tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71173929191048714532024-02-19T04:35:32.704+01:00Julia in FranceJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-15745873036742945992008-12-15T17:19:00.000+01:002008-12-15T17:19:00.624+01:00Food for thought<a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2206523/">Which is more corrupt, Illinois or Louisiana?</a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-42572345963705563802008-12-15T16:54:00.001+01:002008-12-15T19:34:32.739+01:00Goodbye party at workAmy and I are leaving work on the same day, so we had our goodbye party together. We benefited from the proximity to St Lucia's day, as Ann brought in homemade saffron buns, the yummy Swedish specialty.<br /><br />What a bummer it was to say goodbye to everyone.<br /><br />Here is everyone: Farhad, Matthias, Eve, Mary, Therese, Nua, me, Manuella, Karina, Mazda, Amy, James, Mia, Sharon, Valerie, Shu-Chin, Eric, and Valérie.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsssMSe2PmwS49eY9YQdR1L7HJZoQVkcZ6NUbFvpf8uT2FpMV4yu4RVE7wxWDOqzvwUmJbxu7UHDiB-PxUvsVPrtrmHyDcIY6gqFOnQTkgjm5ReEitbfPf329JKyY0xVoRiU9TLSvfOvU/s1600-h/P1020558.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsssMSe2PmwS49eY9YQdR1L7HJZoQVkcZ6NUbFvpf8uT2FpMV4yu4RVE7wxWDOqzvwUmJbxu7UHDiB-PxUvsVPrtrmHyDcIY6gqFOnQTkgjm5ReEitbfPf329JKyY0xVoRiU9TLSvfOvU/s400/P1020558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933923471667170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySHanT3MzlKAjq9ZZzMR0UFvQ-Vzl8BjxaHvn96nHzlT5CTScGJAj07MooVTbGhGx4AY3u6f7mUevm6kEGdMMLoJDoRykCff1_-MwzKQfgbWAhHJYOihky8fzBF_FdodWBc0Ns7W37GA/s1600-h/P1020555.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySHanT3MzlKAjq9ZZzMR0UFvQ-Vzl8BjxaHvn96nHzlT5CTScGJAj07MooVTbGhGx4AY3u6f7mUevm6kEGdMMLoJDoRykCff1_-MwzKQfgbWAhHJYOihky8fzBF_FdodWBc0Ns7W37GA/s400/P1020555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933922312983890" border="0" /></a>Amy opening her gift.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU28Fk3wo_2pkfydiysVSZkfM9YLQl0iuBNTlPZ2zt2jbhhsY8o71CBJHKrM94cLKpc1Sy8P030eujPw2PvjRM9VSQxctA6QWasoak2T4pZIAwG_deXr5KI-xEDDz3iHLKPcuMJ3a2wg/s1600-h/P1020553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU28Fk3wo_2pkfydiysVSZkfM9YLQl0iuBNTlPZ2zt2jbhhsY8o71CBJHKrM94cLKpc1Sy8P030eujPw2PvjRM9VSQxctA6QWasoak2T4pZIAwG_deXr5KI-xEDDz3iHLKPcuMJ3a2wg/s400/P1020553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933541334800306" border="0" /></a>And me opening mine.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMQV_-Iv_5qtxU4ue0W2HUnbhtlerdKKBRoM6g5aIqpy0rx5HkIGTbEgd5IJ4Jv5SFWfsczkBGXra6QgQJdk8bsXbvDpSBqOZmr6t8JrVk7q0wzWGeTfs5XBSfypNXxgJeRLkG1odWXs/s1600-h/P1020551.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMQV_-Iv_5qtxU4ue0W2HUnbhtlerdKKBRoM6g5aIqpy0rx5HkIGTbEgd5IJ4Jv5SFWfsczkBGXra6QgQJdk8bsXbvDpSBqOZmr6t8JrVk7q0wzWGeTfs5XBSfypNXxgJeRLkG1odWXs/s400/P1020551.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933538888518274" border="0" /></a>Elisabeth, Mia, Farhad, me, and Amy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3goOy_hXWT-MrH2Tb6k7y_0-aJmKOzKm4HTuqJLo7zKTbX33WwEsVGQ-zW_mGY_ZsRLL2byUhza6d2h8GTuM4w92M2Xh3uqGL5Lj24enbYkTirEFsVYO2E-1fWAXS1fbUlc0liav3Is/s1600-h/P1020550.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3goOy_hXWT-MrH2Tb6k7y_0-aJmKOzKm4HTuqJLo7zKTbX33WwEsVGQ-zW_mGY_ZsRLL2byUhza6d2h8GTuM4w92M2Xh3uqGL5Lj24enbYkTirEFsVYO2E-1fWAXS1fbUlc0liav3Is/s400/P1020550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933524855792882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPE5Sl9LLKajWfem2J7efYIJPD2L96bGDpkOMktCyVLhInW5HTU57ALdYsTUwkKC9mqIy_hiYUQM8f1_6diarIoPWyJOIycQzRIsDmd7i7Xqlt4TUbN6FHYtW4axgTg-OVhtdTpDV8bt0/s1600-h/P1020546.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPE5Sl9LLKajWfem2J7efYIJPD2L96bGDpkOMktCyVLhInW5HTU57ALdYsTUwkKC9mqIy_hiYUQM8f1_6diarIoPWyJOIycQzRIsDmd7i7Xqlt4TUbN6FHYtW4axgTg-OVhtdTpDV8bt0/s400/P1020546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933519340424018" border="0" /></a>Setting up the champagne.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp3EJlu5Vq0YakCshowFfl0g91WQsVIAlhUgceanoMeDI4N5Dcvfp05jsmZEoo5hPQt0ELBE2LiyT5h4thiYGs2DYuN8lHXTfGzx3fyo50vNW8uJeogW7Mwb_zCoSe2aeBqWH4RHEYwY/s1600-h/P1020545.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp3EJlu5Vq0YakCshowFfl0g91WQsVIAlhUgceanoMeDI4N5Dcvfp05jsmZEoo5hPQt0ELBE2LiyT5h4thiYGs2DYuN8lHXTfGzx3fyo50vNW8uJeogW7Mwb_zCoSe2aeBqWH4RHEYwY/s400/P1020545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278933515664602066" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-39772535137736275332008-12-14T20:24:00.000+01:002008-12-14T20:24:01.283+01:00CassisOur last trip was down to Cassis, which is on the Mediterranean 20 km from Marseilles, the weekend of the 6th of December. It was lovely to have some sunshine and warmer weather.<br /><br />Although this photo doesnt really do it justice, the houses were painted bright shades of yellow and pink.