November 11

It seems uncanny that Armistice Day falls halfway through our trip. November 11, 1918 was the day on which WWI hostilities ceased: a bittersweet occasion marking a four-year period of terrible, bloody destruction but simultaneously representing great hope for a peaceful future. With similar ambivalence we glumly recognize that half of our adventure is behind us, while excitedly awaiting the other half that lies ahead, packed with unfulfilled escapades.

After the usual breakfast loaded with simple carbohydrates and invigorating cups of coffee or hot chocolate, we boarded a charter bus and headed toward the Château de Chenonceau (about a 45 minute drive). To provide a little context- we stayed at a hotel in Blois, southwest of Paris. Chenonceaux, a small village further southwest of Blois, has 300 inhabitants, the chateau, and that’s about it.

Construction on the chateau itself began in 1515. In 1547, King Henry II gave the residence as a gift to his mistress Diane de Poitiers upon the death of King Francis I. This made Henry II’s wife, Catherine de’Medici, rather unhappy. When Henry died, Catherine demanded that Diane move out and installed her at a gloomy chateau in central France. Remnants of the dramatic exchange of inhabitants at Chenonceau can be seen most noticeably in the wallpaper: an intertwined ‘C’ for Catherine and ‘H’ for Henry forms a not-so-subtle ‘D’ for Diane. The building, decorated lavishly as one would expect, contained a variety of enormous tapestries, paintings, stained glass windows, beds and sofas, etc. The gardens provide more evidence of the conflict between the two women: one half of the chateau’s grounds was designed in the vein of French landscaping by Diane, and the other half was designed in the Italian style by Catherine.

After a stop in the village of Amboise for lunch, we continued to the Château de Chambord, a fantastic, breathtaking palace, famous for its beauty as well as its interesting architecture, which combines medieval and Renaissance elements. Commissioned by King Francis I, the château took 20 years to build – which seems like a short amount of time when one sees its style and stature. One of its most significant aspects is a double-helix staircase, believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci and requested by the king so he could avoid unwanted encounters: as he used one staircase, the possible offender could use the parallel one and remain separated. Chambord, while stunning from the outside, seemed empty and impersonal on the inside.

The morning we went to Chartres was absolutely amazing. We had nice weather and the view of the cathedral was magnificent. The train ride there was an hour long and it was nice to just watch the view of the country side come into view while Paris drifted in the distance. It was good to see a different side of Paris apart from the city even though the country side was just as beautiful. We got there a little early for the tour so we decided to take a walk around the small town of Chartres where we took pictures and enjoyed the nice weather. When it was time to get a tour from Malcolm Miller we had explored the Cathedral as much as we could, but we were all excited to learn much more from the expected tour. He was such an amazing speaker and it was so easy to follow along due to his in depth explanations and hidden meanings about the cathedral. He really kept your attention because another amazing fact wold be coming around the corner during his lecture. I also learned how to read stain glass windows for the first time which was pretty amusing. When I did my presentation for the Cathedral I did not have to go into any explanation about it because Mr. Miller pretty much nailed all of the points that I had to talk about and more. After the tour we all said thank you and took pictures with him in remembrance of what we had learned. We then shopped and ate lunch in the little town which was very clam and relaxing and luckily easy enough as to not get lost. There was also this one incident when we were on the train that some of my friends and I got lost because we were the ones farthest away from the group because there were no other open seats. We got off the train thinking that we got off at the wrong stop, but before we were able to figure out our plan we saw the group a few feet ahead of us which made us relieved. Later that night I ordered the most amazing pasta so far on the trip and it made up for the long day and the time where I felt lost. All in all, it was yet another amazing day in France where we learned a lot and visited beautiful places.

November 18

After a day to recover from Jetlag, everyone is back to work planning for Winterim Fair and in the afternoon busy writing their papers. We came up with a list of people for each of our three shifts during th two hours of the fair, decided what we would put in, and where everything would go. After lunch we came back and wrote our research papers (they were presented mostly in Paris and are just being expanded and written down as a paper). Some of the time was spent by those late on their blogs trying to catch up which means papers over the weekend for many. As a break, we went to see the elementary schoolers parade by in their 1950's cars. After some time to finish up following the parade, we all went back to the classroom to watch The Longest Day to finish up the week.

November 12th, 2011

Today was quite different than any of the previous ones; it
was a day for travel. Instead of spending our day sightseeing, we spent most of
the day on trains. After staying for two
days in Blois, we traveled to Pontorson; however, to get there we needed to
take three trains. It wasn’t too bad because we were excited to go on the TGV,
which is like a high-speed bullet train. We left in the morning at around 8:50 a.m.
It was like a two hour train ride. It wasn’t too bad because it gave us time to
read our books for other classes. Some of us played cards on the way, while
others just listened to their iPods or just slept. After that long ride, we had
to wait in the train station for about 45 minutes. We got lunch and played a few
card games to pass the time. There were also plenty of shops to get food or
snacks for the next train. Our next train was at 2:00 pm from Paris to Rennes. This
was exciting because it was the TGV. We were all really excited. This train
ride lasted for about one hour and half. It was nice to look out the window and
watch the scenery pass by us really fast. I’d have to say it was annoying going
through the tunnels, because every time we did, my ears would pop, as would
everyone else’s. We didn’t have much time between the next two trains. We were
practically running to make it, but luckily we did. This train was from Rennes
to Pontorson and only lasted for a little under an hour. After an exhausting
day of traveling we finally arrived at our hotel at night in time for dinner. We
had a nice three-course meal at the hotel and went straight to bed to get some
rest for tomorrow.

