing in order to see everything we wanted to see (we were so pressed for time because of everything else we wanted to squeeze in - Paris in a day is truly the abridged version, I wouldn't recommend it for the best, fullest experience). So, here is a really long list of photos of art. Many of the pieces we saw I studied in Art History last fall, which just blew my mind, the fact that I was standing right there in front of them. So amazing. Le Louvre has so so many super famous pieces. <i>Vraiment incroyable</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNB8YqpaupG60ikpPt6wGERSZ5Y2mrqhIOXAyEoMkjp_alCpV4kmeUhgdLuKyEPayZ4ogs9elczDNhC0h48fiACVms89uwybX5vhCfJS79J7tvXaRgJ2p5u1taYqe7RcwBI84aRr35I8/s1600/DSC04363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNB8YqpaupG60ikpPt6wGERSZ5Y2mrqhIOXAyEoMkjp_alCpV4kmeUhgdLuKyEPayZ4ogs9elczDNhC0h48fiACVms89uwybX5vhCfJS79J7tvXaRgJ2p5u1taYqe7RcwBI84aRr35I8/s640/DSC04363.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ekDv7hqvfDiUqrs8B6JDkbNwLv08RuwGV8SrWOZAjZRLN38V-V-2rgfYVlPdZKKII14qka9r63BStpyXxdnMWXTbrDVZIgE7EY5KgcbrxUFHKMM_MbKFLL5ShmBCPvR6bJpXiLpR58I/s1600/DSC04365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ekDv7hqvfDiUqrs8B6JDkbNwLv08RuwGV8SrWOZAjZRLN38V-V-2rgfYVlPdZKKII14qka9r63BStpyXxdnMWXTbrDVZIgE7EY5KgcbrxUFHKMM_MbKFLL5ShmBCPvR6bJpXiLpR58I/s640/DSC04365.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9_1x8vKKJONM1Banni8xNh8X2kauFzOgUwQLjAkNGorg9VEMLVRicP-RihcWO09gCNAXtYTVz7bUhbI_VwPE8XqVlBZZSXpesKtwBaJNYbQv1TLL1KJ7Jo6bTLJ1R-RmYhq0NwN9QRE/s1600/DSC04366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9_1x8vKKJONM1Banni8xNh8X2kauFzOgUwQLjAkNGorg9VEMLVRicP-RihcWO09gCNAXtYTVz7bUhbI_VwPE8XqVlBZZSXpesKtwBaJNYbQv1TLL1KJ7Jo6bTLJ1R-RmYhq0NwN9QRE/s640/DSC04366.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hall that took my breath away. So. Beautiful.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP64y-mPdXizqi4k0MRddIqeIYVip__J91cmLdJq6V18YFJ0qqGaguPqPYJ22yQbL1sAZfAQRUwv-PrGv5m-xf3Ry7_MpMFw_aQV7asGiD_RlbkRp52L_B-vpTy_CMjk5ptDDa4WCUYrM/s1600/DSC04368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP64y-mPdXizqi4k0MRddIqeIYVip__J91cmLdJq6V18YFJ0qqGaguPqPYJ22yQbL1sAZfAQRUwv-PrGv5m-xf3Ry7_MpMFw_aQV7asGiD_RlbkRp52L_B-vpTy_CMjk5ptDDa4WCUYrM/s640/DSC04368.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So apparently a hippie managed to time travel <br />and have a statue made of himself.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOju8rvpX5YwoNXjvqMwxTl9nw6MZdlje3JuFkffU7bbdKTA0Tgaw_HxBUJs5FYugOe187dZPQ2geOljF6aCsoh03EHw2556nzP8HjRJZQAP0fjnrEbGdAbcB31WN6DjeGSGpGwg52DY/s1600/DSC04370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOju8rvpX5YwoNXjvqMwxTl9nw6MZdlje3JuFkffU7bbdKTA0Tgaw_HxBUJs5FYugOe187dZPQ2geOljF6aCsoh03EHw2556nzP8HjRJZQAP0fjnrEbGdAbcB31WN6DjeGSGpGwg52DY/s640/DSC04370.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hammurabi's Code.<br />RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!<br />Can't even believe it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2melySqVYi0gbU1nrKajBf1VC4OeH5ulfbesqJBJQCzagmLhEyvlgtDxD6i-58rgE0VCY2cJ95wZGMTHYvrpqgD4AspJiAzSJ9RQdrBdI4HS5iwsL7iU0UVd8H6Nrff6IaKjxIPQ2tY/s1600/DSC04372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2melySqVYi0gbU1nrKajBf1VC4OeH5ulfbesqJBJQCzagmLhEyvlgtDxD6i-58rgE0VCY2cJ95wZGMTHYvrpqgD4AspJiAzSJ9RQdrBdI4HS5iwsL7iU0UVd8H6Nrff6IaKjxIPQ2tY/s640/DSC04372.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absolutely incredible.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmgDEqI-su7prsRZotLBP8JjFvk5b1cBJrXLLYq2PCUGHEENIZKOjKy1N_eb6fGhU5iArespT39dseEysSQYlHxPJedrd20fBcMhQvZYXGrW4ZVtiJvz6-IbSNxP_nWgNYoUDqwgyPdo/s1600/DSC04374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmgDEqI-su7prsRZotLBP8JjFvk5b1cBJrXLLYq2PCUGHEENIZKOjKy1N_eb6fGhU5iArespT39dseEysSQYlHxPJedrd20fBcMhQvZYXGrW4ZVtiJvz6-IbSNxP_nWgNYoUDqwgyPdo/s640/DSC04374.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just thought this little lion head was adorable.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2tR0eLdppKFSpukXKPEYiGY8soMR6RDGPhSawpnkFc_0ULBsa-GznoFjjjphFJTO2MLTtchQODpY66x-_1cYgJsgtAo3d5mOkivQDdT-JHdQb9jFrGG-uWfsRmEcgFSJGc5oBRvaA2c/s1600/DSC04376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2tR0eLdppKFSpukXKPEYiGY8soMR6RDGPhSawpnkFc_0ULBsa-GznoFjjjphFJTO2MLTtchQODpY66x-_1cYgJsgtAo3d5mOkivQDdT-JHdQb9jFrGG-uWfsRmEcgFSJGc5oBRvaA2c/s640/DSC04376.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a horrible art history student and forgot the name of these, and forgot to take a photo of the name.<br />But these guys are famous.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQf9DX247vy-dEkkq4XX62Ai58ifNyUOTQZifKM_rBxX4PRf3dF4ZFMWqPofJAToFESp79hlkC201rG9IVY8JGMfrouhrv9Skh6VeHJsXG83w5P5MTdkW6xEd_971UAc8pO7T0gLCLcA/s1600/DSC04377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQf9DX247vy-dEkkq4XX62Ai58ifNyUOTQZifKM_rBxX4PRf3dF4ZFMWqPofJAToFESp79hlkC201rG9IVY8JGMfrouhrv9Skh6VeHJsXG83w5P5MTdkW6xEd_971UAc8pO7T0gLCLcA/s640/DSC04377.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCTOu0QcPF7leOtJPRTATE4nFTfSqWG5EpuK3Qb4JzflEgMqg53r12paudP9QfbXLsSn1m-zBPhzGgsugl35xt-zKNxtT2v4At3EO3wu4BD6E2K-bwpOF__0cvZnYQ2W18L0hQk1kamA/s1600/DSC04380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCTOu0QcPF7leOtJPRTATE4nFTfSqWG5EpuK3Qb4JzflEgMqg53r12paudP9QfbXLsSn1m-zBPhzGgsugl35xt-zKNxtT2v4At3EO3wu4BD6E2K-bwpOF__0cvZnYQ2W18L0hQk1kamA/s640/DSC04380.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like I said, le Louvre is SO PRETTY.<br />Also big. So. big.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54DRu4b0jYvZy3kPUXKOznOZwHyd0CZxI8ZSmFpdeebqBIb2gyqWKiNytPb3SMxE7jnRWx2Bs_fY9qRc0U3fCcmGE3Lgvj-kq2nXfKYW3pDSok-_u7YbzH8u6PzfMjXlfYkTYHny24LI/s1600/DSC04381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54DRu4b0jYvZy3kPUXKOznOZwHyd0CZxI8ZSmFpdeebqBIb2gyqWKiNytPb3SMxE7jnRWx2Bs_fY9qRc0U3fCcmGE3Lgvj-kq2nXfKYW3pDSok-_u7YbzH8u6PzfMjXlfYkTYHny24LI/s640/DSC04381.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRarAw5i9j8tVTL_mr6sfoJx-L7m8hF1gNk6_XFB-FN1YRmYdf26nbYNrNA83-ajIUQ_Js88GrDEEWCCm2BRZuj0u5vxHLJdP0JH9fOjLHOSt8lxoGVfK8tzNyTeZ6_61Yp5931VjwGzU/s1600/DSC04382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRarAw5i9j8tVTL_mr6sfoJx-L7m8hF1gNk6_XFB-FN1YRmYdf26nbYNrNA83-ajIUQ_Js88GrDEEWCCm2BRZuj0u5vxHLJdP0JH9fOjLHOSt8lxoGVfK8tzNyTeZ6_61Yp5931VjwGzU/s640/DSC04382.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sucDRU5EVqE7qPbhV8PwSNolm53MivFAqePlijr84vFFKitQkQBtBqGKxFz-aq3CL09kUNZEb4MOSex-sym0GFo10wjLiR5ucNt5VO8IHzttNwudqYVFm3eJ2aWyqegbW3sNsSzohV0/s1600/DSC04385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sucDRU5EVqE7qPbhV8PwSNolm53MivFAqePlijr84vFFKitQkQBtBqGKxFz-aq3CL09kUNZEb4MOSex-sym0GFo10wjLiR5ucNt5VO8IHzttNwudqYVFm3eJ2aWyqegbW3sNsSzohV0/s640/DSC04385.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5QAvCOhf27nhvV_Pbc5MJbav6SAqUeWwjUnqXrn3ezhneJOvcesG328JNiQjEzaygir74h7UbVltz_20sFtYwsYOxYtvEKV6a3J_R1C9Ush6L59Lh1y6LcWumx-BiwTxl2WWt6yVEmQ/s1600/DSC04386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5QAvCOhf27nhvV_Pbc5MJbav6SAqUeWwjUnqXrn3ezhneJOvcesG328JNiQjEzaygir74h7UbVltz_20sFtYwsYOxYtvEKV6a3J_R1C9Ush6L59Lh1y6LcWumx-BiwTxl2WWt6yVEmQ/s640/DSC04386.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh you know, just some of the first writing to ever be written. No big deal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-K_SYi21rVczGO2wNa1TN7Bre1cv2T1tpp5_VNVDRNbVJFM_LZA9QiPLClharRm4S7AqgYQhAMgqSxx78pnpOGqo_5QlWNZ2ncQpZwurotpvXYaA1Lt8A4ivn-W7wjl3jhUEajJQfJM/s1600/DSC04389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-K_SYi21rVczGO2wNa1TN7Bre1cv2T1tpp5_VNVDRNbVJFM_LZA9QiPLClharRm4S7AqgYQhAMgqSxx78pnpOGqo_5QlWNZ2ncQpZwurotpvXYaA1Lt8A4ivn-W7wjl3jhUEajJQfJM/s640/DSC04389.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">statue of the queen, wife of King Untash-Napirisha,<br />king of Iran from ~1275-1240 BC</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAOPR-lvySn3Lz7I3YcHLD3TRYK7xWusGxw20Oz4Mj9GoqF9a-ufgp3eFvf3AE3XuNnX3GSaq6pdjwgfC7p-gkpbYddWafiYeJhV4T16b338qN1isL_0O9Wc3Kw87HHbtfGmZRnwGXsQ/s1600/DSC04391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAOPR-lvySn3Lz7I3YcHLD3TRYK7xWusGxw20Oz4Mj9GoqF9a-ufgp3eFvf3AE3XuNnX3GSaq6pdjwgfC7p-gkpbYddWafiYeJhV4T16b338qN1isL_0O9Wc3Kw87HHbtfGmZRnwGXsQ/s640/DSC04391.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdIb6f2niWcydq4j6A3FkzX4uu8gVps8ukJfRaFYQhHp4o2j0CHUEbiv8-BRWlUTyN-3yUnwY5khFajp8o8_RwzrPbUdOfBAYzyC-zgSUsm22iucO0bO78w2iqKzzQLxVeZilj1tgZwk/s1600/DSC04392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdIb6f2niWcydq4j6A3FkzX4uu8gVps8ukJfRaFYQhHp4o2j0CHUEbiv8-BRWlUTyN-3yUnwY5khFajp8o8_RwzrPbUdOfBAYzyC-zgSUsm22iucO0bO78w2iqKzzQLxVeZilj1tgZwk/s640/DSC04392.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5_3Sxou6rID6cqTaff0oizeW3hkydbbejCs4eGHZjStMGsQ73CSXfpr61qfBYWHWZJ1qDM3hb0tj9hvUex9UEg_u-FLxz2GSWL8Vy4GWGDjKA1OC-u-nXOSRXAaN6c_qcaCFRwoWeKc/s1600/DSC04395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5_3Sxou6rID6cqTaff0oizeW3hkydbbejCs4eGHZjStMGsQ73CSXfpr61qfBYWHWZJ1qDM3hb0tj9hvUex9UEg_u-FLxz2GSWL8Vy4GWGDjKA1OC-u-nXOSRXAaN6c_qcaCFRwoWeKc/s640/DSC04395.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So this would be from the Twilight Zone of le Louvre.<br />Hannah and I were trying to find the Greek stuff...and ended up in this weird Egyptian section, <br />complete with neon word lights. Still have no idea what it was.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKZCt08h9mZpW25EImPP-m-_gC_DaiSvXA-5h-Fwt8r9ZgBASGsLLqWGsEV-2Ym89kBDdz-zkkiqBYT0s8yEk2L7r9sUaeHT7fFhl-HComv4khqhzY0PH-UKiNZa8L9jNxUD6YDWHIQ0/s1600/DSC04396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKZCt08h9mZpW25EImPP-m-_gC_DaiSvXA-5h-Fwt8r9ZgBASGsLLqWGsEV-2Ym89kBDdz-zkkiqBYT0s8yEk2L7r9sUaeHT7fFhl-HComv4khqhzY0PH-UKiNZa8L9jNxUD6YDWHIQ0/s640/DSC04396.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5o0UAA5V_wIPjkJgOCOWVf9wOVZM5U6RLyDbHrTtlAaoBCU-S3L-_B7PrF3oetsw2eF9NnXs56YJfZFCcxlbmxQj3G_GLTfRiKTBO-EVwc30D_EjwMirqljC9BxgY1XSYsvA0un_GzZI/s1600/DSC04399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5o0UAA5V_wIPjkJgOCOWVf9wOVZM5U6RLyDbHrTtlAaoBCU-S3L-_B7PrF3oetsw2eF9NnXs56YJfZFCcxlbmxQj3G_GLTfRiKTBO-EVwc30D_EjwMirqljC9BxgY1XSYsvA0un_GzZI/s640/DSC04399.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, just the Venus. No big deal. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg06nbORA0fE_jf6KcEGnm-TZtNISyZHwflnJC-Gv05EzXyzgIAiNVVGpzMCSkWZgLHtV-SvKVXZ9xSpCIsz_LNyupbAzzWutbzX-DsNMZRqWj2btl4njRf0fmjMJQfEdSsoXeWWOS14g/s1600/DSC04404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg06nbORA0fE_jf6KcEGnm-TZtNISyZHwflnJC-Gv05EzXyzgIAiNVVGpzMCSkWZgLHtV-SvKVXZ9xSpCIsz_LNyupbAzzWutbzX-DsNMZRqWj2btl4njRf0fmjMJQfEdSsoXeWWOS14g/s640/DSC04404.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">eeeeeee its one of my favorites, from my favorite period!<br />Sarcophagus of the Spouses, Etruscan period</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUL20eIhBrfdU_TVGuCl6FlU8TRlhDcn1ELdYgG-4q_Cc5CrcIHZCeIL25vmkbTesFY_9E5Xx9ggj_eQM2meHqi9DIQb0X1gbDL6i025xVj9By-YnIXcYM4KOlnY3J6ZusLo2U3cMTfk/s1600/DSC04409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUL20eIhBrfdU_TVGuCl6FlU8TRlhDcn1ELdYgG-4q_Cc5CrcIHZCeIL25vmkbTesFY_9E5Xx9ggj_eQM2meHqi9DIQb0X1gbDL6i025xVj9By-YnIXcYM4KOlnY3J6ZusLo2U3cMTfk/s640/DSC04409.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then we walked by an original Bernini. Is this real life?