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC-E9VY0sW7a2_cKYFPtcEBNWAqWEMcfohNVjlnQkxVlyQcIdYhzWtTSd7nVxLpKWsdwR7IxikfBXGuxbir5foES3uoJnTaG_44UQofpwpCi4e_7RmwzQBtQTo4llm1G7ZlVrlja03QM/s1600-h/S7301211.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC-E9VY0sW7a2_cKYFPtcEBNWAqWEMcfohNVjlnQkxVlyQcIdYhzWtTSd7nVxLpKWsdwR7IxikfBXGuxbir5foES3uoJnTaG_44UQofpwpCi4e_7RmwzQBtQTo4llm1G7ZlVrlja03QM/s400/S7301211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279668249880104978" border="0" /></a>The main part of Cassis surrounds a harbor, and the buildings on the water are mostly restaurants.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjeP0g1rm5RawWzqURSfn5dNxZ0knTTtK8snKSPCW1txosDwGEMesPXW4LG1gPJnh4NxQ31atzHFUGUEiwXThg28aJr8BZ-ZYygHixvhjKn-4EOO4DWYuJmzXV-hxsM5CKaAFpiTsAk0/s1600-h/S7301225.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjeP0g1rm5RawWzqURSfn5dNxZ0knTTtK8snKSPCW1txosDwGEMesPXW4LG1gPJnh4NxQ31atzHFUGUEiwXThg28aJr8BZ-ZYygHixvhjKn-4EOO4DWYuJmzXV-hxsM5CKaAFpiTsAk0/s400/S7301225.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279669297860191138" border="0" /></a>It also had a small and rocky beach, where some people were actually swimming.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKaaqHMAi241qi_f33qhFBxFMsXDN0sKeIyaccSuR3CbTDxI3T7EZWNkwt-ldlQ0rOJZHH6khU4L4wHDFoqW15NIpEKQspGS3s3E_ljbeugLBZnSIBQlbbndwIQwI-1LDHk_aQb3o-nQ/s1600-h/S7301219.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKaaqHMAi241qi_f33qhFBxFMsXDN0sKeIyaccSuR3CbTDxI3T7EZWNkwt-ldlQ0rOJZHH6khU4L4wHDFoqW15NIpEKQspGS3s3E_ljbeugLBZnSIBQlbbndwIQwI-1LDHk_aQb3o-nQ/s400/S7301219.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279668283454054610" border="0" /></a>The town had a little Christmas market. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHeKtD9rQAKBuX_GZlSXbfExK2LBX1sELAJsTaCB6jM14Qu0xWpViV-XlPBW9iy_CSlHKfrm49-Yb2DSk104pSi-_OTthk-ph1-yCiPXqMdNKzvQzRUEsWz1QAj9Kl6iXxxV8wDtfXGY/s1600-h/S7301214.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHeKtD9rQAKBuX_GZlSXbfExK2LBX1sELAJsTaCB6jM14Qu0xWpViV-XlPBW9iy_CSlHKfrm49-Yb2DSk104pSi-_OTthk-ph1-yCiPXqMdNKzvQzRUEsWz1QAj9Kl6iXxxV8wDtfXGY/s400/S7301214.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279668259744016738" border="0" /></a>The market featured a band playing traditional regional songs, the sound of which were completely unfamiliar. They didnt sound like typical old French music.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2y7bhH9eDahMAXH70KbX2a7vfMLaPNdC2M3gDBVmz3hwJuuhTG3uQL6cfqAzLdCc48lA4I_AwxbNixWbb1mH-JQMU6cs2RTaoAcwg7l199JZV4dAU25_3FgDWC3-9lR4EY7kFnZ-Nlo/s1600-h/S7301216.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2y7bhH9eDahMAXH70KbX2a7vfMLaPNdC2M3gDBVmz3hwJuuhTG3uQL6cfqAzLdCc48lA4I_AwxbNixWbb1mH-JQMU6cs2RTaoAcwg7l199JZV4dAU25_3FgDWC3-9lR4EY7kFnZ-Nlo/s400/S7301216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279668275944864098" border="0" /></a>Cassis is surrounded by hills.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgfNggx8cqOZhlxqUO_cUP4WSJjGooFaHtEUo0BInp9xvw2Y29egrQjpTpPDW0eOPUiwsKQIM-X6PPMBy9OC9mbX0qWJ0PGgh2GMki0J1kdFNlM-tDcT-2mltFoX3mderv9Alh_XyaVA/s1600-h/S7301213.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgfNggx8cqOZhlxqUO_cUP4WSJjGooFaHtEUo0BInp9xvw2Y29egrQjpTpPDW0eOPUiwsKQIM-X6PPMBy9OC9mbX0qWJ0PGgh2GMki0J1kdFNlM-tDcT-2mltFoX3mderv9Alh_XyaVA/s400/S7301213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279668253380269890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fr9p9z90aTrsZ8EF5EdCn-oNXudSlEP2kC-a_wwBkw3oqtksTOYwc0QeouzG7gVjZP4-fm5TYS7GAZroSwXbkzkGzV3MX1yACtJ5H9lshGZOtSLV5Gtf5NVaJNuEc6fBT2X5rDPZp8g/s1600-h/S7301222.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fr9p9z90aTrsZ8EF5EdCn-oNXudSlEP2kC-a_wwBkw3oqtksTOYwc0QeouzG7gVjZP4-fm5TYS7GAZroSwXbkzkGzV3MX1yACtJ5H9lshGZOtSLV5Gtf5NVaJNuEc6fBT2X5rDPZp8g/s400/S7301222.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279669326834803938" border="0" /></a>The most notable feature of the area is the Calanques, which are big limestone cliffs that go out into the sea. We went for a hike out along them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgPpigNlnBLfB2iKAjWOHHCVuJTKhGjPpQScHiTaV1G9wQysfc3V2BFmFy2_F8Nzt2MvOGwzpZS8rddKa7hwhFDgtYw5g7kJ8p9Fi5oMO3WIT8vZ7Wxkp0Z1GRMPqSZgU6YJddxco84o/s1600-h/S7301228.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgPpigNlnBLfB2iKAjWOHHCVuJTKhGjPpQScHiTaV1G9wQysfc3V2BFmFy2_F8Nzt2MvOGwzpZS8rddKa7hwhFDgtYw5g7kJ8p9Fi5oMO3WIT8vZ7Wxkp0Z1GRMPqSZgU6YJddxco84o/s400/S7301228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279669302335923282" border="0" /></a>The terrain was a bit lunar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIArGW6DHafxYgxPFoLaKAXY_XoxKDdzXuLjwR2Gjw9OzrDF5QigFaWtGVBP-goOfrN-FQeJ-vNIyCJywhWcQ_PCZSqpizOB_d9dUapxeNibh0UEkuyw4k1WmhVrCudTRf01iYxQ0o0vQ/s1600-h/S7301231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIArGW6DHafxYgxPFoLaKAXY_XoxKDdzXuLjwR2Gjw9OzrDF5QigFaWtGVBP-goOfrN-FQeJ-vNIyCJywhWcQ_PCZSqpizOB_d9dUapxeNibh0UEkuyw4k1WmhVrCudTRf01iYxQ0o0vQ/s400/S7301231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279669312352529090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb0ZmyG8kHCEdNFZLTJQkPvgoCXRFBTKt7hVgcXZXd0Zjx6uBw_CZvZA5Qd2THWyQzPoLg8lODtBXtnGWLHb36oA476G0MPnvzmWRDGtc8mbHnI-zSMzguQ9djf__24hpokvgeCGDFfc/s1600-h/S7301230.