June 3rd 2007

It is my twenty seventh birthday. I am at the beach with Meredith, Rose, my aunt and uncle and my dad. I have been back from France for a little over two weeks.

Meredith and I's trip around Europe was incredible. I am going to have to write another entry about eachone of the cities- but I'll try to give a quick recap.
We went to Amsterdam, saw the Van Gogh museum, some live jazz, Anne Frank's house and their historical museum. We also had remarkable orange juice there.
next up was Berlin- which was surprisingly great. We went to the instrument museum, the the modern art museum, the pergamon, other art museums whose names avoid me. We saw part of the wall, and stayed in a very nice hostel where we had a room to ourselves. we also walked under den linden. Meredith and I went to the ballet the night and saw some good ballet.
Next on the trip was Prague- where we saw the castle, the astological clock, the karlov most and the mucha art and the inside of the cathedral. we also went to the modern art museum there.
then we went to vienna- which i think was my favorite we went to the modern art museum which had alot of Egon Schiele's work and Klimt and then to the Upper Belvedeere where they had alot of known people's work. On the way we went to the Kunsthistorichs museum and saw velazquez, raphael, rubens, rembrandt...
we went to the main cathedral there which had neat shingled roof, and a room with thousands of semi precious jewels- the Stephansdom.

we ate some good traditional vieneese food too.

then went to Venice, Rome and Nice.
Then I went to Paris and stayed with the Lemoignes and visited with Thomas on his birthday. I came back to the US on May 10th.

I will write more about the trip and about whats happening with me in the next entry... right now i have to eat dinner.

4/5 Afterthoughts

Well, it is time to wrap things up. Two posts in one day! As i said, i finish next week. I will probably try to see Amboise castle this weekend, resting place of Leonard DeVinci. After that I have to pack up and ship out. Meredith and I have Eurorail passes that pretty much let us take the european trainsystem as much as we want for two weeks. Places we plan on seeing: Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Lyon. So some of you can expect some postcards... I hope everyone out there is doing well. I hope to see you all soon. My travels following europe will take me to DC, Missourri, Chicago, Ohio, and North Carolina. As of now it looks like I will be moving to Ohio all said and done. We'll see.
Au revoir

The news, 4/5

It is already April. Spring has come in here in France. We had snow the day before spring, but we are now enjoying nice sunny weather. I have settled into my last session of teaching. Our last day is the 13th of April.

Last weekend, Meredith's siter was here. We thew the frisbee up by the Blois chateau and bike 20 kilometers to the Chambord castle. It was beautiful weather.

This weekend we were invited by Thierry, the guy who got me signed up at St. Gervais soccer to eat at his cave in the country. Yesterday I went to the girls house where we met Thierry and drove out to the country to Montoire. On our way there we stopped and got the keys for the cave at Thierry’s grandmother’s who is 92 years old. We started a fire in Thierry’s cave and he showed us the wine press. Later, we all had a huge lunch that lasted several hours.



Afterwards, we returned the keys and saw his grand mother’s garden.
Then we went to Lavardin.

We went and walked around the caves near the old castle.The borders between the French and English were here in the middle ages. Across the way to Vendome was the English territory. We then visited the church which had painted murals from the 11^th and 12^th centuries.

Then we happened to meet Maurice, one of Thierry’s friends. He showed us his amazing cave which consisted of several rooms. It could hold fifty people.It was extensive, and there were bottles of wine stored everywhere. There was one room that was painted by artist refugee who were there during world war 2. The caves are where people went during the bombings.





Afterwards, we were shown Maurice’s troglodyte house.
Then we walked around Lavardin and by La loire. Then we drove home to Blois. Thierry told us about how the cut the timber about every fifty years or so as part of a cycle they do for trees. First they let it grow. Then they get rid of smaller trees to let the big trees have more room. Then again at intervals of ten or twenty years. Then they finally cultivate the trees.

Ski Break Pt2

I am back from the 2 week ski break adventure. I went to Salen and Stockholm in Sweden, and Paris and Caracassonne in France. I took a little over 300 photos.
The first week I went to Sweden with Rose and Steve, other assistants in Blois. We stayed with Rose's dad in Stockholm, and drove up to Salen for skiing. We stayed in a hostel there, about 15 K from the mountain. I skied due to my ankle injury and the other two snowboarded. It was just as well since I'm sure I would have fallen alot more on the snowboard going down black and double diamond black slopes. There was one called 'Vaggen' which means- the wall.


Sweden was full of friendly people who all spoke english, even the gas attendants. Stockholm seemed very clean. We visited a warship museum called the 'Vasser Muset' which is a ship from the 18th century that was lifted from the depths of the harbor where it sank on its maiden voyage. Because the water in Stockholm harbor is not salt water, it was nearly perfectly preserved from water worms which tend to eat up wood.
We also went to the 'ice bar' one night. It is a bar made of ice from a specific river in Sweden which makes clear ice due to the oxygenation in the water. Other highlights in sweden were the asiatique museum with their kite exhibit, the modern muset with their collection of modern art, and the numerous 7'11s on every other corner in stockholm.

Then we took the plane back to Paris. I stayed in hostels for two night before meeting meredith. In Paris I went to Notre Dame, Pompidiou Center, Musee D'Orsay, Victor Hugo's apartments in place des vosges, Picasso Museum, Balzac's house, the Marmotan Museum (Monet collection), the Blois de Boulogne, Rue de Siam, and the Kwan Um zen center. The Marmotan was especially good since there was a special exhibit of Monet's personal collection of Japaneese block prints which included Hokusai and others.