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLdAhorf6ARtz1tYjc4V6vEyADm1qwjHLihuQOLGlF9REfk6Nzn6mzq9Jb73MmXdTqV2UHnGbdSrDMlu60xZZXIiBDfSBAPjh3Rk516UVwfjTZix_w1Vvb0QqszcR8ZwQXDUSRegZveg/s1600/DSC04412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLdAhorf6ARtz1tYjc4V6vEyADm1qwjHLihuQOLGlF9REfk6Nzn6mzq9Jb73MmXdTqV2UHnGbdSrDMlu60xZZXIiBDfSBAPjh3Rk516UVwfjTZix_w1Vvb0QqszcR8ZwQXDUSRegZveg/s640/DSC04412.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just really liked this painting. No idea who did it.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4OzLnNlDv8qiOwN4Xsc-a0VGRDSNPRDzbpNIRXHEWPRukywvhHY5rQOpyTDxljJMcyAhGyU0HolG-SB-5e3Zi2c7pAw8-53WqaNx3BDiRdbRpYzrV1Kc6fM0zi_BBU_3z5gq4N9oKkU/s1600/DSC04416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4OzLnNlDv8qiOwN4Xsc-a0VGRDSNPRDzbpNIRXHEWPRukywvhHY5rQOpyTDxljJMcyAhGyU0HolG-SB-5e3Zi2c7pAw8-53WqaNx3BDiRdbRpYzrV1Kc6fM0zi_BBU_3z5gq4N9oKkU/s640/DSC04416.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mona Lisa!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYSsHFpCk9MsVit-JRCoDIHleLkHyLYsGOMmu_LtZjkk9bYYHdJwUbthFfj35YRY8RCUKgHcH1dT66FnKP4LbtD6gBvSsNqQxev51hxInaAkj2isOXV_PoD3FY515N9PJNC6lDzW-Y_I/s960/8850_10200499842150941_1162616577_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYSsHFpCk9MsVit-JRCoDIHleLkHyLYsGOMmu_LtZjkk9bYYHdJwUbthFfj35YRY8RCUKgHcH1dT66FnKP4LbtD6gBvSsNqQxev51hxInaAkj2isOXV_PoD3FY515N9PJNC6lDzW-Y_I/s640/8850_10200499842150941_1162616577_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a photo in front of the Mona Lisa is super awkward.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIDPGKoPvm6XrI92wM9vZQMDGUyUa3eeyQkxa1qv2chlgbmuiimKLQG-X-L_uoltYd284iQPa3kIstNPO3hE-BcqiH8TlSBbPAqx94J-ncZnNIEYF6eLf1oWd62SyJ7l2SOzpJo8m1go/s1600/DSC04417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIDPGKoPvm6XrI92wM9vZQMDGUyUa3eeyQkxa1qv2chlgbmuiimKLQG-X-L_uoltYd284iQPa3kIstNPO3hE-BcqiH8TlSBbPAqx94J-ncZnNIEYF6eLf1oWd62SyJ7l2SOzpJo8m1go/s640/DSC04417.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wedding at Cana, sometimes referred to as Wedding Feast.<br />There are over 130 figures depicted in this massive painting. Insane.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCt3KPMW3AgADQLcZOxcO9rag2DGQr58fztZ7uk2jS2JN57G0gAjkEsU3bkf7OjNyaAHlqvPBS7FRw8xi25PXCsELwzqCNNhRK-64zoH0IQmHsYZdzP_B15GrMbK_ttiROu9LAom472FA/s1600/DSC04420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCt3KPMW3AgADQLcZOxcO9rag2DGQr58fztZ7uk2jS2JN57G0gAjkEsU3bkf7OjNyaAHlqvPBS7FRw8xi25PXCsELwzqCNNhRK-64zoH0IQmHsYZdzP_B15GrMbK_ttiROu9LAom472FA/s640/DSC04420.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winged Victory of Samothrace<br />I know nothing of this statue but it is absolutely stunning. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDegZzb5fo2tTAQuNnUm3UsC-Sz9wKLGBvwQTEMwDV71Cn6BSWBzHrtX1p3jQN6oGB8S59-jC5hOICvdqGDDDySA2gJS5HYQJz6NhIkC-WiWj0X3giFt1n94wsGw05prpzUAnr5McJxk/s1600/DSC04421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDegZzb5fo2tTAQuNnUm3UsC-Sz9wKLGBvwQTEMwDV71Cn6BSWBzHrtX1p3jQN6oGB8S59-jC5hOICvdqGDDDySA2gJS5HYQJz6NhIkC-WiWj0X3giFt1n94wsGw05prpzUAnr5McJxk/s640/DSC04421.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of dozens of depictions just like this of Egyptian kings.<br />I don't remember which king this is.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qZ38f3Oa3SNJCWFIcou3rDVXBuyjx2z_W0-TwC5ARpRKwXtGVW-yRWJ2PNQiTzQUWj8bOie_6a0RGHdYjjz4hae-W8Fa31IWsjnHmfGXjW4Wv7RLAy3ZaH8rJIiB6DzKyaOGDvYFapY/s1600/DSC04426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qZ38f3Oa3SNJCWFIcou3rDVXBuyjx2z_W0-TwC5ARpRKwXtGVW-yRWJ2PNQiTzQUWj8bOie_6a0RGHdYjjz4hae-W8Fa31IWsjnHmfGXjW4Wv7RLAy3ZaH8rJIiB6DzKyaOGDvYFapY/s640/DSC04426.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SEATED SCRIBE!!!!<br />This little guy is probably my very favorite piece<br />I studied last fall. Cannot believe I got to see it in person.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZPmKvRVuw-YCi3skOyGiJaO6dc7R8LqdVLxctnPEpiLammctdsSzoNnY663lqa31fDifae-ocxHL3p9OvhuIeG0eQHN6glWziOHHK_widBaDcXeuKzRyc1-gOVmKqckB9ApbeCENG7U/s1600/DSC04428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZPmKvRVuw-YCi3skOyGiJaO6dc7R8LqdVLxctnPEpiLammctdsSzoNnY663lqa31fDifae-ocxHL3p9OvhuIeG0eQHN6glWziOHHK_widBaDcXeuKzRyc1-gOVmKqckB9ApbeCENG7U/s640/DSC04428.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hangin' out with Seated Scribe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqDp5vYyi_UVCnsPZaoqlbYmXXW9xN5PK9cm_UP_LLk__6YsyabCh4ATYoBsfSyJCh40jO9rMPpKolNWq6SEEiTIwcHPdfSrmfmpKruilLkGA4ockbpzYeSy8AFzBcq3iT2EhkZFMP6I/s1600/DSC04431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqDp5vYyi_UVCnsPZaoqlbYmXXW9xN5PK9cm_UP_LLk__6YsyabCh4ATYoBsfSyJCh40jO9rMPpKolNWq6SEEiTIwcHPdfSrmfmpKruilLkGA4ockbpzYeSy8AFzBcq3iT2EhkZFMP6I/s640/DSC04431.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the most famous art museum in world with my best friend. So lucky.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjCtKPo1TDHBaSTFeEcUzwT2zTx8thBNQD3iYOmwSNXBKrDBqauYb73by8pnwWJdG2QtdRWahG-3uMbH9Lra-ud11lc2tMG8zEUVitgHoIjOKzgaCtYjFqSAauoVCAAG3WlpDqr7AUok/s1600/DSC04435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjCtKPo1TDHBaSTFeEcUzwT2zTx8thBNQD3iYOmwSNXBKrDBqauYb73by8pnwWJdG2QtdRWahG-3uMbH9Lra-ud11lc2tMG8zEUVitgHoIjOKzgaCtYjFqSAauoVCAAG3WlpDqr7AUok/s640/DSC04435.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-18349619665542756302013-07-01T06:05:00.001-07:002013-07-01T06:05:12.045-07:00Paris: partie deux: basically everything<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0-X5fy4kEIBtACC03_YaLnXhaDnLOefFuKOYNKi1qL5P6XsQQhF_EfZ2YjRK4zezIOcP1JKdnzAUK8vY22TihZTcaIX4sCkQOS0w1dU_9TacJK5BWAH45IUGYYTKnd2STdajRi3zT2A/s1600/DSC04267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0-X5fy4kEIBtACC03_YaLnXhaDnLOefFuKOYNKi1qL5P6XsQQhF_EfZ2YjRK4zezIOcP1JKdnzAUK8vY22TihZTcaIX4sCkQOS0w1dU_9TacJK5BWAH45IUGYYTKnd2STdajRi3zT2A/s400/DSC04267.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July Column</td></tr>
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Saturday was one of the most packed days of my entire life, but also one of the best. We started our morning by finding a local boulangerie to pick up some pastries for breakfast. I'm seriously going to miss how wonderfully inexpensive <i>good</i> pastries are here, they're so ridiculously over priced in the States and not nearly as good. But I digress. After breakfast we headed to the July Column, the monument to the storming of the Bastille and the Revolution in general. It was originally a different statue, with an elephant (which can be seen in the most recent film adaptation of <i>Les Miserables</i>), but that statue was never finished and torn down in order to build the July Column. The Bastille used to stand just behind where the July Column is, but it doesn't actually exist anymore. Kristen and I both love <i>Les Mis</i> and find the Revolution extremely interesting, so that was definitely one of the top things we wanted to see while in Paris.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78Mj17-uJjo2R2MhFuTNumX4FhiwWQafP-xbTL0H5pAYfoqmfMinPIKoA31Jszlm9bVGTlpQiWWshloUD7x2mhuUnnBJf77V5MSsG8dHS4R9OqRFDP8vdhqKTKjP1KnIyxX00uOIX19I/s1600/DSC04279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78Mj17-uJjo2R2MhFuTNumX4FhiwWQafP-xbTL0H5pAYfoqmfMinPIKoA31Jszlm9bVGTlpQiWWshloUD7x2mhuUnnBJf77V5MSsG8dHS4R9OqRFDP8vdhqKTKjP1KnIyxX00uOIX19I/s400/DSC04279.JPG" width="225" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkLU2cbBgXHZ4iruTISdfiC1iLIvg3ydL6O_PUxd-O8l-LeWPM1_72UyQk8Xt0G3-6JemqaJwU0xmIVFx_7546Tkq-j1yJs74oZzNK-xKOiAMMhtLRx3ztyQxGgtp8Ynt3mrocSnfrTM/s1600/DSC04284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkLU2cbBgXHZ4iruTISdfiC1iLIvg3ydL6O_PUxd-O8l-LeWPM1_72UyQk8Xt0G3-6JemqaJwU0xmIVFx_7546Tkq-j1yJs74oZzNK-xKOiAMMhtLRx3ztyQxGgtp8Ynt3mrocSnfrTM/s400/DSC04284.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VmQ-HrRsMl9HC6FiWHbmLIhzzu-gl9LeQ_OxXFfRhLtuOFqOhWtrPuMIOapBUHoobvwCoXD6llSxas1APyS-V-XBnDRc8FeIU-9OCeDNLpy35QsS7u5cXgC1byWQVSkUbUd5BdLTjrg/s1600/DSC04270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VmQ-HrRsMl9HC6FiWHbmLIhzzu-gl9LeQ_OxXFfRhLtuOFqOhWtrPuMIOapBUHoobvwCoXD6llSxas1APyS-V-XBnDRc8FeIU-9OCeDNLpy35QsS7u5cXgC1byWQVSkUbUd5BdLTjrg/s400/DSC04270.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random really pretty building on the way to Notre Dame</td></tr>
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After looking at the July Column and getting slightly turned around, we finally figured out how to get to Notre Dame and headed that way. Notre Dame is actually on a little island on the Seine River, at the heart of Paris, in the middle of arrondisements 1, 2, 3 and 4. Many of the most famous monuments in Paris are located right around this area, and the richest, most powerful Parisiens live here. I don't even want to think about how expensive it is to rent/buy an apartment in that area. And after walking along the Seine for awhile, we came upon Notre Dame. It is <i>massive</i>. Like, you-can't-fit-the-whole-thing-in-a-single-photo massive. Its also much larger front-to-back than I expected, because the front (with the two towers) is so tall you can't tell from pictures how large (and intricate & ornate) the rest of it is out the back. Its absolutely stunning. And old. So. So. Old. Its actually celebrating <b>850 years</b> this year. That blows my mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84n3Kg8bTaIWhBZetnplMuy3ecnC5bqLrAtXM_w-ecJNFxut383WS2GVvOLucBmZEkF0tFlKT48yQ1FlLpb8wknuMAb_lmZFaCtg-p5l3uuex2JHkCrWR8SM4d7_x52Umjps0XyX7VR8/s1600/DSC04281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84n3Kg8bTaIWhBZetnplMuy3ecnC5bqLrAtXM_w-ecJNFxut383WS2GVvOLucBmZEkF0tFlKT48yQ1FlLpb8wknuMAb_lmZFaCtg-p5l3uuex2JHkCrWR8SM4d7_x52Umjps0XyX7VR8/s640/DSC04281.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of the Seine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of Notre Dame</td></tr>
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We came up to it from the back, which has a really beautiful garden with a fountain and tons of beautiful flowers. The back of Notre Dame is so intricate, so detailed. I actually really liked the back better than the front. Its a shame it doesn't get photographed from the back more often. Around that side of the cathedral were several (very touristy) cafes and stores - the interesting part being that several of them were names "Esmerelda", of which Kristen and I can't decide if that's where Disney got the name for the gypsy or if those places are named after the story. It made us laugh regardless.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side of Notre Dame</td></tr>