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb0ZmyG8kHCEdNFZLTJQkPvgoCXRFBTKt7hVgcXZXd0Zjx6uBw_CZvZA5Qd2THWyQzPoLg8lODtBXtnGWLHb36oA476G0MPnvzmWRDGtc8mbHnI-zSMzguQ9djf__24hpokvgeCGDFfc/s400/S7301230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279669304792203474" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-87267664654645251982008-12-14T16:04:00.001+01:002008-12-14T16:24:33.281+01:00La Fête des LumièresThe annual Fête des Lumières was this past weekend. The origins of the Fête des Lumières date from 1643, when through fervent prayers to Mary, the city of Lyon was spared from the plague.<br /><br />Merci Marie!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZOExBXGWfXCRRvdra4OL94_UmTB4PPgjMMKfS4xFMfQ31gg84CdsbY8J4TsaFV2U1ESj4nLGdbyKa0Jdjn_-fC8ytwKM_A3cxMybKDmNUrJcQrikxs8lwzZovumII8Rin2_5RcPQJjA/s1600-h/New+Image2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZOExBXGWfXCRRvdra4OL94_UmTB4PPgjMMKfS4xFMfQ31gg84CdsbY8J4TsaFV2U1ESj4nLGdbyKa0Jdjn_-fC8ytwKM_A3cxMybKDmNUrJcQrikxs8lwzZovumII8Rin2_5RcPQJjA/s400/New+Image2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278939294383959634" border="0" /></a>Rue de la Republique had little curlique thingies hanging from the trees.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSTcb9F5lep6Fdn68g4hw_i0qb8KalBIH2gMoDvHkt_6wfN6b3swAG0w4stv208EJMA5Kgm9j2MjmAoK0qZYTX2bTm5hChZyc413Et25cUWVnp0jHpeKQTv2cONK1jHSSXC_7H4JS1O8/s1600-h/Dec2008+208.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSTcb9F5lep6Fdn68g4hw_i0qb8KalBIH2gMoDvHkt_6wfN6b3swAG0w4stv208EJMA5Kgm9j2MjmAoK0qZYTX2bTm5hChZyc413Et25cUWVnp0jHpeKQTv2cONK1jHSSXC_7H4JS1O8/s400/Dec2008+208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278939282141784434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HXjcuZwdmYLF0m3mpoETDwofWi3vs6-NOBTM6vIV3XLwUvIl60lC1LIcilm3sO7yIF1TIv97JivPorSvZho4QD4oSBRfPaRfZCrXNJZPGU6giws20yCobDYYGrk4Keb7Q1Jr2BvR3s8/s1600-h/Dec2008+206.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HXjcuZwdmYLF0m3mpoETDwofWi3vs6-NOBTM6vIV3XLwUvIl60lC1LIcilm3sO7yIF1TIv97JivPorSvZho4QD4oSBRfPaRfZCrXNJZPGU6giws20yCobDYYGrk4Keb7Q1Jr2BvR3s8/s400/Dec2008+206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278938629701841522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCwp5CizNwRFmOM1WM742etBFRT08WScBWmTdWEkTPoaAfLy24XmuehmTbf4ZjdGN5ipvzGooYUxDXXJiJC1ZCR_s23mwE-a0KZiijTWU_oJvSrHlbHeqa-ZKxvkMxfhV7oG92KFbEzA/s1600-h/Dec2008+195.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCwp5CizNwRFmOM1WM742etBFRT08WScBWmTdWEkTPoaAfLy24XmuehmTbf4ZjdGN5ipvzGooYUxDXXJiJC1ZCR_s23mwE-a0KZiijTWU_oJvSrHlbHeqa-ZKxvkMxfhV7oG92KFbEzA/s400/Dec2008+195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278938623272985714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2nm30l8huqP-ox0nudWdnztAYXy_zWYAMgRKcLY8NNTvLTPw4_dS_i12s9qD8Rc0mOPr2AzklTNIyOweCAEZjpkz-kyQ2r4ZjfXzlGC97M6Rk0FEW-p16_xDHlE_gRs0K-yX9g3wz1Y/s1600-h/Dec2008+191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2nm30l8huqP-ox0nudWdnztAYXy_zWYAMgRKcLY8NNTvLTPw4_dS_i12s9qD8Rc0mOPr2AzklTNIyOweCAEZjpkz-kyQ2r4ZjfXzlGC97M6Rk0FEW-p16_xDHlE_gRs0K-yX9g3wz1Y/s400/Dec2008+191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278938618190534082" border="0" /></a>Place des Jacobins had a little fish motif.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMTu69ubzf5qrPOULQ-h9NkU-9CVQXH7FKuuMXA42V6E-S8EwvTk-iI_x-1oPvsyhVC0W0uig9iL8ePhi0cKc2gEcEV6_T_Wrya163CjmqP51FFszRZZYdTD6966jzJd0QPxab0CuDe8/s1600-h/Dec2008+163.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMTu69ubzf5qrPOULQ-h9NkU-9CVQXH7FKuuMXA42V6E-S8EwvTk-iI_x-1oPvsyhVC0W0uig9iL8ePhi0cKc2gEcEV6_T_Wrya163CjmqP51FFszRZZYdTD6966jzJd0QPxab0CuDe8/s400/Dec2008+163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278937159144508274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xvy_bzftEWOgxI-fwjIguKIRiQ4aiHuijtM5kZK_NqKeDxJNwz8AE5OoSzmfnk_jOjcvdZvQSOtjjmZojjN-beTYolLybAe0YEhcjgn0f7hMtQUZkA3AMIl2ahh_vzmyFT3-W04_tms/s1600-h/Dec2008+169.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xvy_bzftEWOgxI-fwjIguKIRiQ4aiHuijtM5kZK_NqKeDxJNwz8AE5OoSzmfnk_jOjcvdZvQSOtjjmZojjN-beTYolLybAe0YEhcjgn0f7hMtQUZkA3AMIl2ahh_vzmyFT3-W04_tms/s400/Dec2008+169.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278938603913603650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7E81YerIiIwurzsSJCsOe6LLybR_Wil-EcdywAGdg2it1ELfX7aYWZJNGDtZ4iU1Owu5a9eQcRchp-RSE6Cat-PsOw4QGWjiN70PS5_k0Ngcp9Q3H1fLAWuXxPUZ7aTLqEyihLmEWnc/s1600-h/Dec2008+168.