War, Destruction, and the Countryside

Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated by a Serbian. Austria declares war on Serbia. Suddenly a network of alliances draw a chunk of Europe into war. WWI, "the war to end all wars," kills 20 million and leaves eight million wounded. Every day, there is an average of 1,000 casualties.

In France alone, 1.3 million are killed. One-third of the male population between 20 and 27 years old is gone.

Today my program took a bus to Soissons, a rich-in-history town 50 miles northeast of Paris. Our tour guide explained how four years of bombings left 80 percent of this town in ruins. In was rebuilt in 1923.

We wandered through the gothic cathedral of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais, which was lucky enough to experience minor damages. A stroll up the hill through this French town brought us to the ruins of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes. Gapping holes reminiscent of stain glass windows stare at you sadly. We had a picnic in the beautiful sunshine on the grass behind this abbey.

Then we explored the surrounding area with multiple stops at battle sites and cemeteries. We passed "red zone" woods, which are so polluted from the war, that they are declared unsafe for 1,000 years. We were puzzled at fields of sugar beats and crops across the road from these forests. Needless to say, I'm avoiding sugar beats.

We descended into the Caverne du Dragon, which is an old query along the Chemin des Dames were costly battles ensued. This cave-like maze oscillated between French and German possession during the war. At times, both sides held up to half. It was a sought-after stronghold.

We didn't think the destruction at Soissons could get any worse until we visited what used to be the town of Craonne. An arboretum now covers the leveled town, which was rebuilt in the nearby valley. We walked over mounds which rest on crumbled houses. We saw into one cellar buried in the landscape .

My professor Gayle pointed out how she had began the week with a leadership seminar and ended with this, which was more than a day in the countryside. It caused us to think about the impact of decisions.

Next week we are visiting Normandy. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Chateau de Fontainebleau, which is a short train ride outside of Paris.

French Fact: At the start of WWI, French soldiers wore bright red trousers. After a stint of German target practice, the French Minister of War was persuaded to change uniforms to less vibrant colors.

Simple Art, Rich History, and Opulent Government Buildings

A white stripe on a black canvass. I don't mean to judge, but how is that art? I went to a modern art museum in the Centre Georges Pompidou with a few friends today. Unoriginal modern art is better than about half of the museum, which featured anything naked. I did see a few Picasso paintings that made it all worth it.

This morning we went to the Palais du Luxembourg in the Luxembourg Gardens. It houses the senate, offices, and ornately decorated rooms. The "conference room" would have been fancy for balls. This was a treat, because it is normally closed to the public. This weekend is the Journées Européennes du Patrimoine. In English, this means normally closed important buildings are open to the public for free.

I spent yesterday at Les Invalides. It was orignially built by Louis XIV to house wounded soldiers. Now it houses a number of war related museums. I saw WWI and WWII artifacts, medieval armor, and Napoleon I's red tomb, which lies beneath the Église du Dôme.

Tonight I'm going to an American sports bar with a group to watch the Gator game. Let's beat Tennessee!

French Fact: The French Senate has eight vice-presidents. We were confused today when we saw three separate offices for the vice-president.

Greatness Everywhere You Look

One of the highlights of this week was visiting the Sacre Coeur, which means sacred heart. It's immense. Europe's largest mosaic decorates the ceiling behind the alter. I'd show a photo, but you weren't allowed to talk to take pictures inside.

Yesterday I stopped by the Museum of the Middle Ages with some friends and saw giant tapestries in excellent condition. Then we went and attempted to descend into the catacombs, but they were closed due to technical difficulties. Hopefully we'll have a chance to go again. Half of the girls decided to go home, and a few of us took the metro to Lafayette, a giant mall full of fashionable, exorbitantly priced stores. Needless to say, we only window shopped. Dior, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and many other big names were there. An average price for a jacket, for instance, was 700 Euros. The only thing we bought was MacDonald's, which has better quality food and smaller portions, doesn't give refills, and sells beer here.