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After taking several pictures of the gardens and back, we walked around to the front to behold the full majesty of the building. I'm repeating myself, but it was <i>so incredibly huge</i>. Like. I can't even describe how big this place is. Its just so <i>tall</i> and majestic - because I know we have really tall skyscrapers in the States, but this was a different kind of massive. I really liked this church on the inside, too. It was different than all the churches we saw in Italy three years ago, which all have a million frescos on the walls/ceilings/doors/probably floor (not really but it wouldn't surprise me if one did). Notre Dame was definitely from a different era, gothic to be precise, and was very muted in colors but high on the ornate scale. I could easily see Notre Dame being insanely creepy at night, and quite possibly haunted (besides the fact that its a church). While there is no longer a parish at Notre Dame (meaning weddings, baptisms and funerals can no longer take place there - which is good because otherwise there would be three weddings there every single day of the year and no one could ever visit), they do still hold Mass every evening and Sunday mornings, but we weren't there during the right time of day. Regal is probably the best word to describe the atmosphere inside Notre Dame - there may be hundreds of people milling around, but it is no doubt a sacred place. There was also a special exhibit off to the side that cost 3€ that Kristen, Cameron and I decided to go look at. The exhibit was the "Treasury of Notre Dame" and was a display of many of the most precious (read:expensive) church relics, such as priest clothing, manuscripts, etc. So many beautiful, shiny things, and who knows how much its all worth. Much more than I'll ever have, that's for sure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another random beautiful building in Paris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDerxTI6kPD_5m_ctQg6XfDVIvs7dapDIqgfYDXPIE3FelMtmAt_onmyPrxBGgSVdu_48nfqWu2iGczHm0E_izCSgBT5mCW1C6BmpobT4End-1uphx4s5nrlRdkqBahtG7aTEdI05cknM/s1600/DSC04351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDerxTI6kPD_5m_ctQg6XfDVIvs7dapDIqgfYDXPIE3FelMtmAt_onmyPrxBGgSVdu_48nfqWu2iGczHm0E_izCSgBT5mCW1C6BmpobT4End-1uphx4s5nrlRdkqBahtG7aTEdI05cknM/s400/DSC04351.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame door</td></tr>
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After Notre Dame we walked to the Pantheon, an ancient Roman building that has a crypt below where tons of people are buried, including some famous ones. It cost a bit of money, though, so I decided to hold off actually going inside until Max and I go back to Paris at the end of July. Kristen and I waited outside while Hannah and Cameron went (it was free for EU residents but Kristen had left her ID in the hotel and didn't want to pay either). It was surprisingly cold all day so we took refuge behind the giant pillars and just sat and talked, all while looking at the Sorbonne Law School. Yeah, no big deal or anything. Sometimes I can't believe this summer is real, so many important places that I've been lucky enough to see with my own eyes.<br />
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After the Pantheon we headed to the Louvre, but that needs its own entire blog post, so I'm skipping over that until my next post.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpyZAqTMBjXZ8iWe7P7RmmH24Qr3iBz4zuFAroVZDqsGTjFoXOmjGH-h-kcwNIvc9_zRDVt50niqk3_JtUGnNmPtY2aZOYDY45H9K-CXfkV5OVT_CsWXKOAkunvPX_Hc5bRpgmDULfPU/s1600/DSC04356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpyZAqTMBjXZ8iWe7P7RmmH24Qr3iBz4zuFAroVZDqsGTjFoXOmjGH-h-kcwNIvc9_zRDVt50niqk3_JtUGnNmPtY2aZOYDY45H9K-CXfkV5OVT_CsWXKOAkunvPX_Hc5bRpgmDULfPU/s640/DSC04356.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">la Sorbonne</td></tr>
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After the Louvre I actually decided to go back to the hotel and take a nap until it was time for dinner - I forgot to mention, worst part of Paris: I was sick the <i style="font-weight: bold;">entire</i> time. Not cool, body, not cool. I had a really bad cold, and all the walking (and running) around Paris and le Louvre had me completely spent. I knew we were going up into the Eiffel Tower that evening and wanted to be able to enjoy it so off to bed I went. Kristen and Cameron went to visit <i>le Sacre Cœur</i>, a really cool building that looks similar to the Taj Mahal, and Hannah went to <i>le Musée d'Orsay</i>, the impressionist museum. Sacre Cœur is definitely on my list for Max's and my trip at the end of the month, Kristen and Cameron (and Hannah, who ended up having time to go as well) absolutely loved it, and the entire area around it. And I thoroughly enjoyed my nap, and felt marginally better. I also managed to navigate the Paris Metro all by myself in order to meet up with them again at <i>l'Arc de Triomphe, </i>without getting lost once! Score 1 for Aubrey.<br />
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So l'Arc de Triomphe is right in the middle of one of (if not the) biggest roundabouts in Paris. This would be when I fully decided you could never pay me enough money to drive in Paris, because, again, <i>there aren't any rules apparently</i>. No lanes, no lines, just crazy people driving wherever their little hearts desire. Terrifying. Thankfully we didn't ever have to take a taxi in Paris so we successfully avoided the madness. Also thankfully, there are underground tunnels to access l'Arc de Triomphe so that no one has to cross the crazy street. And again, it was <i>so big</i>. L'Arc de Triomphe is a monument to all the fallen soldiers of France, starting with either the Revolution. It is also the site of the French version of Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - there is a flame burning underground that has been burning without cease for decades (the Dusseldorf airport wifi is too slow and I can't look up the exact date). It was really beautiful, though I wish we had gone back when it was dark to see it lit up - I'm convinced basically everything in Paris is better at night - but it was beautiful regardless.<br />
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<b>Coming up in the next few posts: Musée de Louvre, le sommet du Tour Eiffel, and Versailles. :]</b>Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-54357767488244692752013-06-27T09:34:00.000-07:002013-06-28T03:22:34.041-07:00Paris: partie 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k38nPtKB9qHMGL4YASK-2J6vKprmczImKTcBKrdvcOVaGJZXLFY-yIYQM04VI-ENMDMCQR1rwKXAyc4dx7Vux_J8j1-rf4xaFOz_35LE05n-tgH9ibcaVhO8lENa1oA6vZoSJAYixW4/s640/1003964_10200499784909510_637647174_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k38nPtKB9qHMGL4YASK-2J6vKprmczImKTcBKrdvcOVaGJZXLFY-yIYQM04VI-ENMDMCQR1rwKXAyc4dx7Vux_J8j1-rf4xaFOz_35LE05n-tgH9ibcaVhO8lENa1oA6vZoSJAYixW4/s400/1003964_10200499784909510_637647174_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We so excited for PARIS!</td></tr>
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Our
weekend began with the French-est of travel options: le TGV. Les TGVs are the
super speed trains that travel up to 300 km/h (186 mph) and are known for being extremely punctual. After about a 3-hour journey, we
got first glimpses of Paris! It didn’t seem possible that we were actually in
Paris, France. Even more crazy than that: being greeted at the train station by
my best friend of 12 years in PARIS. Still blows my mind that we were able to
make this trip together, plus it was so nice to have a little taste of home all
the way over here.</div>
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After
taking the metro for the first time and dropping our stuff off at our hotel we
set off for le Tour Eiffel. We stopped to eat dinner first at a little café
near our hotel. Our hotel was located just outside Paris city limits, right
outside the 17<sup>th</sup> arrondisement (Paris (which is a circle) is divided
into arrondisements, or, districts; the smaller the number, the closer to the
city center (and the more expensive) that arrondisement is; there are 20 arrondisements in total). After asking many questions to our patient
waiter about food (even Hannah and I didn’t know a lot of the vocab), we
managed to order our meals and pay, and then off to le Tour Eiffel we went!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRlMj88AE_aujNI0tWKqMpM8prR0tHxdhuYoLel9f7Mf8IA5IAM6ZmVL7zx7p40KeZ-32eO0-Y-wKpslyK1TTiBmfNtMNHdJMQVKg_YhUN_UKspZSV-v8xrrIO2BkbiBp7IAY5UBRngc/s1600/DSC04278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRlMj88AE_aujNI0tWKqMpM8prR0tHxdhuYoLel9f7Mf8IA5IAM6ZmVL7zx7p40KeZ-32eO0-Y-wKpslyK1TTiBmfNtMNHdJMQVKg_YhUN_UKspZSV-v8xrrIO2BkbiBp7IAY5UBRngc/s400/DSC04278.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
The Paris
metro system is really fantastic. I’m sure its extremely similar to the NYC
subway or the London tube, but I’ve never seen either of those, so it was cool
to get to use the Paris system. Everything is color coded and numbered, making
it really easy to navigate even if you don’t speak any French – which
apparently plenty of people who take the metro don’t. We heard SO MUCH American
English on the metro all weekend. It made me really happy that I chose to study
in a smaller town like Grenoble, where I rarely, if ever, hear English. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMx5SyIRmCzEdYAWRfMjZJXBsXuPZe-0MhetvOYWTMDZYb_30trqH8cpPK3FLhuP0Huc5pxSzrD05oeVqanftwfb90JTsTEnsHXCcyboLyGcgI3yc9euCbBD4kZ4-5tVNUsxwF1vsRi4/s1600/DSC04254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMx5SyIRmCzEdYAWRfMjZJXBsXuPZe-0MhetvOYWTMDZYb_30trqH8cpPK3FLhuP0Huc5pxSzrD05oeVqanftwfb90JTsTEnsHXCcyboLyGcgI3yc9euCbBD4kZ4-5tVNUsxwF1vsRi4/s400/DSC04254.JPG" width="225" /></a>We got
off the metro and were smack dab in the middle of Paris. First thing I decided
upon ascending from the metro: Paris is beautiful. Second thing: You could not
pay me enough money to drive in that city. There don’t really seem to be any strict
rules at all, and the huge roundabouts just kind of don’t have lanes. Its
terrifying, and we only watched from the (questionable) safety of the
sidewalks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWweZ_6Gfvm_tKGDzUZKzlgPwKO_HiXz6iY8vtqXjPz0zKuyQ0pluObieYXrq756anjcLvU_GQ1yh7g6XBKL4ynbe-J4jzEWkg2-QYlOHb0h-HkD5Sp1rXsaG8NKRM8baVpLs9Dksm04/s1600/DSC04251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWweZ_6Gfvm_tKGDzUZKzlgPwKO_HiXz6iY8vtqXjPz0zKuyQ0pluObieYXrq756anjcLvU_GQ1yh7g6XBKL4ynbe-J4jzEWkg2-QYlOHb0h-HkD5Sp1rXsaG8NKRM8baVpLs9Dksm04/s400/DSC04251.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musée des Invalides</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3ogV0brTFGotgpXFobaUyNRB_hqSnb4waXBn0lE6vYE5euoGR1UYNiRgLrdEvTGzD0UYxKerUgFcVW9yr8SOzMmIMI8i_KJ8nMV4zvBSVQaOG0nuf9CaQ4x6FaM2N06HuLhmCzGjAzw/s1600/DSC04260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3ogV0brTFGotgpXFobaUyNRB_hqSnb4waXBn0lE6vYE5euoGR1UYNiRgLrdEvTGzD0UYxKerUgFcVW9yr8SOzMmIMI8i_KJ8nMV4zvBSVQaOG0nuf9CaQ4x6FaM2N06HuLhmCzGjAzw/s400/DSC04260.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameron is a happy lad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEsbh6_fSeac-Lw6vKI-bvuVYGykxbxaLlsQZx-FUpx-cYvC8iR9sVYdNBhh6HsmRNyrFCu7bXDWAUYBsd8dNFXSNo4AfCD6CoMUUVP2-g6Z8mtixfP9ULUaX9-lSUIdcXVYu5Rh02rs/s1600/DSC04255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEsbh6_fSeac-Lw6vKI-bvuVYGykxbxaLlsQZx-FUpx-cYvC8iR9sVYdNBhh6HsmRNyrFCu7bXDWAUYBsd8dNFXSNo4AfCD6CoMUUVP2-g6Z8mtixfP9ULUaX9-lSUIdcXVYu5Rh02rs/s400/DSC04255.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First glimpse!</td></tr>
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We
approached le Tour from the far end of Champs de Mars, the giant lawn on the
south-east end of le Tour. Across the street from that end of Champs de Mars is
le Musée des Invalides, a military museum where Napoleon is buried, which is a
gorgeous white building. Regal doesn’t even cover it – that’s how a majority of
buildings in Paris are, though. And then, we turned a corner, and voilà, le
Tour Eiffel! Right there! In front of me! The weird thing about the Eiffel
Tower is that you’ve seen it in so many pictures your whole life that it almost
just looks fake, like someone’s just tricking you. But no, it actually does
exist. And I was there. On the lawn of Champs de Mars. With my best friend.
What is life.<br />
<br />
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We took