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7E81YerIiIwurzsSJCsOe6LLybR_Wil-EcdywAGdg2it1ELfX7aYWZJNGDtZ4iU1Owu5a9eQcRchp-RSE6Cat-PsOw4QGWjiN70PS5_k0Ngcp9Q3H1fLAWuXxPUZ7aTLqEyihLmEWnc/s400/Dec2008+168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278937165424237826" border="0" /></a>The St Jean Cathedral was gorgeous.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdGj_YZp9mP-qmPeeIGtapo7K3BId6lOIvtwscsN1LZBEQjBp7P-ZILrQrbTmd3f769KqvuVNyATVUI9KAbK7Cox2vSArkWAaTpCmt2EUV9r_H8zCx_IO3uRl6FXeCNBWDo3JsOQtKHc/s1600-h/Dec2008+087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdGj_YZp9mP-qmPeeIGtapo7K3BId6lOIvtwscsN1LZBEQjBp7P-ZILrQrbTmd3f769KqvuVNyATVUI9KAbK7Cox2vSArkWAaTpCmt2EUV9r_H8zCx_IO3uRl6FXeCNBWDo3JsOQtKHc/s400/Dec2008+087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936952373400914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqbqNuUddvVBOQc7-FBaFyutxG9_jagqu2uniY2EWNcSv8B4P61s2kguRrs-gwTiQyhtW2KLcyAj11apLxJgeH8e68xlu_u7fHk9YS5SW-JkCMusOsg2_bfLTi2pR6zBQYjefzUPFgxQ/s1600-h/New+Image.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqbqNuUddvVBOQc7-FBaFyutxG9_jagqu2uniY2EWNcSv8B4P61s2kguRrs-gwTiQyhtW2KLcyAj11apLxJgeH8e68xlu_u7fHk9YS5SW-JkCMusOsg2_bfLTi2pR6zBQYjefzUPFgxQ/s400/New+Image.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278939306379142386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBEOWTQIrZyK8P2pPpjWWzM8Ek50LfNgGYvs6NoN7HegQEXzf4rRspzMfUQWPqz_g6JJ0ajWUFjie-ZQpfZ5X_Qcjj1LRbdocjBAgrN1YgDYpfeoIhFdg528ijuzuEv3qF6uZ2DpoY-4/s1600-h/Dec2008+121.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBEOWTQIrZyK8P2pPpjWWzM8Ek50LfNgGYvs6NoN7HegQEXzf4rRspzMfUQWPqz_g6JJ0ajWUFjie-ZQpfZ5X_Qcjj1LRbdocjBAgrN1YgDYpfeoIhFdg528ijuzuEv3qF6uZ2DpoY-4/s400/Dec2008+121.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278937138903179554" border="0" /></a>Gare Saint Paul, near my apartment, changed colors.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2Fb54Z3flpRkGlKsqcCNzBiESHugBLwxQjNDRGXpIyuK_rLvZoEJQi2G16OPdrYpYNWcnYHMHAVqTQfdcRrIwf1-BSiy8TzIaDpShAhh7shBtboT6Rxse9ZpNlBI-v8ooV5v7lGaPjs/s1600-h/Dec2008+063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2Fb54Z3flpRkGlKsqcCNzBiESHugBLwxQjNDRGXpIyuK_rLvZoEJQi2G16OPdrYpYNWcnYHMHAVqTQfdcRrIwf1-BSiy8TzIaDpShAhh7shBtboT6Rxse9ZpNlBI-v8ooV5v7lGaPjs/s400/Dec2008+063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936946129043282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5fMwsYiz7pf-s_UA6Ki6qmZQTFIrV_F2z43odu80fgBBgvMjYCVd5ZWsHjaX7JpABGCaGcP3s78EreuvSOBXDDi_An1KGrS84_rLTzPCQILExq_P9elmBwojHtiP6RlDHW836sOBYR8/s1600-h/Dec2008+062.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5fMwsYiz7pf-s_UA6Ki6qmZQTFIrV_F2z43odu80fgBBgvMjYCVd5ZWsHjaX7JpABGCaGcP3s78EreuvSOBXDDi_An1KGrS84_rLTzPCQILExq_P9elmBwojHtiP6RlDHW836sOBYR8/s400/Dec2008+062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936940828088962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZC2hO-6fdS6vz3y3-f5Z8lBfvQNwmhRocr-Q-Y7RA0w7-24gwBzoDx856sJmNhtAcpxGeFywDKTbQ7pA1nwEmFLDSj7a_BGtmnXzcotW1hKprHiMPMiNFFIBfAIawyChxtPzCNbKdd8/s1600-h/Dec2008+057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZC2hO-6fdS6vz3y3-f5Z8lBfvQNwmhRocr-Q-Y7RA0w7-24gwBzoDx856sJmNhtAcpxGeFywDKTbQ7pA1nwEmFLDSj7a_BGtmnXzcotW1hKprHiMPMiNFFIBfAIawyChxtPzCNbKdd8/s400/Dec2008+057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936934817101698" border="0" /></a>This year's Fête des Lumières had the theme, "Through the eyes of a child." The slow in Place des Terreaux began by making the Hotel de Ville look like a dollhouse.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s0KEdAcswZUSyK2coQWnpBeMRTpVCnNzPEhBmTOO3xyJ944IPM341aTfD9T6ltTBdCMhMmfSxMkIcqBhxolmdfntbUSaE-g8lpm7-nC_ewFc1MM5I5Df7oU64ANA1gZcRw9IWsO2Vvk/s1600-h/arrozada639304.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s0KEdAcswZUSyK2coQWnpBeMRTpVCnNzPEhBmTOO3xyJ944IPM341aTfD9T6ltTBdCMhMmfSxMkIcqBhxolmdfntbUSaE-g8lpm7-nC_ewFc1MM5I5Df7oU64ANA1gZcRw9IWsO2Vvk/s400/arrozada639304.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279665484280243906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggphyphenhyphenQPrBX88J2C3sqTV_b8EBFcePSgS4HNXE5CNFGxNwEbgZ2a7xJZUrJXvI3Be2WpXy17GVM70xf74-ZahferB9R6CAvQbMcIEtjw0SrQWYpQly1OkwZKUmCy_ys5O6HLA9DHVBF3k/s1600-h/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggphyphenhyphenQPrBX88J2C3sqTV_b8EBFcePSgS4HNXE5CNFGxNwEbgZ2a7xJZUrJXvI3Be2WpXy17GVM70xf74-ZahferB9R6CAvQbMcIEtjw0SrQWYpQly1OkwZKUmCy_ys5O6HLA9DHVBF3k/s400/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279665486784992962" border="0" /></a>The picture in the bubble is of the fountain across the square, which they made look like it was in a snow globe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ64muNfP578n_4WcYdIbcz6M9aSP0ynpeOFBo9GOJNy_6WeDpiAEcBkCpTimww1rQe7-cRKcyybicJqcwHL4A86apT-NWMtvB31LDjNbMlRjd1pLCLEEsr8aSxfFtuvSWzxdChFHWrQw/s1600-h/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ64muNfP578n_4WcYdIbcz6M9aSP0ynpeOFBo9GOJNy_6WeDpiAEcBkCpTimww1rQe7-cRKcyybicJqcwHL4A86apT-NWMtvB31LDjNbMlRjd1pLCLEEsr8aSxfFtuvSWzxdChFHWrQw/s400/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279665483262898546" border="0" /></a>The show there finished with a pseudo-fingerpainting design.