Today I went to Marché aux Puces, an outdoor market, with my roommate Amelia. There was a man in the street there doing tricks with three black disks. One had a white circle on one side. People kept putting up money and guessing where the white circle was. If they were right, they won money, and if they didn't, then they lost it. We watched for a while and kept guessing right. Once Amelia and I were certain we knew where it was, and she decided to put 20 Euros on it. Somehow we were wrong, and she lost the money. She was pretty crushed.

This afternoon we got a visit from grandma, Monsieur Laloux's mom. She is a very proper, stylish French lady who likes to talk. She told us all about the new pants she bought and lost on the metro when she set them down.

I take this antique elevator to the fourth floor each day. It makes me feel like I'm a bellhop in a black-and-white movie. Luckily the landlord was there when I arrived with my luggage the first day, because I couldn't figure out how to open the doors and operate it.

French Fact: Le Marais district means "the swamp." Once a marchland, it was cleared and became a residence for aristocracy. Today it is a center for the Jewish community in Paris.

What's Un-American about Paris?

Here are a few different things I've noticed about Paris and the French.

• If you want to eat out fast, then don't. It's impossible to get out of a restaurant quickly. It's a social experience.
  


• You sit down in the shower and spray yourself. The shower is in a separate room. The toilet always has its own room. The toilet I use is in a tiny room with no sink. The whole family shares.
  


• The French didn't get the smoking's-not-cool-anymore memo. I'm getting my fair share of second-hand smoke!
  


• If something breaks, you can bet on it taking a while to get fixed.
  


• Everything is smaller.
  


• Waste is minimal. The only paper product where I live is toilet paper. There aren't tissues, paper towels, or napkins.
  


• It's never too early to start drinking here. There's usually someone outside of cafes at 11 a.m. with a glass of wine or beer. And alcohol is served everywhere all the time. Plus, there is no drinking age.
  


• French people use their cars sparingly. Everyone walks.
  


• Apparently I can't sit in my window to read. That's what I was doing when my host mom came home this week. She told me it was illegal. Once another student she had was fined 350 Euros by three policemen. She said neighbors will think I'm watching them.
  


• Paris has lots of random rules. For instance, our housing organizer said only one party is allowed per month in apartments. I asked my host mom about it, and she laughed, "You mean once a year!"
  


• Don't look a stranger in the eye. It can be interpreted as a form of aggression. Don't smile at strangers either. It means you want to get to know them better.
  


• In Paris, you can make out just about anywhere. I've seen it in the metro, in the street, in restaurants, in stores, in parks, etc.
  


• The French lower their voices when they talk. Being loud is rude.

French Fact: Paris has 21 mayors: one head mayor and one for each of the 20 arrondissements.

Versailles

My program began last week. It's me, one boy, and eight other girls. We met for the first time on Wednesday, and our program treated us to dinner at an old restaurant called Chez Christine. Our schedule consists of class, excursions, tours, speakers, and a few treats. I drank the best hot chocolate in the world at Angelina's. I'm serious when I say it's the best.

The other UF group, a landscape architecture program, accompanied us to Versailles yesterday. We met up early and took the RER, a French train, outside of Paris.

The architecture professor took us on a tour of the gardens in the morning. The many fountains only flow a few hours on weekends to conserve water, and we were able to witness them. After their construction, the fountains drained three entire rivers.

The place is immense. King Louis XIV began construction in 1669. He required all French royalty to come and live with him there. It was his way of keeping control and keeping everyone else out of trouble. They were undoubtably entertained at Versailles. Louis XIV made a show out of everything. He made other royalty sit in his bedroom each night and watch him fall asleep and return in the morning to watch him rise.

I visited the rest of Versaille with four other girls. We walked to Marie Antoinette's "cottage" and village where she would pretend to be a peasant. The village looked like something out of Disney World.

We wandered around the palace until they kicked us out. Most rooms are decorated in different colors and covered in paintings. Many rooms had magnificnetly painted ceilings or at least a chandalier. I'd never seen so many different colored marbles. The Hall of Mirrors was impressive. The hall is a pattern of mirrors, windows, and chandaliers. We were lucky enough to have a very sunny day, which made it all sing.

French Fact: Louis-Philippe, who reigned until 1848, was the last French King.