Thursday November 10 2011

We had an early start this morning. We had to get up to get transport from the hotel to the train station. Once all of us got there, we took care of the train pass and boarded. Soon we arrived in Blois. It is a wonderful town full of shops, vendors, and restaurants. However, it is a very sloped place. Getting to the hotel was quite a climb. After we had found our roommates and settled in we visited the Chateau in Blois. There Harrison gave his presentation. The chateau had three parts, each built by different people at different times in different architectural styles. It was very interesting to explore the chateau chronologically through the oldest to newest parts. You could see the evolution of architecture and style as you walked through it. As common in French chateaus, the inside was very opulent and luxurious. There were paintings, colorful tapestries, and fine furniture everywhere. The bedrooms were simply magnificent in their decoration. After we finished the tour we returned to the hotel and were given a few hours to roam Blois to shop and explore. As said before, it is a great little town with much to do. There were many stores of all kinds to explore. Dinner then entailed afterwards. After a roughly four course meal we all settled down to bed. It was a long but enjoyable day.

November 7, 2011

Today was eventful! We left the hotel after yet another croissant/baguette breakfast (avec hot chocolate for me) and headed to the metro. We first visited the Place de la Bastille, the former site of the Bastille Prison, and now the home of a memorial column and the modern, 2,700+ seat Opera Bastille, built a little over two decades ago to make operas and ballets more accessible to the masses. After our visit, we walked to the Place des Vosges, a residential area that forms a square around a small park. An apartment there was once the home of author Victor Hugo, and was named after a department of France, Vosges, that was the first to pay its taxes to Napoleon's revolutionary army in 1799. After lunch, we made our third visit of the day at the Sainte-Chapelle, a cathedral built by King Louis IX which contains one of the greatest stained glass collections in the world. After our visit, we took the metro to our final destination of the day: La Tour Eiffel. Built for the World's Fair in 1889. Although we had to wait some time before we could climb the tower, the view was beautiful (if cloudy), and in the opinion of this writer, the structure itself is stunning. After we made our descent, we made the cold trek back to the hotel (and dinner).

versailles

this is joey osthimer i was unable to get my blog thingy working so yeah...... but so back to versailles; we left the hotel and took a train to get to versailles. when we first got to the palace i just thought wow. there was a big gold gate and behind it was the masterpiece. the palace was just soooooo big. we went inside and there were many great attractions, but the best one inside the palace was to hall of mirrors.
we went to the queens "lower" palace, a place where she would go when she doesn't want to be so royal. it was a pretty building with many things to see inside, but what was better than the building was the walk through the gardens which took us the the peasent village; the gardens were beautiful even though the flowers were dead. the peasent village was insteresting and beautiful at the same time. i think the tower overlooking the pond was the most beautiful thing there. over all versailles was beautiful and just a wonderful time overall, the whole trip is going well to and i look foward to the rest of it.

An Intriguiing but Somber Day 15

Today, the group got up to another lovely breakfast in Pontorson. The hotel offers a nice buffet with croissants, cake, fruit, coffee, and much more. Everyone was well-fed when we got on the bus at 9:00 to go to the landing beaches in Normandy. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and managed to talk for the entire of the two hour bus ride while hardly taking a breath. She began with the history of Normandy and the Vikings and ended with the close of World War II. I think I agree with Jarin's statement that she may have included a few too many details, but we were all incredibly interested, and it was a nice review for history class.

Our first stop this morning was at Pointe du Hoc, the landing beach for special forces of the United States' Army. The bunkers and crators were left in the ground for visitors to experience and explore. Several people made their way down through the crevices. We all ventured down into the bomb-proof bunkers to see the rooms, the viewpoint toward the ocean, and the barbed wire. We were informed by our guide that the bunkers that had been destroyed by bombs were sabotaged by French builders who had put salt in the cement, helping with the resistance.

Next, we went to Omaha beach, where there was a nice memorial for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. We learned that Omaha beach had the most casualties on D-Day. After a sit-down lunch by the beach, we went to the beach to collect sand and to imagine the struggles and deaths that took place right where we stood. It was hard to imagine on such a lovely day that this placid ocean had been terribly stormy on the morning of June 6, 1944 when the American troops landed on Omaha beach.