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7PenH0O3pdju1ifXFMnl21qt-ll6qzMh7AMBWcBC5uTpbayw0he4cBqwwtDPXxOMpa6SiSe4LYVCq14EPUVylQzzb7psyR1wxwvS-rR88SUATzPcXBabA4bPO3t9pWBgH2RKf34pGWU/s1600-h/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7PenH0O3pdju1ifXFMnl21qt-ll6qzMh7AMBWcBC5uTpbayw0he4cBqwwtDPXxOMpa6SiSe4LYVCq14EPUVylQzzb7psyR1wxwvS-rR88SUATzPcXBabA4bPO3t9pWBgH2RKf34pGWU/s400/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279665490225332386" border="0" /></a>And a child's writing, complete with misspellings.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbfMXUVs-Gd-W0wvOskSFAg4LJQvHswg1hvvJZ68nGvRy2pT8hfHfz8WTP3VNq3ofJ9lCsWlBzgf6k1FUcXj4Cumoc7TAlbn5e7vNDBpPd4-IOFStLYI20XfHwik5KUgnbvYJ5asVhms/s1600-h/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbfMXUVs-Gd-W0wvOskSFAg4LJQvHswg1hvvJZ68nGvRy2pT8hfHfz8WTP3VNq3ofJ9lCsWlBzgf6k1FUcXj4Cumoc7TAlbn5e7vNDBpPd4-IOFStLYI20XfHwik5KUgnbvYJ5asVhms/s400/f%C3%AAte+lumi%C3%A8res+Lyon+2008+18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279665488693123298" border="0" /></a>And there were many other little things along the streets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_aO47bygQnp9S_RjGTuWShh8XePo0Rc-hBAE_IIvw9B9vPN1TVV-90SHNipuxeL9I9bVePpvb8FQ4gQOwGK3xvmbs2e_Z1mMDBNhAHVdh4IUredn5lhlCWG15tIMRKGF8U6qhb-9KYA/s1600-h/Dec2008+137.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_aO47bygQnp9S_RjGTuWShh8XePo0Rc-hBAE_IIvw9B9vPN1TVV-90SHNipuxeL9I9bVePpvb8FQ4gQOwGK3xvmbs2e_Z1mMDBNhAHVdh4IUredn5lhlCWG15tIMRKGF8U6qhb-9KYA/s400/Dec2008+137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278937144620853090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNKVnKA-HiL7ZR1eq84ltWVKELi5IRX3gvbnEFDq076xsFvzTY-SEVTAobtaW8aXVy1irFltn4quMXYeoAqDuOcc9zvjtyq6qos3ZDok1jKIKrgJFZc-aPJ4JLd0lUQsqn8UvlPD_qQ4/s1600-h/Dec2008+077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNKVnKA-HiL7ZR1eq84ltWVKELi5IRX3gvbnEFDq076xsFvzTY-SEVTAobtaW8aXVy1irFltn4quMXYeoAqDuOcc9zvjtyq6qos3ZDok1jKIKrgJFZc-aPJ4JLd0lUQsqn8UvlPD_qQ4/s400/Dec2008+077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936949409576114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TnCs26P_-OfcXKpiqW_BS4lZ7UQnqiPGEat5kWGJh5_zOFz3McQDT8XjC3rY1100iHkDM8wVFYo1YXUqmKjcr83tAqQWhc9iWha_HNSfOYqOUVYuDBPwdAisPhMkFInkbi_LnZzcBYI/s1600-h/Dec2008+038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TnCs26P_-OfcXKpiqW_BS4lZ7UQnqiPGEat5kWGJh5_zOFz3McQDT8XjC3rY1100iHkDM8wVFYo1YXUqmKjcr83tAqQWhc9iWha_HNSfOYqOUVYuDBPwdAisPhMkFInkbi_LnZzcBYI/s400/Dec2008+038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936479815446482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5fu0Mibn8Nh2wzqwMOMguSwAPygVPKRr3vKM3bVlRmO3Xdi7WLRCMjeZFhcSQTG8qQIGK-H7rWZpF77VhyphenhyphendGZ36ESoEd6A8yJ-AChTke0acJCS9RIsRA6opxMXqE-Ki9C8qg3DsbHMM/s1600-h/Dec2008+034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5fu0Mibn8Nh2wzqwMOMguSwAPygVPKRr3vKM3bVlRmO3Xdi7WLRCMjeZFhcSQTG8qQIGK-H7rWZpF77VhyphenhyphendGZ36ESoEd6A8yJ-AChTke0acJCS9RIsRA6opxMXqE-Ki9C8qg3DsbHMM/s400/Dec2008+034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936474738122002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji211Ldv1DZMe2OjC9OjxNkn8hrF05pU75poc1IC0s6OeJE_k2OCe5U5SBhajcgQY4oXgNe-xQufYLjoWZI3WX9gHMBga9vo7egELJWqfJiYSJhNNE58UCKVJjYwCsB-803abnKZPPU_4/s1600-h/Dec2008+033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji211Ldv1DZMe2OjC9OjxNkn8hrF05pU75poc1IC0s6OeJE_k2OCe5U5SBhajcgQY4oXgNe-xQufYLjoWZI3WX9gHMBga9vo7egELJWqfJiYSJhNNE58UCKVJjYwCsB-803abnKZPPU_4/s400/Dec2008+033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936473199791154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9Bo2PkCcERDySFrK3p8vVQIG-eXkG3CYfZg40nq_Ujp2_oFslz35chOqF_cFxpH0mKgOCZuEkzHWJVhQRkg7C-4cv6tqNYfTZKYrszpKHmNXQSJUOZBg6JNCJblQJFejBJozJExB4Cg/s1600-h/Dec2008+028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9Bo2PkCcERDySFrK3p8vVQIG-eXkG3CYfZg40nq_Ujp2_oFslz35chOqF_cFxpH0mKgOCZuEkzHWJVhQRkg7C-4cv6tqNYfTZKYrszpKHmNXQSJUOZBg6JNCJblQJFejBJozJExB4Cg/s400/Dec2008+028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278936462464724482" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-77276450095162084302008-11-30T16:52:00.004+01:002008-11-30T17:01:59.624+01:00MovedWell, its done. I am all moved out of my apartment. My stuff is now in piles all over Brian's apartment. I need to take some things to work to give to people, ship a little bit home, and pack the rest for the flight. I leave La France en deux semaines.