tons of pictures and then just lounged on the lawn watching the sun set (which
doesn’t happen until around 10pm during summer in Paris), and waiting for the
Tower to be lit. Once it begins to go dark outside the Tower is lit with lights
along the edges. It isn’t until 11pm, though, that the full majesty of the
Tower can be seen. From 11pm on (I’m not sure how late though), the tower is mega-lit
for five minutes every hour, on the hour – it looks like thousands of people’s
camera flashes going off all over the Tower, for five solid minutes.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWh4AHVyDAGbjoyx70GYVjZao_EmdCXGhHX6Pvyi6yz-hhyaX9qlIjvLoXMJWkq4YFju52JGWTC4NG3oYWXv6Abwp8o_R6RygQYa8EYY7A-1VrjwX38PMywKhuTEE1-opRJIBNF0wOKy8/s1600/DSC04265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWh4AHVyDAGbjoyx70GYVjZao_EmdCXGhHX6Pvyi6yz-hhyaX9qlIjvLoXMJWkq4YFju52JGWTC4NG3oYWXv6Abwp8o_R6RygQYa8EYY7A-1VrjwX38PMywKhuTEE1-opRJIBNF0wOKy8/s400/DSC04265.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underbelly of le Tour Eiffel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0vDZ02dht1bLdvYr23k2WbmDSxGbcl5jiFg35OoQga7BHAiYQwLmXooRnsEvUYoRwcDEv9yS0SpwEZZ00iEj8MYXt7VVgaJMSWzv0lgxQ541nAY9ikvGz4Mbl_GKuKAf4XZTzfdrRg4/s1600/IMG_1870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0vDZ02dht1bLdvYr23k2WbmDSxGbcl5jiFg35OoQga7BHAiYQwLmXooRnsEvUYoRwcDEv9yS0SpwEZZ00iEj8MYXt7VVgaJMSWzv0lgxQ541nAY9ikvGz4Mbl_GKuKAf4XZTzfdrRg4/s400/IMG_1870.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gig 'em from Paris!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is one
of the most stunning (man-made) things I’ve ever seen. We wanted to go up in
the Tower that night, but the top was closed because too many people were up
there for the time being, so we decided to just wait so we could go all the way
to the top the following night. We considered for maybe a hot second going out
for drinks after leaving the Tower that first night, but we realized we were
exhausted and had to get up at a decent hour in order to fit in as much of
Paris in a day as possible, so we went back to the hotel to get some much
needed rest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiMoxndtiF0IF0jYICAxX4ZhC1oNWshDeks1mxiO6slWKg2aMYVXbBCzrkOp-gHz8uKEUeg3Ia_0wwEsw455Vw0N2uzsUUb19EDXJJtFAOPrwBuJ2s06W__dodXdh-iwVGy_Sziyd4IE/s1600/IMG_1872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiMoxndtiF0IF0jYICAxX4ZhC1oNWshDeks1mxiO6slWKg2aMYVXbBCzrkOp-gHz8uKEUeg3Ia_0wwEsw455Vw0N2uzsUUb19EDXJJtFAOPrwBuJ2s06W__dodXdh-iwVGy_Sziyd4IE/s400/IMG_1872.jpg" width="298" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSUCF5bYozeC5BL90uCdN1MUHuodDqXEEAc9BlQOAf5OOhh8VSTdB26OjEOKatm5Z2tHUdSPJLZs3OPz68tnhnJEICBp7GezDrecuyZtSs6vuy7gGkVGFuPmLEH43vSainN_SeqQLkmw/s960/685_4877579267872_839673143_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSUCF5bYozeC5BL90uCdN1MUHuodDqXEEAc9BlQOAf5OOhh8VSTdB26OjEOKatm5Z2tHUdSPJLZs3OPz68tnhnJEICBp7GezDrecuyZtSs6vuy7gGkVGFuPmLEH43vSainN_SeqQLkmw/s400/685_4877579267872_839673143_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2XvEexksra42Z5q4-mDycVwUh0qNckw-Wu-TRqw_2YzIukZhBx3FFRDfmG4ZMjHnpLx0ZapHWcCxb0Jk0H8QJs_em_VfikTvPdjLZzhqkg7Dpw6Pt3rY6f1Q6HR_4JUa7hQ-i5JVW3U/s960/971232_4877578667857_46597119_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2XvEexksra42Z5q4-mDycVwUh0qNckw-Wu-TRqw_2YzIukZhBx3FFRDfmG4ZMjHnpLx0ZapHWcCxb0Jk0H8QJs_em_VfikTvPdjLZzhqkg7Dpw6Pt3rY6f1Q6HR_4JUa7hQ-i5JVW3U/s640/971232_4877578667857_46597119_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-67897563045068888422013-06-27T08:55:00.001-07:002013-06-27T08:55:15.421-07:00Paris: Yes it really did happenI'm so sorry I've been so excrutiatingly slow at writing about Paris! I have 300+ photos from the mere 49 hours we were there, and I've been a little overwhelmed. BUT this weekend (as I travel to Germany [first time there] to visit Kristen & Cameron!) I am catching up! I have to divide it into 3-5 posts because there is so much to say and show, so check back every so often the next few days and you will be able to re-live my Paris weekend with me. :]<br />
<br />
We were there so short that we only hit the really major stuff - but no worries here, because Max and I will be going back at the end of this month, and we'll get to the other stuff I missed. :)<br />
<br />
First post coming up in about 20ish minutes!Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-47935858767671935282013-06-19T14:57:00.002-07:002013-06-19T14:57:53.249-07:00Soccer, er, football?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAegnXGAx2eYaSxNEXqjpnxd8L98UbZxb427QwUFZRR8hAiUIu_IxPSVZaFxaB65k9xxhZPp2X48v_tS43cDttk8Dw3rL-5KIHoa1xnxnhzYb4FDlkBrxOiVNtEff9Hqg0DpkeKfIPeJM/s1600/IMG_1832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAegnXGAx2eYaSxNEXqjpnxd8L98UbZxb427QwUFZRR8hAiUIu_IxPSVZaFxaB65k9xxhZPp2X48v_tS43cDttk8Dw3rL-5KIHoa1xnxnhzYb4FDlkBrxOiVNtEff9Hqg0DpkeKfIPeJM/s320/IMG_1832.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one and only Doug and me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last Monday night (right after Vienne; yes I know, I'm super behind on these posts) a few of us went out to watch the France vs Brazil soccer game, er, football match. One girl in our program is actually Brazilian, but lives in the US, and she met some other Brazilians at school here in Grenoble, so we met up with them at a sports bar to watch the game.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCTY2sEMMx9LsgsdseAZe8mL-FnZK3dlbHbsGUiB5Cd4wqEsrJv8-kJZ0xLYhNNHZcMBz5_icAc1SflZsmoQJN1gr67vRMwabphnY4z2wLnCkKyOzSCCgIItY2fVBBMRiaLekjp3RDPw/s1600/IMG_1833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCTY2sEMMx9LsgsdseAZe8mL-FnZK3dlbHbsGUiB5Cd4wqEsrJv8-kJZ0xLYhNNHZcMBz5_icAc1SflZsmoQJN1gr67vRMwabphnY4z2wLnCkKyOzSCCgIItY2fVBBMRiaLekjp3RDPw/s320/IMG_1833.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqwIi1fSQ-niO-HpGLGl9S76TTH-1gBqD3uwSrkHmSf5RHgd-AP58pDhEKt3wkyr9QpxVvi2cckZaRMyvixqVfJBqUYeN7x3scKRwCJApaQE01sYmBMeeg3pDYFyQj7yGokG21ys6nns/s1600/IMG_1835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqwIi1fSQ-niO-HpGLGl9S76TTH-1gBqD3uwSrkHmSf5RHgd-AP58pDhEKt3wkyr9QpxVvi2cckZaRMyvixqVfJBqUYeN7x3scKRwCJApaQE01sYmBMeeg3pDYFyQj7yGokG21ys6nns/s400/IMG_1835.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Hannah</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So soccer, er, non-american football, is probably one of my least favorite sports to watch, because noting ever happens! AHHHHHH HE ALMOST SCORED AGAIN. Yeah, I'm not really a fan of that kind of sport, I like to see people actually succeed when playing sports. However, watching the game in a French bar with French guys and Brazilian guys all going crazy was absolutely entertaining. Brazil ended up winning 3-0, so we heard a lot of the Brazilian victory song, and a lot of silence/angry shouts from the French. We had a lot of fun learning some Portugese phrases and words, as well as just talking with everyone.<br />
I think that's one of my favorite things about being here, and going to the university, is that I get to interact with people from so many different parts of the world, and so many different cultures, on a daily basis. And it was fun to see firsthand just how much soccer, er, football, means to the rest of the world - its definitely their Aggie football. It was a really fun night, pretending to like soccer, having a drink with friends, and meeting new people (none of whom I managed to take a photo with somehow).<br />
<br />Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-41245430812958687632013-06-19T14:30:00.001-07:002013-06-19T14:33:10.156-07:00Vienne, France<br />
Another fun fact (apparently that's my favorite way to start blog posts): Vienne is the French name for Vienna! So again, this is about Vienna <i>France</i>, not Austria (yet...Max and I are going in August!).<br />
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Vienne is another ancient city that, like Grenoble, was also a Roman city roughly 2000 years ago. Saturday, June 8, we took a day trip to see the town and to go to the museum, complete with Roman roads/ruins/people dressed up like Roman soldiers. The town was very similar to Grenoble overall in architecture and size, minus the mountains, but it was really nice still to see a different French city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUVYtMKdcO8Ctlu-K-tA8c5X6vZJF8D4aav9NojBTuOiGMqaUK_8wnhUgQLkMeZFrio0FBkoao6wMZLLKH4qwBX5v0yDrQLbjUy3i49JJLEJS0KzHzjIF7LkstVJUryAWX2rq9TEznn4/s1600/DSC04219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUVYtMKdcO8Ctlu-K-tA8c5X6vZJF8D4aav9NojBTuOiGMqaUK_8wnhUgQLkMeZFrio0FBkoao6wMZLLKH4qwBX5v0yDrQLbjUy3i49JJLEJS0KzHzjIF7LkstVJUryAWX2rq9TEznn4/s400/DSC04219.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up on the hill are the ruins of an old fortress over looking the city.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really cute street in Vienne.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The first thing we did was go to the weekly <i>marché</i> to look around and to buy food for our picnic lunch. And let me tell you, this market was <b>huge</b>. There was pretty much everything you could think of, clothes, bags, kitchen appliances, shoes, flowers....and then, the food: dozens (maybe over 100) types of cheeses, strawberries and cherries for days, as well as bananas, oranges, peaches, apricots, limes, lemons (all fresh), veggies (again, anything you can think of: asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, radishes, brussel sprouts, green beans, corn, etc), meats (fish/chicken/beef/pork/more) and anything else you could possibly think of. It puts American farmers' markets to shame.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideAYl8QYLqHVmVfvKqAbqgeN4rkgVdsnG5cgZytAhNSvZ_WOmA1Bok3GG5xaxxJTygjv7SIYzwxQXmqjWz-ZVSAJE6dnSjYQNigSO8E7NvUbZPq1KdzvAjKy1cQLh4dOw9TxBa0IB-L4/s1600/DSC04213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideAYl8QYLqHVmVfvKqAbqgeN4rkgVdsnG5cgZytAhNSvZ_WOmA1Bok3GG5xaxxJTygjv7SIYzwxQXmqjWz-ZVSAJE6dnSjYQNigSO8E7NvUbZPq1KdzvAjKy1cQLh4dOw9TxBa0IB-L4/s400/DSC04213.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I apparently forgot to take pictures to show y'all just how huge this market was, but I loved these flowers (and thought Grandma would too!). We went to a really lovely park for our picnic lunch after poking around the market streets all morning (Natalie and I had chocolate dipped merengues for a snack...needless to say, they were amazing). We had so much wonderful food for lunch - rotisserie chicken, olives, fresh bread, cheese, strawberries (French strawberries are out of this world), and cherries. It was all so good, and the park we ate it was really nice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDON2tXvrZ3Tg_giMN9jBK4UNITbM7rGk71IS9IoskRBtNmvbyZXW-QOcUulTjTIesCO0ZFqj7GF1zW114gfafMcazPTw_U857vIxu8JtVj9bQGYYePfTtKQjXeKIVlnSw7dZiIWRAEyI/s1600/988300_10151661199485733_759835855_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDON2tXvrZ3Tg_giMN9jBK4UNITbM7rGk71IS9IoskRBtNmvbyZXW-QOcUulTjTIesCO0ZFqj7GF1zW114gfafMcazPTw_U857vIxu8JtVj9bQGYYePfTtKQjXeKIVlnSw7dZiIWRAEyI/s400/988300_10151661199485733_759835855_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the picnic food.<br />