Our final stop of the day was at the visitors' center and cemetery. In the visitors' center, we watched a short film about the sacrifice of those who died in the battle of Normandy and those who chose to have their loved ones buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. It reminded those visiting the cemetery how somber the site was and how the French people still appreciate their liberators to this day. Out at the cemetery, all was silent. We saw the graves of unknown and known soldiers alike. The cemetery was marked by crosses and Jewish stars and dates that all read 1944. We saw the graves of the brave Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who fought even though he was old and in poor health and next to him his brother Quiten, who is the only soldier in the cemetery to die in World War I.

Over all, we learned a lot today and were very touched. We got back to the hotel at 6:00, very exhausted, and we enjoyed a nice dinner of quiche, eggs, beef, and a delicious whipped cream, chocolate ice cream, and caramel dessert. It was a truly lovely day, but we all regret that tomorrow will be our last day in France.

Day Five brings beautiful things!

Today, Saturday November 5, 2011, was a wonderfully cultured day. Unlike on our first day in France, most of the group woke up in time for breakfast! We enjoyed a delicious meal of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, a baguette, and a croissant with jam and butter. The group then headed to the Musee d'Orsay, which features expressionistic, impressionistic, symbolistic, and other art forms that were "breakthroughs" for their time periods. Personally, I enjoyed this museum the most out of the three that we visited. I love the painters' use of light and their focus on nature and regular people. My favorites were Degas's dancers and Renoir's "Le Bal." Afterward, we walked to the Centre Pompidou to enjoy some modern art. At first, I was a bit confused by some of the pieces, which seemed to be simply found objects or furniture that could be bought in a store, but I came to appreciate other pieces such as paintings by Picasso and Chagall and the full-room works of art. The Pompidou's architecture is as much of a spectacle as its art is, and its gift shop was full of colorful and quirky home decorations and gadgets. Then, we split off into small groups to find a bite to eat at various cafes, then returned to the hotel to rest. After a solid two and a half hours of rest and chatting, we were ready to go the ballet.

I was extremely excited to go to the ballet! I've dreamed of going to the Paris Opera House for years now. We enjoyed our first trip on the Parisian metro, and managed not to lose anyone. (tres bien)! Most of us were dumbfounded by the beautiful sight of the Opera Garnier, and took many pictures inside and out. After a slight bit of seating confusion, we all made it to our boxes. Our seats were on the stage left side of the theater, giving us only slightly inhibited views of the stage itself. The ballet was incredible. It was the the best dancing I have ever seen , the costumes were dazzlingly sparkly, and the choreography worked perfectly with the music. I was mostly speechless afterward. We went to get crepes and sandwiches, which were especially delicious given the fact that we had not eaten dinner, then returned to the hotel. Tomorrow (je crois) we will be going to the Eiffel Tower, which I know has been much anticipated!

A tout a l'heure!

The fourth day comes bearing gifts

The Second Day is Upon Us!

Thanks to The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation and contributions from viewers like us, the day began with... CATHEDRAL: THE MOVIE. It was amusing and thought-provoking and brought new meaning to the word "wrinkles." The movie described the construction of the world-famous, exquisite, gorgeous, gothic, astounding, awe-inspiring, breathtaking, exalted, majestic, imposing, wondrous, mind-blowing, striking, stunning Chartres. The characters, such as Pierre and Bishop Phillipe and also the jolly, rotund merchant, Ti-bo, filled the movie with an intense, gripping plot. Ti-bo's large stomach filled the screen just as the deep metaphors filled my soul. OH PIERRE!

Then our Winterim took a leisurely trip to the "Gymnase" for a rousing game of "football." Only three faces and one pair of testicles were harmed but, other than that, we simply had an AMAZING time. We were exposed to our companions' commendable skillz. Suffice to say, we will soon be creating our own "football" team. Word.

Then we ate lunch. Today we had a ravioli-like substance, sour raspberries, salad, pretzels, and white cheddar popcorn. Although our American food is acceptable.... we are very much looking forward to the new French cuisine. After a spry birthday song sung to our European exchange student, Saskia A.K.A. SASS-kia, we left our dining hall for yet another 30 minutes to finish the godliness that is CATHEDRAL: THE MOVIE. All the same, the coming days beckon...

Monday, October 31, 2011: So it begins...

On this most hallowed of days, Halloween, the France Winterim group joins together in harmony to speak of the glory in store. The days of French mingling approach rapidly as people scurry to round up their luggage and finish all business that begs completion. Cheer and joy greet the eyes of all who witness this gathering of merry folk. They congregate in Mademoiselle Blackburn's room, ready to discuss the future as excitement mounts. The slides flash across the screen, displaying colorful photos of la France in all her majesty. The day moves rather like an escargot, as if the hours will never come to an end; however, even as the students stumble through a surprisingly rousing game of handball and head to lunch, they do so with a jubilant twinkle in their eyes. Research comes slowly to the students; nevertheless, they steadily march on, their joy undisturbed by the sluggish nature of their work. Nothing is amiss though. Even as they write, more lies in wait for these young whippersnappers: French lessons, as well as the rest of their time on campus. All the same, the coming days beckon.

WELCOME!

The 2011 France Winterim will be using this blog to update friends and family about our exciting adventures and to archive the experience. Visit us often for updates and stories!