Alsace

Very few know this, but I really like World War II history. That is why I wanted to go to Strasbourg, located in eastern France. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, part of the much disputed Alsace-Lorraine region that was tossed back and forth between France and Germany during both World Wars. Strasbourg was all that I had hoped it would be. The unique thing about Strasbourg is that it's both French and German. I don't mean this literally, of course, Strasbourg belongs to France. But, the culture in Strasbourg is not purely French. And it's not purely German.

It's Alsacienne. (Or Alsatian for all you Anglophones.)

So, what does it mean to be Alsacienne? Alsaciennes speak both French and German, they are kind to tourists, and they have preserved the many historical monuments, including the cathedral, while simultaneously making Strasbourg one of the most important cities in Europe, as it is one of the seats of the European Parliament.

But, most importantly, after all the hardship this region endured during the World Wars, instead of becoming divided with their differences, they have blended the cultures seamlessly, a perfect accord of peace, finally, between France and Germany.

Leave out nothing, tell me everything

"The orange was the size of a watermelon to me
Well at least that is my memory
Sunshine made my bare feet burn upon the road
Far away we'd roam

Everywhere we went just looked the same to me
The skies were blue and the grass was green
I wonder how different I might see them now
Yet I see them somehow

Homebird sing
Fly me high on an angel's wing
Homebird sing
Leave out nothing, tell me everything."
- Foy Vance

Brussels

The theme for this semester is Contemporary France. With that in mind, our class took our first study trip to Brussels, Belgium. Within the past few years, Brussels has really become an international hub (although it's no where close to Geneva). Both the European Parliament and NATO are headquartered in Brussels. Our class took a tour of the European Parliament building and it was very impressive. I don't really think I should say much more because I don't have a high opinion of the European Union. Brussels also has a lot of beautiful architecture and a very nice town square. Of course, the beer in Belgium is amazing, as are the waffles! Our class only spent one day and night in Brussels and then returned to a city in France (Lille). In Lille, we visited the future satellite site of the Louvre. For those that don't know, there will be "satellite museums" of the Louvre in both northern France and in Dubai, which is in the United Arab Emirates. In theory, I think this is a great idea because it will give those which might have a hard time getting to the Louvre in Paris, a chance to experience great artwork. At the same time, it is a disservice to the Louvre in Paris because the real Louvre contains so much more than just artwork, it is an integral part of French history. Nonetheless, it will give me a good excuse to go to Dubai!

The Arab Institute

Last semester I was in Paris, I took an architecture class. Its focus was architecture in Paris from 100 AD to 1715 (the death of Louis XV). This semester, I’m taking the second half of the class which spans the years of 1715 to the present day. A major part of the class is an independent architectural analysis of a building in Paris. Last semester I did the church, Saint Severin. This semester, I am analyzing the Arab Institute here in Paris. It’s an incredibly beautiful building housing some of the best artifacts from the golden years of the Arab civilization. The Arabs were fantastic astronomers and mathematicians, and the Institute has many sun dials and astronomical calendars that exemplify their talent. The one downfall to the Institute is that it includes information on Iran and Pakistan. Technically, Iran and Pakistan are not Arab countries because they don’t speak Arabic, and Iran, in particular, has its own unique culture and history. Nonetheless, the Institute is very interesting and the architecture is a modern, sleek design on the left bank of the Seine. One of the coolest aspects is the windows. The windows are designed to adjust the light according to the sunlight outside. As you can see in this picture, it is like an automatic window shutter except it is totally solarized. It is very, very cool. The Arab Institute is a spot in Paris that is not visited often and when I went, there was hardly anyone there. I highly recommend a visit to anyone visiting Paris.