photo credit: Holly</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzowtdpCIL9otrwSp0K5wsyp8091HrQSUJalTsILfkj137AhyphenhyphenP59e_pepAugWADHoBxDbb2R4zphi9Ab2y2-UO1vZehTJf7-IrMjQTXCvUgS94n_0L556u4vg3oXVQswWjFFGNAhJcKg/s1600/abc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzowtdpCIL9otrwSp0K5wsyp8091HrQSUJalTsILfkj137AhyphenhyphenP59e_pepAugWADHoBxDbb2R4zphi9Ab2y2-UO1vZehTJf7-IrMjQTXCvUgS94n_0L556u4vg3oXVQswWjFFGNAhJcKg/s400/abc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our whole study abroad group! Love these people so much.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After our picnic we headed over to the museum to see the Roman reenactments and ruins.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GJSw7C4wS8Zv1_wXbpI4IIowBJCntJB2FY9xFSk_uD3Qf5NQmPOIPx9nEgP9ZkG5722vFDTwqgE4BpuDfLRvowjIZiXFyx53qiD8RQhdpE2nxZeSe0e__vEWVbdsvBoesTmEgAquZns/s1600/DSC04246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GJSw7C4wS8Zv1_wXbpI4IIowBJCntJB2FY9xFSk_uD3Qf5NQmPOIPx9nEgP9ZkG5722vFDTwqgE4BpuDfLRvowjIZiXFyx53qiD8RQhdpE2nxZeSe0e__vEWVbdsvBoesTmEgAquZns/s400/DSC04246.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman soldier reenactment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Seeing all the Roman stuff everywhere made me miss Italy so much - it was kind of strange to think that the Romans were also in France way back when, I tend to forget how much of the world they controlled. The entire outdoors area behind the museum was once the wealthy part of the Roman town, and all the roads and foundations are still there, though no original structure walls remain. I wish I knew everything those roads have seen over 2000 years. It still blows me away every time to think about how long ago those roads were forged. They were once smooth and even, though today they are not remotely that way. </div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr1ojyVOjieNovDxtzcJZZSqphhuY4JjGIHmgRpL_KirBieRxYfy7uvvOBtViXjTF-Q23mfcaqRjocKTNZuvO01IDJL1Oprxd6Y5UsLbMMshgtuAPBeS94Czp3UmDpSAlKNeiqa68F-8/s1600/DSC04226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr1ojyVOjieNovDxtzcJZZSqphhuY4JjGIHmgRpL_KirBieRxYfy7uvvOBtViXjTF-Q23mfcaqRjocKTNZuvO01IDJL1Oprxd6Y5UsLbMMshgtuAPBeS94Czp3UmDpSAlKNeiqa68F-8/s400/DSC04226.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman bath that housed both hot and cold water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
What really blows me away is just how advanced the Romans were. They had underground sewage systems with pipes and everything; bath houses with both cold and hot water (in the wealthy parts anyway); they built dehumidifiers; they built buildings that today's engineers say weren't possible with their level of tool technology. Yes we have electricity, and the 21st century has definitely brought about the fastest progression of technology the world has ever seen, but those Romans, man, they were so far ahead of their time. I don't think I'll ever stop being impressed.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2UvqSZscqBJKS_mQsqPpinOu305QA9TAgiC7Q4vlrhJu8BoIDwp5O1070rPvHw49iGo2v_yGbLgXgXH_-B0NZe_n_Oawyo5YfzoqMQYIRk0_w8I8jIWX4iXDGq7pEmSZ4w6170ESn9g/s1600/DSC04227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2UvqSZscqBJKS_mQsqPpinOu305QA9TAgiC7Q4vlrhJu8BoIDwp5O1070rPvHw49iGo2v_yGbLgXgXH_-B0NZe_n_Oawyo5YfzoqMQYIRk0_w8I8jIWX4iXDGq7pEmSZ4w6170ESn9g/s400/DSC04227.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small section of a wall of a house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE4pBRk2ZedNxiow1uEd9cpbGU4AyHbqVhKKrid9WiBuSNKRPbFWp0Ku30zL7NYtU0JYWY-0D4rf21P0cgtFCRz9YfPVc1cNrkCg4YgL-mu0yUP1cbDhZJfPEqVIiBtOIiEH4nQxNUAA/s1600/DSC04228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE4pBRk2ZedNxiow1uEd9cpbGU4AyHbqVhKKrid9WiBuSNKRPbFWp0Ku30zL7NYtU0JYWY-0D4rf21P0cgtFCRz9YfPVc1cNrkCg4YgL-mu0yUP1cbDhZJfPEqVIiBtOIiEH4nQxNUAA/s400/DSC04228.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was definitely apparent that this was the wealthy part of town. The technology, first of all, and also the homes. While there were some ruins that were once apartment buildings, there were a few that had obviously been huge mansions, with courtyards in the center with beautiful gardens, ponds and trees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLecK1h2ToIkS6zv7tEkC8GAsSBU1MFySkW1vzealOPr3MOvQXBBCA0018W4x_7slkQZd-N0bvaiWmGAqxd_tFYeRpm6Opi4r_Ans94BgudxB8ct7rAxcqXqqbfP3K-gle68-5b4V3RxM/s1600/DSC04236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLecK1h2ToIkS6zv7tEkC8GAsSBU1MFySkW1vzealOPr3MOvQXBBCA0018W4x_7slkQZd-N0bvaiWmGAqxd_tFYeRpm6Opi4r_Ans94BgudxB8ct7rAxcqXqqbfP3K-gle68-5b4V3RxM/s400/DSC04236.JPG" width="225" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HUGE courtyard garden of the <br />
biggest house in the neighborhood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is a river in Vienne, and this side of the river was the wealthy side, while the opposite side was where the commoners would have lived. I definitely would have preferred the wealthy side, haha. After walking around the ruins with Patrick (that man is knowledgable about everything) we went to look around the tents where people where further demonstrating how the Romans lived. We were able to try wine made exactly how it was made in 1 BC, just as it would have been drunk by Jesus and his friends. In my humble opinion we have greatly improved wine since then; it was very spicy but had no added sugars and it drastically changed to over all taste. I wouldn't want to buy a bottle, but it was neat to taste it and realize how much it has changed in a few millennia. There were also a lot of crafstmen, selling swords, shields, blankets, cloth, and games. There were games set up for kids to play right there, too. We were too old for that apparently, but it was fun to watch.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfwdxtr50t52W2f4cklVTVw4QtXsMVIl6zCkvKnxJ1yehfBX8z4lf6aKTl6ypJuNQP-qKFHdgd3w9Y-Ys6lzFHTo7zF_tThsh_NfxKSdZ97F8Z2dsueaWekrvMaz6bBaLgOGfXVICM5c/s1600/DSC04248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfwdxtr50t52W2f4cklVTVw4QtXsMVIl6zCkvKnxJ1yehfBX8z4lf6aKTl6ypJuNQP-qKFHdgd3w9Y-Ys6lzFHTo7zF_tThsh_NfxKSdZ97F8Z2dsueaWekrvMaz6bBaLgOGfXVICM5c/s320/DSC04248.JPG" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm gonna call this game<br />
"Throw the Penny in the Jug"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was kind of funny to us that people are so into the Romans that they like to dress up as them and pretend they're them...until we realized Civil War reenactments are no different. Everyone's a nerd about something!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10TsLcm1f-et5SFp75eapIu_AKbei8MoTWGL6B8StxuxbCHqU3lXZC7ssx0p51D70h2I_hcHMuZHja_thiny-k96GGTtPYwB3X1-UwWiheGRVDwYXXizctwAnTVHSOzrRdKh5cBGXhDU/s1600/DSC04247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10TsLcm1f-et5SFp75eapIu_AKbei8MoTWGL6B8StxuxbCHqU3lXZC7ssx0p51D70h2I_hcHMuZHja_thiny-k96GGTtPYwB3X1-UwWiheGRVDwYXXizctwAnTVHSOzrRdKh5cBGXhDU/s320/DSC04247.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman weaving tools</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisphA9mOURv3xETg43-I1hFDD1RTvZrp9_rUPqPyd9jrMfwBZQJ6u5rapQE_ku8LA6elrYUt80X5bCwWk5Fb6QqcVt88D4xbXxk3rxH5NIAus2FSbsBcjL0P-WUCon4GCyl9eObAwUjEg/s1600/DSC04249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisphA9mOURv3xETg43-I1hFDD1RTvZrp9_rUPqPyd9jrMfwBZQJ6u5rapQE_ku8LA6elrYUt80X5bCwWk5Fb6QqcVt88D4xbXxk3rxH5NIAus2FSbsBcjL0P-WUCon4GCyl9eObAwUjEg/s320/DSC04249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKEujkXZMaBBO7Cb5mTaC4lzxQ_O1E3oK3TmAWrf3remkKnHQKTOxRstf-7Yabc0TmCtfzKRgd_NzI-cEIn_BRL7Tj8gZV06LWjY_XMf6DDeyo_8OILX89wbZ6939CLtL0vaY0FneVJA/s1600/DSC04233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKEujkXZMaBBO7Cb5mTaC4lzxQ_O1E3oK3TmAWrf3remkKnHQKTOxRstf-7Yabc0TmCtfzKRgd_NzI-cEIn_BRL7Tj8gZV06LWjY_XMf6DDeyo_8OILX89wbZ6939CLtL0vaY0FneVJA/s320/DSC04233.JPG" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MIXOvS85-Q8R3L684e64mxGrK_i0IIYqf-UC9HNFKWE4l6P90J_WEFZmnskjmMTV6cmx_gL024j56CgQi_FEQnlLo845IAHA_XFjBhoLYNNQaYB9y8UkGaVqmP92li97Kv4KpZS0mZA/s1600/DSC04222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MIXOvS85-Q8R3L684e64mxGrK_i0IIYqf-UC9HNFKWE4l6P90J_WEFZmnskjmMTV6cmx_gL024j56CgQi_FEQnlLo845IAHA_XFjBhoLYNNQaYB9y8UkGaVqmP92li97Kv4KpZS0mZA/s320/DSC04222.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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<div>
After wandering through the museum itself (basically a lot of tile floors that have been preserved just as they were when they were found; not boring, but not very versatile) we hiked back through town (Vienne is much hilly-er than Grenoble, that's for sure) to see the Roman amphitheater, which is still in use for concerts and plays today! There is a huge jazz festival every summer in Vienne held at the amphitheater, and they were already setting up for that. The contrast of the ancient seats and the modern speakers was really cool - such a commentary on the town and its history. We also got to see a beautiful cathedral, St. Maurice's, as well as a still-standing Roman building that was originally a temple, but over the centuries has been used for everything from a church to a library. It stands empty now, though, I'm assuming because its 2000 years old and they don't want to break it (or something like that). It started to rain just as we were leaving the amphitheater, so we ran to a cafe to get crêpes before getting on the train to head back home. It was a lovely day full of history and culture, definitely a good way to spend a Saturday. :]<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVewWRnOZeqVMpuac4dWpqELoZQPPBcumQ8htgo6DFRryLstIyLHQNhQFXpfuXu3f8G6_zJJEVVn3EuA9O-A2P61JDHdRU7vq9xNRDrq1vT9it6pnph1gvfL9ImpB8eEFWoxsXkOhOTw/s1600/IMG_1815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVewWRnOZeqVMpuac4dWpqELoZQPPBcumQ8htgo6DFRryLstIyLHQNhQFXpfuXu3f8G6_zJJEVVn3EuA9O-A2P61JDHdRU7vq9xNRDrq1vT9it6pnph1gvfL9ImpB8eEFWoxsXkOhOTw/s400/IMG_1815.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple turned church turned court turned library <br />
turned museum turned empty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3DpAJTOugvbZH-K4Eit0Ad2sNql_JIy4QmqzqSqnjmjWo1cb6z4AEfmKdf0FJZuaJhvvZcrtTfgXDmHsLNara1-8cU7ySu0mtPverAv_gqSJPXM6D4_87iSMlhw36jDX8Ln18Ie68aA/s1600/424623_10151661205500733_2128596458_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3DpAJTOugvbZH-K4Eit0Ad2sNql_JIy4QmqzqSqnjmjWo1cb6z4AEfmKdf0FJZuaJhvvZcrtTfgXDmHsLNara1-8cU7ySu0mtPverAv_gqSJPXM6D4_87iSMlhw36jDX8Ln18Ie68aA/s400/424623_10151661205500733_2128596458_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of St. Maurice's Cathedral</td></tr>
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</div>
Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-49720768452744658352013-06-13T17:15:00.002-07:002013-06-13T17:15:21.565-07:00Un Musée & Un ManifestationFriday after classes turned out to be a really great afternoon! We all met up after class (around 1pm) to visit the museum that is part of the Notre Dame cathedral (in Grenoble, not Paris [a lot of things in France tend to have the same names as other more famous places]). The museum was really really interesting. They have a decently sized collection of artifacts dating all the way back to the Paleolithic period (think cavemen). I wanna say a lot of the artifacts were actually found in Grenoble/the area, but that may be completely incorrect (I never claimed to be an expert).<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-CxYs4Rt7dvAevS8upGCbo7-pIfdp7oDx7zhUVh5u2azzCxJ45KEB0amUjAxrNfDsA9ASxLyoLqDSl7r9stuuPVbwA8XCOtFIBGT8VN7rCXDS9guGgVhxodzk3Shx8bKbgnrOpvTfhU/s1600/DSC04175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-CxYs4Rt7dvAevS8upGCbo7-pIfdp7oDx7zhUVh5u2azzCxJ45KEB0amUjAxrNfDsA9ASxLyoLqDSl7r9stuuPVbwA8XCOtFIBGT8VN7rCXDS9guGgVhxodzk3Shx8bKbgnrOpvTfhU/s400/DSC04175.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look! An ancient bear skull!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Many of the artifacts were tools, bowls, etc - all the everyday things that somehow got left in the dirt and preserved for thousands of years. There were also several really awesome dioramas depicting Paleolithic and Neolithic life, as well as Roman life. We think the artists must have gotten bored with the Romans because we found a little guy in one wearing a modern day button-down green tourist shirt and khaki shorts! And they thought no one would ever notice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOnrJnGmt8OjUpId_Xutue2QwvwTHXmmNRPKymCdA3TqmZi2XLw_2VdvsZPmbrVCzPjJC-C07p0bpJ4qRBgPxTHkQE2edSte3V_zs_jKM5o8R7FBfLi8icaxyEdcbwgLw-N0zbHDiGq8/s1600/DSC04177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOnrJnGmt8OjUpId_Xutue2QwvwTHXmmNRPKymCdA3TqmZi2XLw_2VdvsZPmbrVCzPjJC-C07p0bpJ4qRBgPxTHkQE2edSte3V_zs_jKM5o8R7FBfLi8icaxyEdcbwgLw-N0zbHDiGq8/s400/DSC04177.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diorama of either Paleolithic or Neolithic life during winter </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CpLgNLOBWnCAyfC5CaOvJSsL3P7BdNPnA-FSyQDjAmaDPHX87jf-0lZeHi_0wDyPIC02w7oQo2Z1mXI5066L6nStwX9VmA7Wlta47ab091iyWVQSotwBtTmqOM4IO_iWiBCHh5_pvVc/s1600/DSC04179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CpLgNLOBWnCAyfC5CaOvJSsL3P7BdNPnA-FSyQDjAmaDPHX87jf-0lZeHi_0wDyPIC02w7oQo2Z1mXI5066L6nStwX9VmA7Wlta47ab091iyWVQSotwBtTmqOM4IO_iWiBCHh5_pvVc/s400/DSC04179.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used to be able to tell you what period of art<br />this came from based on the style of the hair and eyes...<br />but apparently I forgot everything from Art History.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBifz9JiT5ZCmYA5mP2MFWkFq9Mi9A2tGnRmfTfpqDjtwKY_feFfPnYV4CQGNTh_KGQHMUbwgnALYxvpaCdO3c3Gpd5s5W12Ng4kCWVdMXdsg4OntU_7aubUGU0jNtGcLw45xgJRGlpaE/s1600/DSC04189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBifz9JiT5ZCmYA5mP2MFWkFq9Mi9A2tGnRmfTfpqDjtwKY_feFfPnYV4CQGNTh_KGQHMUbwgnALYxvpaCdO3c3Gpd5s5W12Ng4kCWVdMXdsg4OntU_7aubUGU0jNtGcLw45xgJRGlpaE/s400/DSC04189.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun fact: Berlioz, the composer, was born in Grenoble!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Doisneau's camera</td></tr>
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There was also a special exhibit going on, showcasing the famous photographer Robert Doisneau, responsible for capturing <a href="http://www.filmsnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/doisneau_kiss1.jpg" target="_blank">this</a> famous snapshot of a couple in Paris (it was recently revealed that it was staged, not candid as many thought for decades). He was famous for "photoshopping" his photos before photoshop was even a real thing - he would meticulously cut out parts of his photos (usually people) and then paste them onto a different photo to create a whole new image - it was nearly impossible to tell that the photos had been cut-and-pasted (quite literally), because he was so perfect in cutting them out. He was also famous for taking pictures of skiing, many of which he took right here in Grenoble. His photos are all of life, just as it happens, and nearly all of his subjects are people, which I really enjoyed. We weren't supposed to take pictures in his exhibit, but I didn't know that at first so I was able to snag a few shots before our director told me to stop...ha.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original prints of Robert Doisneau</td></tr>
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The best part of this museum for me, though, was the last bit, underground. As I've said before, Grenoble was once a Roman city (around the 3rd century AD), and under the church are remains of Roman walls and the foundation of an ancient baptistry, as well as some really beautiful Catholic relics. It was the prefect balance of spooky and reverent down there; you could simply feel the history oozing from every surface. Those walls were 1800 years old! I can't even fully comprehend how long that is. To be able to see so much "living" history so often here is so incredible, cause you just can't get that in the States.<div style="text-align: right;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nate displaying the lovely 1800-yr-old Roman wall</td></tr>
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After the museum we all went and got ice cream and then planned to head home. However, as Nate, Xavier and I walked to the tram stop we discovered that we wouldn't be taking a tram anytime soon - there was <i>un manifestation</i>, a protest, going on that was completely blocking the trams (the people were marching down the tram rails). This phenomenon is common enough to have its own name in French, <i>descendre dans la rue</i>, "to descend into the streets". It is highly effective in France because the streets are so narrow, if there are a few hundred or thousand (or more) people marching in the streets, it will completely block the traffic. It happens most frequently in Paris, but will take place in other cities as well.<br />
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<i>Descendre dans la rue</i> can happen for a multitude of reasons - a workers' strike, a political protest, a demonstration of really any kind. I've read so much about these demonstrations in my french courses, it was quite exciting to witness one in person. It took us a while to figure out what this one was about, but as we got closer we were able to read some of their banners, as well as make out what they were chanting: "Grenoble! Grenoble! Anti-fasciste!" Grenoble is a historically Socialist (left-wing) city; this <i>manifestation</i> was in protest to the murder of an 18-year-old college student in the streets of Paris the previous day - he had been beaten to death by a group of extreme right-wing fascist neo-Nazis due to his political beliefs (he was a Socialist). So on this Friday, the people of Grenoble wanted to make sure that Clément did not die in vain, that his brothers and sisters would speak out against the racists in hopes of preventing another terrible death like his.<br />
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It was truly an incredible event to witness. There probably between 500-800 people marching, holding up trams for at least 20 minutes as they marched to <i>le Verdun Prefecture</i>, the square where many of the municipal government buildings are. Once there, several people spoke on the topics of fighting racism, sexism, Fascism, and they held a moment of silence in honor of Clément's memory. It was a horribly unnecessary death, but it was truly amazing to see how the French people didn't just stand idly by and say "Oh, that's so horrible, how sad" and then go about their days - they came together and actively spoke out against hate and violence, in a very visible way. The French are a people of action, of standing up for what they believe in, which is a trait I have always admired about this people. They refuse to lie down and just let others walk all over them - their multiple revolutions and rewrites of the constitution are evidence enough. It was quite a sight to behold, and I feel very lucky to have been able to see this first hand.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding his fist to show solidarity <br />during the moment of silence.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main banners in front of the government building at <i>Verdun Prefecture</i></td></tr>
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Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-74724326480279354692013-06-07T16:40:00.001-07:002013-06-07T16:40:06.686-07:00La Bastille<br />
Fun fact: a bastille is simply a fortress, usually on the outskirts of a city, used for protective military purposes. There are bastilles all over France, but you've probably only heard of the one in Paris that was stormed at the beginning of the Revolution. Well. This post is not about that one. Its about the one in Grenoble, sitting atop the mountain just above the CEA office.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view from my bedroom window. That little tiny white dot is the Bastille!</td></tr>
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After out placement exam on Monday this week our group took <i>les boules</i> of <i>le télégraphique</i> (like a ski lift) up to the Bastille. <i>Boule</i> is french for bubble, which is exactly what they look like. With out group discount a one-way ticket up was only 1.50€! Supa cheap.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our director, Patrick, and Holly getting in <i>les boules</i>!</td></tr>
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The Bastille itself was really neat. It was originally built in the 1590s to fortify the city on the north side, and now it is a main tourist spot in Grenoble, with a restaurant and of course the cable cars (it is also possible to hike up the mountain for free). There were also these strange graffitis of people all over the place. Patrick told us that they are some sort of "official" taggings, but he didn't know what they meant. They definitely looked cool though. Oh, and that morning at school we made a new friend, Adrian! He's Venezuelan, but went to high school in the UK and goes to university in Canada, so he speaks English crazy well. But he decided he needed to work on his French, so he cam here for the summer! He didn't know anyone so we adopted him for the day (and summer). And I basically want his life. But I digress.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding up the mountain!<br />Natalie, me, Adrian</td></tr>
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We took lots of pictures, and then decided to hike up the next mountain to get an even better view of the city. Because hey, that sounds like fun, right? Hiking! Mountains! Views! Let me preface that we had no idea we would be hiking that day; Patrick only originally told us we were taking the boules up to the Bastille...so needless to say, while we all looked really cute, we were NOT dressed to go hiking. So while it <i>sounded</i> like a good idea, in reality, it was not our best one yet. We all had horrible shoes on, too many layers, and not nearly enough water. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabB_-OaTjRzKIfAFbPMujIYu8UFyp7Y0AAmTXS-yLkNixHNXfL6lThBktKQykHIQbelqWnw3iBFHv2a0N8bUCOBvuqw5S7ZJb64MfY2KXz7IhEfI1LaQlTMj60xDntlZyvpqUmjqITeg/s1600/DSC04156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabB_-OaTjRzKIfAFbPMujIYu8UFyp7Y0AAmTXS-yLkNixHNXfL6lThBktKQykHIQbelqWnw3iBFHv2a0N8bUCOBvuqw5S7ZJb64MfY2KXz7IhEfI1LaQlTMj60xDntlZyvpqUmjqITeg/s400/DSC04156.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grenoble, as seen from the Bastille</td></tr>