<br /><br />Everyone told me horror stories of French landlords and how they try to wring every last cent out of one's deposit. When you move into an apartment, there is a lengthy list of every single thing in the place, and a box to check to indicate the quality: good, used, or bad. When you move out, you must go through the list again and re-examine each item. My officemate, for example, recently moved out of a place and her landlord refused to refund a cent; she and her husband have now hired a lawyer. So, I went into today's meeting with a bit of trepidation. And what happened? My landlord gave me the entire refund back. She took the long checklist, and without even looking at anything, just checked "good" for everything. Finally I said, "I broke a glass," and she replied, "In 2 years? Of course! That is to be expected." We then went through all the water bills and she ended up giving me a 70 euro check because I had overpaid. So, it was unexpectedly painless. <br /><br />Only 2 weeks left in France. I can hardly believe it after all this time.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-77449808740937568902008-11-27T19:18:00.007+01:002008-11-27T19:21:13.610+01:00Happy Thanksgiving!Its been a mellow Thanksgiving day here in France, a work day. I'm about to head out to dinner to a place with a very delicious poultry dish.. I figured that is about as close as it gets. We may not have turkey with all the trimmings, but a nice meal is what it is all about.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-21601440162781461032008-11-26T19:35:00.002+01:002008-11-26T19:36:35.999+01:00Congratulations to my officemate Elisabeth and her husband David! Elisabeth gave birth this morning at 8:46 to Elliot, 3600 g. All are well. See Elisabeth's blog link to the right.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-83751560353641325312008-11-21T19:22:00.002+01:002008-11-21T19:39:20.180+01:00Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image">Voila! November 20th has arrived, and with it the yearly arrival of the Beaujolais nouveau. </span>While most people believe that wine gets better with age, there is one wine which is made to be drunk young: le beaujolais nouveau. Oh yes, September was a good month, wasn't it?<br /><br />Lyon's proximity to the Beaujolais region makes it an excellent center for tasting the nouveau. The festivities began 2 nights ago with horses trotting alongside the Saône to deliver 2008's Beaujolais Nouveau to Place Bellecour. The revelers enjoyed live music and fireworks until exactly midnight, when they were allowed to pop open this year's vintage. <br /><br />I'm sorry to report that I missed these festivities, but I did go out last night and saw the setting up for non-stop holiday celebrations until Christmas. This time of year, most restaurants in Vieux Lyon set up a table outside where they sell Beaujolais Nouveau or vin chaud, and people gather outside late at night eating crepes and drinking wine. I tried some B.N. last night, and I have to admit that it tasted like wine that had been bottled 2 months ago. The wine isn't that great, but somehow we all get swept up in it anyway. I do like vin chaud though. It is delicious on a cold winter's night.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-34114711249743955602008-11-08T11:53:00.003+01:002008-11-08T12:21:14.266+01:00Obama!Everyone here is thrilled about the election. I cannot overstate the degree to which everyone I know here was routing for Obama to win. I saw multiple homemade Obama signs on the streets. People were talking about it everywhere. The night of the election, when we were walking back from the party, some French college students who had written 'Obama :)' on their faces stopped us to cheer. And I literally knew no one at my job who was pulling for McCain. It surprised me a little bit, because there are certainly a few Sarkozy supporters at work, so I assumed there had to be a few McCain fans in the crowd. But as Ann pointed to me over coffee yesterday, so many Europeans have been angered by Bush's foreign policy, specifically the unwillingness to work with other countries-- the 'if you're not with us, you're against us'-- for that reason alone people were routing for Obama to win. They want someone who is willing to work with their governments.<br /><br />I've also been approached by several European colleagues who say things like, "I'm just so <span style="font-style: italic;">impressed </span>that the US would elect a black man. I think that would never happen in my country." So, it is nice to briefly bask in the collective goodwill that is directed towards the US these days.<br /><br />Farhad, an Iranian friend of mine at work, believes that Obama's election will likely result in moderates being elected in other countries. Bush was a real rallying point for radical politics elsewhere, so now the wind has been taken out of their sails a bit. Farhad also pointed out that when the Iranian government was accused of human rights abuses, president Ahmadinejad would just point out what a racist country the US is; that just won't hold water anymore. Farhad is hoping that Khatami will run again in the next Iranian presidential election. Its time for a moderate.