We then took a sleep train to Carcassonne. We stayed in Carcassonne two nights. The main attraction of Carcassonne is the castle. Meredith had cassoulet one night and I had pizza. We also saw a good movie while in Carcassonne called 'la mome'. It was about Edith Piaf, a french singer. We then took the sleeper back to Blois, and prepared for school the next day.


I have less than one month left in my contract. I plan on travelling for about a month after that, and then returning home.

Ski Break part 1

It's breaktime for teachers in the Loire region. They give everyone two weeks to go skiiing. Most people would go to the Alps. I am going to Sweden. Looks like it's going to be cold weather, but a pretty safe assumption there will be good snow. I fly from Paris to Stockholm. Then its a drive out the next day to the ski slopes.
I won't be snowboarding because of my ankle injury, which is fine since it will force me to ski which I like doing.

Spent this weekend with Tom and Dorine who came to visit Blois. We went to the Blois Chateau and the Chevergny chateaux.
The Chevergny chateaux is the one famous for its place in the Tin-Tin comic books. It is where Captain Haddock, Tin-tin and professeur Tournesol live.

Meredith's parents were also in town, was good getting to meet them and had a tasty dinner with everyone at Le Castelet restaurant in Blois. I got a nice soy steak.

Hope everyone is doing well, it's neat to see people doing different things. I am especially impressed by my cousin Trish who is in Australia right now exploring the down under.

Au revoir

Almost Spring...

It's almost spring, and I feel like I am turning into the homestretch. Last week I went to Tours, and took some pictures.
Classes have been going as normal. Its hard to believe I am going on vacation for two weeks and then will only have about a month left in my contract.
I did renew my contract in case I decide to come back next year.
For the two week vacation that is coming starting Friday, I will be going to Sweden with Rose and Steve. First we are in Stockholm where Roses dad lives, and then its off to the ski slopes. Then I come back by way of Paris, have a one day stop over and head to the south of France at Carcasonne.
I saw pictures of Stockholm and they looked amazing, kind of just a huge water inlet, with various patches of land.

In other news, I have been injured at soccer. I twisted my ankle and think I have hyper-extended a ligament or something like that. I will see a doctor next week and find out if it is going to keep me from playing the rest of my stay here.

Today was beatiful weather and it felt like spring. We sat outside and ate popsickles.

1/27 The story continues...

Hello blog-readers. Well, things are moving along here in Blois. The school session is back in sway. The cold weather is finally arriving. As requested here is a picture of me with my scooter (picture courtesy of robert brenner).
It is indeed a bit cold to be riding around, but I am still using it to go to soccer practice and back.

I have already started planning the next European adventure. In February I will be going to Sweden for a week with two other assistants and then travelling around France with Meredith for about a week.

Hope things are going well,
Alan

bonne fetes et nouvelle an

Happy New Years!
My post is way over due but I have been a bit busy as you may see.
Here is a quick look at what I have been up to

W 1/3 Fly back to Tours. Train from Tours to Blois

T 1/02 British Museum, lunch at EATHAI. Went to Pub downstairs (Belushi’s)

M 1/1 Walked by Globe theatre, St. Pauls, Millenium Bridge, and went to the tate modern Museum. Ate Pizza for lunchthen saw stranger than fiction. (Leicster Square, Westminster, Trafalgar sq.)12/31 (cont) Arrive London, Fireworks on Thames, eat Indian

S 12/31 trip to London

Sa12/30 M+D+R leave Blois

Fr12/29 Dinner @ Medecis, Visit to Chenoceau(x) + wine cave visits

Th12/28 Dinner @ Orangerie, visit to Chambord

W 12/27 Dinner @ Indian restaurant, Drive from Strasbourg to Blois

Tu 12/26 Dinner @ Flam’s, visit to Blackforest, + beer garden

M 12/25 Christmas, Afternoon lunch/breakfast/dinner @ Backhoefe, visit Churc for Elizabethan singing w/ church organ

Su 12/24 Arrive in Strasbourg, dinner @ Au Pont St. Martin. Midnight mass from 10:30->2 AM @Cathedral

Sa 12/23 Last night in Paris, dinner w/ Tom + Dorine at 16^th arrondisment, visit pompidou + louvre lunch in student’s quarter near Sorbonne Visite Christmas Markets

Fr 12/22 Last day of Classes, leave Blois, Arrive Paris, go to ______ dinner. Stay at Novotel.

Th 12/21 Dinner w/ Assistants @ Thierry, Anik, and Quentin

W 12/20 Dinner w/ Ecole Parodi & Pascale @ Gare

Tu 12/19 Party w/ Assistants & Teachers

So, My parents and my brother were here, we met in Paris




















and then went to Strasbourg for Christmas. Went to Midnight mass at the cathedral there.


Dipped into the Blackforest for a day, and then came back to give them a taste of Blois.
















Then I left with Meredith and her friend Natalie to go to London for New Years. We got as close as we could to Trafalgar square and watched the tremendous fireworks show from across the Thames.


Went to the British Museum and saw things like the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, and the bust of King Ramses, and others.

Since, I have come back to Blois and started classes again. King's day was on the sixth and everywhere you look are 'gallette de roi' - pastrie cakes with a hidden toy inside.

I have also started taking French lessons once a week.