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But after we finally got up to the top it was gorgeous, and well worth the discomfort (though in the future I definitely don't want to go hiking in converse sneakers and jeans). The highest point on the mountain that we hiked to had a peace monument which was really cool. There were stone plaques with the words "peace" and "friendship" in several different languages, which was really nice. That part of the mountain commemorates fallen soldiers, in many different wars and centuries even, though it never saw battle itself. However, Patrick did tell us that during the German occupation of France during WWII, German soldiers shot several groups of innocent people from Grenoble up in those mountains, just because they could. It was very sobering to realize how much of an impact that occupation had on this city that I love. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmtnh3TnufFVmcq4uhCl0x8dMhMwFv-7pmI2VdQv3f42_9Aeryw07vBh5Q0rbQ6eFxB_QwtLA38-Si0NsrQkHPL276uceaemVqtldQfkduAOe1qOja4YK01MXhUn-b2DMiDG92j50Pd8/s1600/DSC04159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmtnh3TnufFVmcq4uhCl0x8dMhMwFv-7pmI2VdQv3f42_9Aeryw07vBh5Q0rbQ6eFxB_QwtLA38-Si0NsrQkHPL276uceaemVqtldQfkduAOe1qOja4YK01MXhUn-b2DMiDG92j50Pd8/s400/DSC04159.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the Aggies!<br />Catharine, Anna, me, Nate, Ellie, Natalie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace Monument</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwin' what I know & sending Theta love back home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Bruno! My building is two behind it, my apartment's balcony is <br />to the left with the plants on the edge!</td></tr>
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Despite being terribly unprepared, it was a wonderful day. We hiked back down (because its free), which took a surprisingly long time (although I guess that happens when you're several thousand feet in the air), and definitely plan to hike more mountains before we leave. There's just so much to do, y'all. Its overwhelming, especially when I realize I can't actually do everything there is to do in Grenoble (let alone the world). But the plan is to do as much as possible, and then start again. :)</div>
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We're going to Vienne, France tomorrow to see a Roman amphitheater, so I'd better get to bed! More updates soon, and hopefully eventually less long-winded.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Aubrey</div>
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Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-90591590423672062842013-06-04T10:48:00.000-07:002013-06-04T10:48:01.303-07:00La Quotidienne de GrenobleBEST NEWS EVER: I finally was able to find the right plug adapter and have use of my computer again! YAY!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVPq1EcdwASD1TNjblMzt9S6W0f_706xfY8_emb4z7Dtykay5nCiS5K1IAp3KOcUMI8ADYTj91LvDOi9BSYwP8HhyphenhyphenuH7LD1xJ1Wz-YUfwSPqkAKWjl1bXpXvsFBCMxERMMdBqodABA6c/s1600/DSC04130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVPq1EcdwASD1TNjblMzt9S6W0f_706xfY8_emb4z7Dtykay5nCiS5K1IAp3KOcUMI8ADYTj91LvDOi9BSYwP8HhyphenhyphenuH7LD1xJ1Wz-YUfwSPqkAKWjl1bXpXvsFBCMxERMMdBqodABA6c/s320/DSC04130.JPG" width="320" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate lava cake with ice cream and strawberries with <br />salted caramel sauce. </td></tr>
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So Saturday was my birthday! I had such a wonderful day. My host mom, Clo, made me a wonderful lunch and we ended up having quite the ensemble! I was allowed to invite three friends, and then there were Clo's boyfriend, Philippe, and his adorable five-year-old daughter, Loé (like Chloe but without the "ch" sound), and then Clo's best friend Françoise, who studied abroad in Minneapolis and spoke English quite well. Sadly I don't think we got a group photo, but it was such a wonderful lunch. My host mom made me <i>canard</i> (duck), <i>des pommes de terre au gratin</i>, salad, and of course fresh bread and a variety of cheeses. Then for dessert, my host sister, Eva, made me dessert, which of course meant a homemade chocolate lava cake. Because you know, France.<br />
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I know <i>someone</i> has a picture of me with my candles lit, but I can't remember who! Dessert was amazing though. All the food here is - I have yet to have a single thing I don't like. Its dangerous. After lunch Natalie, Catharine, Ellie and I walked into <i>le Centre Ville</i> (downtown) to do some shopping and just look at more of the city. We ended up at this wonderful little place near the CEA office called The Bookworm Cafe. Its owned by a Scottish ex-pat woman named Mags, and despite being British, feels a bit like home, simply because of the English! We had tea, coffee and incredible homemade scones with clotted cream and jam. Again, it was amazing.<br />
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Since my computer has been dead, I'm behind on pictures! <i>Voilà</i>, some photos from around town:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIR9_rT5Yn3p6bJETAROGCziMGenlx-JcHYtWUoUgJPcBA3nGtxraJXTWlBUHeBkSIrBKIbdg5hfSiHQjSZGI5COa4Oz2-i9LBu6j5MQDhtr5BdmMX5ubGQUJlhe0RSaPL9J-_lzwOCA8/s1600/DSC04138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIR9_rT5Yn3p6bJETAROGCziMGenlx-JcHYtWUoUgJPcBA3nGtxraJXTWlBUHeBkSIrBKIbdg5hfSiHQjSZGI5COa4Oz2-i9LBu6j5MQDhtr5BdmMX5ubGQUJlhe0RSaPL9J-_lzwOCA8/s400/DSC04138.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to a private residence (with an Indian on top?)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfbMrkKwlyKRzUPxRYXjovsfTZ13jNC4iPzGhdJHrzuzdWlV_LIteNZ3DjZ0t89vTCKL69G-TUJ2OBp00rikGy4MkA8PGnGQVkDdp_wJ3Q5jMp2wXy2DFqjLSHZ8nmbT5O5wXYb1fWhk/s1600/DSC04135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfbMrkKwlyKRzUPxRYXjovsfTZ13jNC4iPzGhdJHrzuzdWlV_LIteNZ3DjZ0t89vTCKL69G-TUJ2OBp00rikGy4MkA8PGnGQVkDdp_wJ3Q5jMp2wXy2DFqjLSHZ8nmbT5O5wXYb1fWhk/s400/DSC04135.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign indicates that this is where a former mayor <br />of Grenoble lived. I love French doors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWlT0MF6bHzEBqG2tTEHHB21kYTDLghGJma7_EivBH5IyuSm96G2IvbX3fuTqlIi5wW5jgvTL9wlZINymNJQWpVEvzHh33sSF71Qa9FUSODzDu_2LSuHmcjr9J5Q7orpafMOUCInM8Oo/s1600/DSC04134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWlT0MF6bHzEBqG2tTEHHB21kYTDLghGJma7_EivBH5IyuSm96G2IvbX3fuTqlIi5wW5jgvTL9wlZINymNJQWpVEvzHh33sSF71Qa9FUSODzDu_2LSuHmcjr9J5Q7orpafMOUCInM8Oo/s400/DSC04134.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cularo was the name of this town during the 3rd century, when <br />it was a Roman town. These medallions are found on the street where the<br />ancient Roman city walls once stood.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>La Fontaine du Notre Dame</i>. Our go-to meeting place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBngLA8woahS_TbrHOlinO24v3So7IDB68mr_Z2v8vmEAAJ2oBT3ngojFyvzilMKj5BEogU5Zkbmk-AYe2Pwt2u2ZNNny7iSV3sqjgE2oiJh-QAqQqFmrG29pesIn_Msesin30jg8DR3I/s1600/DSC04095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBngLA8woahS_TbrHOlinO24v3So7IDB68mr_Z2v8vmEAAJ2oBT3ngojFyvzilMKj5BEogU5Zkbmk-AYe2Pwt2u2ZNNny7iSV3sqjgE2oiJh-QAqQqFmrG29pesIn_Msesin30jg8DR3I/s400/DSC04095.JPG" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside St. Andrès Church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grenoble flag.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-RxwnsUSh4oE1PlaunAG0eB06cStgH6Aw8cqB8RM94tka2wUVBi8hgrAuq66EMvaEpbvlzPwdu2iwnBb-Mg1sp9rryIvmuJIJ8cACaUAGmSqPrZK-8Np4UXw-QbZ5qq3d_JPZhUAHVI/s1600/DSC04094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-RxwnsUSh4oE1PlaunAG0eB06cStgH6Aw8cqB8RM94tka2wUVBi8hgrAuq66EMvaEpbvlzPwdu2iwnBb-Mg1sp9rryIvmuJIJ8cACaUAGmSqPrZK-8Np4UXw-QbZ5qq3d_JPZhUAHVI/s640/DSC04094.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The incredible (and extremely old) organ in St. Andrès. <br />(for Grandpa!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPYex-iapxspJ9GWL1w-3BgUlzXsjcBy-J0h_-wfWbf4VLYJhn1JG_Gsgxs8tJoX5rh1LiUyYd-2KO3zNPY3GJ9xYiHN2-kSLIsHnmyLwDHqu9y7ySPwTJovKiX5e3m3RT5FUvDoWK8k/s1600/DSC04098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPYex-iapxspJ9GWL1w-3BgUlzXsjcBy-J0h_-wfWbf4VLYJhn1JG_Gsgxs8tJoX5rh1LiUyYd-2KO3zNPY3GJ9xYiHN2-kSLIsHnmyLwDHqu9y7ySPwTJovKiX5e3m3RT5FUvDoWK8k/s640/DSC04098.JPG" width="369" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah, me, Catharine, Ellie<br />In front of the building where the French Revolution began.</td></tr>
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That evening we met up with the rest of our group to go out for my birthday! The night before we found a bar called Korner Pub, an Irish pub that we really really liked, so we went back there for my birthday. I cannot imagine a better group of people to share my study abroad experience with, and I'm so glad because they made my birthday so special, even though I was miles from home and family (and we did take a group photo but it wasn't with my camera, so I'll have to share that with you all later, as well).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN7iTvgMO_czEVasen6m-wyV5bHSXJYpun_mzr0LhyGd1RkgrEi-sbhl96gdv7k4snlZBnFcG3oNBmASYX5gzVukpTZPieFeQIPcRf68S0pIxgkOJEQyeuexP6DYu4knJbhRB2__03BI/s1600/1457_10200376798954938_1034512150_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN7iTvgMO_czEVasen6m-wyV5bHSXJYpun_mzr0LhyGd1RkgrEi-sbhl96gdv7k4snlZBnFcG3oNBmASYX5gzVukpTZPieFeQIPcRf68S0pIxgkOJEQyeuexP6DYu4knJbhRB2__03BI/s400/1457_10200376798954938_1034512150_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah and me at Korner Pub on my birthday. </td></tr>
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As for my daily life now, we started school today. We take one French class per month, four hours a day, five days a week. I placed into an Advanced-Intermediate class and really enjoyed the first day. There are 4 Americans (including me), about 6-7 Chinese, a Colombian girl, an Iranian guy, an Iraqi guy, and a few others whose nationality I don't know yet. Its crazy to think that the friends I'll make in class I will only ever be able to talk to in French, because our native languages aren't the same! I've realized, over the course of the past week and especially today in class, just how much French I really do know. I finally feel like I can truly communicate in my second language; even though its much more limited and a lot less fluid than my English, I <i>am</i> capable of having conversations entirely in French, which I have felt was never going to happen many times.<br />
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We did a few other things that I'm going to put in their own posts, later tonight or tomorrow. As for what's coming up, we're visiting Vienne, France this Saturday and <i>next</i> weekend Hannah and I are meeting my friends Kristen and Cameron (who currently live in Germany) in <b><i>PARIS</i></b>! I can't believe this is real life sometimes.<br />
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Miss and love you all!<br />
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Love<br />
AubreyAubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-55140488851715632352013-05-30T15:14:00.001-07:002013-05-30T15:14:28.967-07:00Bienvenue à Grenoble!This was supposed to be quite a long post, but the outlet converter I bought today doesn't actually allow me to plug anything in to it....it has a half-inch tall lip around the outside and so my plugs can't be flush against the outlet like they need to be! I'll get a new one tomorrow and give y'all a much better update - my computer just doesn't have enough life for me to say all the things I want to say!<br />