<br /><br />Alas, the election night party that I went to was a bit of a dud. It was at the Hilton, and there were 900 people there, crowded into a too-small room, and it quickly got overheated. Plus the "buffet" that we were promised consisted of a few bowls of chips and pistachio nuts. They eventually brought out a few trays of crudites, which were mobbed so quickly I couldn't even get to them. And the debates that I had so looked forward to were marred by a poor sound system, and I couldn't hear anything. Oh well. Plus I missed watching the election returns! I just didn't have the energy to try and stay up and watch them until 5 am.<br /><br />Here are some blurry cell phone pics I took. The jazz band was pretty good.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgqddK92zYmUGU7-dSz_AQlIkth-oqcerlA3oI8im46Fq9tqJNfHQsD-2Ox4wEn7_iI98F-VD6Cc6byS1N4qdWPx7UJtsLu2I2PXWsMOh851L18aOXyOINrZw0InbjitL5jprfsGMtsQ/s1600-h/DSC00075.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgqddK92zYmUGU7-dSz_AQlIkth-oqcerlA3oI8im46Fq9tqJNfHQsD-2Ox4wEn7_iI98F-VD6Cc6byS1N4qdWPx7UJtsLu2I2PXWsMOh851L18aOXyOINrZw0InbjitL5jprfsGMtsQ/s400/DSC00075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266244880343349762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV9zS8vu2d2o6qUtqkJYlyDzTkFIkhhEbpmjigiZBnaepua2BWVsPOeKlR1jrUwBR72XnMF8r7tytD4r87psMaZ-wlK8gn-QO7ch8QfmsQhg3cyGL5LaU8CR-jY-jrVSOn18-FUurUSw/s1600-h/DSC00074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV9zS8vu2d2o6qUtqkJYlyDzTkFIkhhEbpmjigiZBnaepua2BWVsPOeKlR1jrUwBR72XnMF8r7tytD4r87psMaZ-wlK8gn-QO7ch8QfmsQhg3cyGL5LaU8CR-jY-jrVSOn18-FUurUSw/s400/DSC00074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266244883973050930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lzf0yTXjjbZ9H8drlMx77llAMa7UWgqxwtPWE6jImOF7z6Yy_39iUlP7na2m9pq2DC88TdMWVwZ7yc8DQSRkcxnh_fqNouy0gGGUm1eLw9sYbFGZBE60tfdo7M5JcVTdt1_wCD0Tphw/s1600-h/DSC00073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lzf0yTXjjbZ9H8drlMx77llAMa7UWgqxwtPWE6jImOF7z6Yy_39iUlP7na2m9pq2DC88TdMWVwZ7yc8DQSRkcxnh_fqNouy0gGGUm1eLw9sYbFGZBE60tfdo7M5JcVTdt1_wCD0Tphw/s400/DSC00073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266244875665778722" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-89785557467944213502008-11-03T18:47:00.000+01:002008-11-03T18:47:00.657+01:00Election eventI'm supposed to go to this event tomorrow night. <br /><br /><b>AMERICAN ELECTION NIGHT 2008<br />In order to mark the important event in American politics, the Presidential Elections, the American and Franco-American communities of Lyon have organized a special Election Night evening on the night of the elections themselves - Tuesday November 4, 2008. The event will take place from 9PM onwards in the salons of the Lyon Hilton Hotel, 70 quai Charles de Gaulle in the Lyon 6th District. The American Club of Lyon, the Association France-USA , The American Chamber of Commerce - AmCham Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne have come together to organize this Special Evening for you in conjunction with the US Consul in Lyon. Our principal sponsors include – CEFAM International School of Business and Management, Alex Lapp, Air France and the Lyon Hilton. Our other sponsors include Wall Street Institute, FC2, ONLY LYON (Aderly), Coca Cola Enterprise, Le Casino le Pharaon, Dulac Fleurs , Conciergerie Cité Internationale , Bahadourian , Swiss com 2.<br /><br />Several hundred people will be attending this long awaited event which will bring together numerous French and American personalities from the Lyon area. A buffet along with wine and soft beverage will be served while you enjoy some nice Jazz music from the Ecole de Musique de Limonest who will play with a grand piano furnished by their partner Bellecour Musiques. Experts from several domains will participate in animated debates about the political race itself as well as debates on the economy and the societal impacts in general of the 2008 American Presidential race. These debates as well as a tentative live video conference being organized with New York will give a good overview of the exchanges and partnerships in place between the Rhone Alpes Region and the United States. All during the evening, numerous animations are being organized, a live TV broadcast of the exit polls and the election results, a live drawing (winner must be present) of Free Tickets on the Lyon-New York flight offered specially for the evening by AIR FRANCE as well a straw poll of your vote for the elections will give a Lyonnais view of the American Political scene. </b>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-60415945178424733472008-10-31T08:18:00.004+01:002008-10-31T08:50:28.195+01:00Project BuellerIn some extremely fun news, my friend Laurel is participating in a re-enactment of the parade scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, when Matthew Broderick lip-synchs "Twist and Shout" in the middle of Chicago's Von Steuben Day parade.