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Well, after three plane rides, two EXTREMELY SHORT "layovers" (30 min in Minneapolis + 1 hour in Amsterdam), I arrived at the Lyon Saint-Exupéry Aéroport! (some of you may be familiar with Saint-Exupéry's most famous work, Le Petit Prince [The Little Prince])<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59OYdiE7uXxRpqe8ce_SFOCEetAtelms8sqxvTw0o-HMy9I_PiCQUimticfRahWmDLBWOwoMdXrNii5m1V84ZUBa6d5PjWhfZLeEYEIQzP_uITch_Rz8a-KoC_5P_-tuu41QJbJhMoxE/s1600/DSC04086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59OYdiE7uXxRpqe8ce_SFOCEetAtelms8sqxvTw0o-HMy9I_PiCQUimticfRahWmDLBWOwoMdXrNii5m1V84ZUBa6d5PjWhfZLeEYEIQzP_uITch_Rz8a-KoC_5P_-tuu41QJbJhMoxE/s640/DSC04086.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My very first sighting of France from the plane! And daaaang France, you pretty.</td></tr>
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We were met by the wife of our program director, Katie, who is originally from Grenoble (Patrick, our director, is from Michigan; they met when they both worked at a French-American school in Michigan 20+ years ago!). We took a bus from the airport to Grenoble, probably about an hour drive. There are 11 students currently (some leave after June and a few new students will arrive in July, some are here the whole summer, like me), and out of those 11 there are SIX Aggies! I knew two of the girls before the program, but the other two girls and the one boy Aggie (there are 3 boys in our program total) were a surprise! Everyone in our group seems wonderful so far, I'm looking forward to spending the summer with them. <div>
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We were met at the bus station by Patrick and members of our host families (if we have them; about half the students live together in an apartment or dorm) and off we went to our new homes! I wish I could yesterday was wonderful....but honestly, after very, very little sleep (5 hours sleep over 48 hours total) I was exhausted and being thrown into a french-only household was overwhelming. I had a lot of trouble expressing what I wanted to say in French and wondered a few times if I should be here. BUT I went to bed super early and got much-needed 12 hours of sleep and I felt 100 times better today. I didn't actually see my family until this evening, but even after a whole day of walking the streets of Grenoble with the other students and Patrick, I was able to hold my own in conversation for the most part, and I already find myself thinking in French some - not as fluidly as English, but my thoughts are in the same stunted French my speaking is - its a start! And I feel much better overall, and I know this was absolutely the best decision I could make.</div>
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Today was wonderful overall. I started the day by getting lost on my way to the CEA office for orientation...and that wasn't fun. While Grenoble has wonderful public transportation, and I got off the tram at the right stop, I turned the complete opposite direction I was supposed to. But I was able to call Patrick and he sent someone to come fetch me, so I wasn't lost for too long, and I wasn't the only one who had become lost. This city seems like a labyrinth to me right now! Hopefully that will change very quickly.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG88CpTkK3mNbC2uUhbr1QFsqIbgdX5OJVyGA74D4sYt02i8sFpQr4xF9mM1zwZdJvdwjiscOHcLMtBB-8kuMBucsU6QyVvqpEiKpRXUduaAWeAHHd1M-mN1KaE0gdW2yTp3m7g15kPCU/s1600/DSC04087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG88CpTkK3mNbC2uUhbr1QFsqIbgdX5OJVyGA74D4sYt02i8sFpQr4xF9mM1zwZdJvdwjiscOHcLMtBB-8kuMBucsU6QyVvqpEiKpRXUduaAWeAHHd1M-mN1KaE0gdW2yTp3m7g15kPCU/s400/DSC04087.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Un tartan de tomate avec une salade</i>. So delicious. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJWAnbKC7jiv-pPQpCfkZBE6aFGONJrmap0UBz_IDHLjs6I3GGZu8ywkq5Xa4VK6rQRss6Wg0XhwRtSLfSvmdVRKyEFt3tznYawK3ekUO19jPrCHJkbmLdKGg5ZfGhadoU41sNYY08zw/s1600/DSC04089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJWAnbKC7jiv-pPQpCfkZBE6aFGONJrmap0UBz_IDHLjs6I3GGZu8ywkq5Xa4VK6rQRss6Wg0XhwRtSLfSvmdVRKyEFt3tznYawK3ekUO19jPrCHJkbmLdKGg5ZfGhadoU41sNYY08zw/s400/DSC04089.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Un macaron des framboises avec de la <br />glace au citron et des fruits</i></td></tr>
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We walked around Grenoble for a bit before having lunch together as a group at a restaurant called Le 5 (Le Cinq). The restaurant is situated under Le Musée de Grenoble, which is an art museum similar to the Kimball or the Modern in Fort Worth. We'll visit it later on this summer. Patrick told us that it is impossible to eat at that restaurant without a reservation - even for lunch! And it was very reasonably priced, for being so popular! They were serving <i>Civet de Lapin</i> (a type of rabbit stew), which many of the students ordered, so I got to try it. I actually liked it, though it wasn't my favorite type of <i>viande</i> (meat). It tasted similar to brisket, actually. I enjoyed my <i>tartan de tomate</i> completely, though. Also, the water here is FANTASTIC. Because Grenoble is surrounded by mountains on three sides, all the tap water is basically naturally-clean melted snow. No filters needed and nothing chemical about it - such a lovely change from College Station water. It also means that water is indeed free, which it is not in all European countries when you eat at a restaurant, so this was excellent news. For dessert I had a raspberry macaroon with lemon ice cream and fruit. Oh. My. Goodness. Absolutely incredible. I've never actually had macaroons in the States, but I'm willing to bet this one blew them out of the water.</div>
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We walked the streets of Grenoble for the next six hours, and saw so many things. I probably couldn't find anything again right now but I'll learn eventually. So here's a fun fact: Grenoble is <i>two thousand years old</i>. Yeah, it was a city BEFORE the Romans took it over. So its basically oozing history, which I, of course, love. Something that a lot of people don't realize is that <i>la Révolution Française</i> actually started in Grenoble, not with the Storming of the Bastille in Paris. Grenoble has always been a left-leaning/anti-authority city, and in 1788, the citizens of Grenoble began meeting at a church to discuss their thoughts and the need to overthrow the monarchy. Well, somehow <i>l'Etat</i> (the government) found out what they were up to and sent soldiers into the city to stop the talks and any possible coup. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZW3S41Y3ojnCfTW0tmdlFl6zBfGI2wEwrOLtJ-rKDHma6oSdYQN4e-E7ChPtOfcuQSKe5BMjIN_AcWPzWzHKczXaLauEafTNqNmo3OEacK0Z-7H1TLki2m8nkDQq6FrqgpSYI48QFA0/s1600/DSC04091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZW3S41Y3ojnCfTW0tmdlFl6zBfGI2wEwrOLtJ-rKDHma6oSdYQN4e-E7ChPtOfcuQSKe5BMjIN_AcWPzWzHKczXaLauEafTNqNmo3OEacK0Z-7H1TLki2m8nkDQq6FrqgpSYI48QFA0/s320/DSC04091.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The now-1000-year-old-church <br />where the first talks of revolution <br />took place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACuC2fexoGP2rdCI5pLZpGvRJvEPoYZGsSrpirLFDUdYBexuQ6EZMos1Yg2Fy41IdCcspD1qmer62j_-xLEIGDI-AgUbGgAUly78G8AoZbCNGyMHrX_3qF8FbsiMb2PXG_rK8RNiNI9E/s1600/DSC04099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACuC2fexoGP2rdCI5pLZpGvRJvEPoYZGsSrpirLFDUdYBexuQ6EZMos1Yg2Fy41IdCcspD1qmer62j_-xLEIGDI-AgUbGgAUly78G8AoZbCNGyMHrX_3qF8FbsiMb2PXG_rK8RNiNI9E/s400/DSC04099.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building that supplied <i>les tuiles</i> that the citizens threw onto the soldiers' heads. And it is said to have <u>rained</u> tiles. I can't even imagine.</td></tr>
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The people of Grenoble were so affronted by this act of sending in the army that they went up to the roof of a building, above the street full of soldiers, and pulled the roof tiles off the roof and threw them down onto the soldiers' heads. This day is known as <i>la Journée des Tuiles, </i>or, Day of the Tiles. After this act of violence, the talks of revolution weren't allowed to take place in the church, and a meeting was set up to formally discuss their ideas. After that meeting, also in Grenoble, the Storming of the Bastille took place exactly one month later; thus, the start of Revolution was here! Probably my favorite historical fact about Grenoble thus far. </div>
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Okay, well my computer is about to die, so I will have to stop here. I'm also going to have to work on not trying to retell every moment of my trip...I'll never have time to sleep! Tomorrow we have more touring of Grenoble during the day and us students are going to go out all together for the first time that night. It should be another really exhausting but fun day. I'll write more when I can, hopefully by Sunday evening, probably earlier, and with more pictures!</div>
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à bientôt!</div>
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Love,</div>
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Aubrey<br /><br /><br />
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Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-69543559182069339702013-05-15T16:17:00.001-07:002013-05-15T16:17:41.014-07:00Famille de France!Y'all, I got an email from my HOST FAMILY yesterday!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mateo, Clotilde, Eva</td></tr>
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And I am beyond excited to meet them. They sent me several pictures including a picture of their cat (though I don't know the cat's name yet BUT GUYS THEY HAVE A CAT). They look fun, silly, happy - all the things I hoped for!<br />
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I don't know how old Mateo and Eva are, but I'm guessing he's around 13/14 and she's around 16/17. I just cannot wait to meet them. This time in two weeks I'll be sleeping in my new bed in their home! So exciting.</div>
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Well, that's about all I have to update so far. I'm so ready to go but in reality I am far from it. No idea what I'm packing. Haven't done half the things on my to-do list before I go. So its probably a good thing that I actually still have two weeks.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Aubrey</div>
<br />Aubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925496190087661574.post-29047714878085808882013-05-11T17:35:00.000-07:002013-05-11T18:09:53.113-07:00howdy!So this will be the place I talk about all things french (or otherwise european) this summer.<br />
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Nothing of note to report yet; I get my housing assignment next week so that should hopefully be worth talking about!<br />
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As for now: trying to transition into non-finals-studying mode. I keep thinking there is something else I am supposed to be doing. Turns out, there's not a whole lot of things to do when school isn't in session. Who knew?<br />
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I'm still learning how to work this thing...I'll let you know when I figure things like comments out! For now its probably best to just facebook message me. Or call me, or text me, or send me an owl. Any will do.<br />
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xoxo<br />
AubreyAubrey Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17814527350635451920noreply@blogger.com1