<br /> <a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 316px ! important; top: -3px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-020256906431686028 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"></a><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfrLFX96HUs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Project Bueller will take part in the annual Halloween parade in NYC, and onlookers and passerby are welcome to join in to the massive Beatles singalong, with 1980's-era business attire and dance moves strongly recommended. Laurel will be one of the beer maids on the float and play an accordion, I believe. Have you ever dreamed of being Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago? Join in for having one of the best days on your young lives. I would go if I could. <a href="http://projectbueller.tumblr.com/">The Project Bueller website</a> has more information.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-63637486682302054692008-10-22T23:51:00.002+02:002008-10-22T23:55:28.742+02:00Halloween?Here I am, miles upon miles upon kilometers from home, where all of my costume clothing is in boxes, and I have a Halloween party to go to on Saturday night. Who can I dress as this year? My only ideas are the most obvious choice of this year: Sarah Palin (but do I have a suit? and how does she get her hair to do that anyway?) and the most obvious choice of last year: Amy Winehouse. Yes, I can probably tease my hair into a modified beehive and put on some eyeliner, but could I find a bunch of fake tattoos to put all over my arms? Do I have sufficiently slutty clothes? Its a tough one this year.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-86921842605531593282008-10-16T05:21:00.000+02:002008-10-16T05:21:00.329+02:00Dean Smith endorses ObamaIt's a sign that the campaign is officially over in North Carolina. <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/13/politics/horserace/entry4518079.shtml">Dean Smith endorsing Obama</a> is the last nail in the McCain coffin. Could there be a more important endorsement?<br /><br />I suggest that Obama go into the four corners offense and wrap this thing up.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-60380991778029444002008-10-15T03:21:00.001+02:002008-10-15T03:21:00.596+02:00BerlinOur last stop of this extended trip was Berlin. Such a great city!<br /><br />One of my fave things in Berlin is the old East German street-crossing signs, which are way, way cuter than the old West German ones. People love them so much that they sell replicas as souvenirs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkOOa4n3igdqmInjIvS2iCgLF8lCAgK-JoORMUH6KqJ8YzhcevWYMJSu8Y1al_SiEFzmOqO0dMhF6xky02n9lhhD26NIdZSg7CZ9Vthb-PWuG6QUA-9lhSMGm4_pacwKtczSrCOkWUgI/s1600-h/S7301145.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkOOa4n3igdqmInjIvS2iCgLF8lCAgK-JoORMUH6KqJ8YzhcevWYMJSu8Y1al_SiEFzmOqO0dMhF6xky02n9lhhD26NIdZSg7CZ9Vthb-PWuG6QUA-9lhSMGm4_pacwKtczSrCOkWUgI/s400/S7301145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256814953510584162" border="0" /></a>We went over to Checkpoint Charlie, and went to the museum there, which is a cluttered collection of cold war memorabilia. It showed the various ways that people tried to escape out of East Germany, which pretty much were any way possible. It also showed the gruesome lengths by which the Russians/East Germans tried to stop them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HNfWMshctdhtvgdShpMLxWOtGPwmUXL9Irz_iiRq5yyLqsjjxzrO4BagK9of7y7WzONa7nVelKRWpnwkR8IySgcuKZUgLq9yvVMZh92TJjR-be-0qgiZux2K-ks0TIt_5_A8cKx5bG4/s1600-h/S7301133.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HNfWMshctdhtvgdShpMLxWOtGPwmUXL9Irz_iiRq5yyLqsjjxzrO4BagK9of7y7WzONa7nVelKRWpnwkR8IySgcuKZUgLq9yvVMZh92TJjR-be-0qgiZux2K-ks0TIt_5_A8cKx5bG4/s400/S7301133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816071004554002" border="0" /></a>One of the things that we did was take a walking tour, which was sketched out in the guidebook. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuk1hJ27ia8xVJzNoFU96L-rlZo3m1NDENGrKXpxMWQ4qoCBs1gJbxXFrQ9eFyHhZC9ZwJc2ubOpk4kmRkFN1B9OyeADQB2gstbeuXM9tNUWy6PSW58xi9KnsG6PPVo7Ryc3hwfoJGwds/s1600-h/IMG_1748.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuk1hJ27ia8xVJzNoFU96L-rlZo3m1NDENGrKXpxMWQ4qoCBs1gJbxXFrQ9eFyHhZC9ZwJc2ubOpk4kmRkFN1B9OyeADQB2gstbeuXM9tNUWy6PSW58xi9KnsG6PPVo7Ryc3hwfoJGwds/s400/IMG_1748.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816074434948162" border="0" /></a>The tour went by this square, where there was a rally against the war in Afghanistan. What, is rallying against Iraq passé?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJTHk9-XZnmEYRmrELO4aw9HtFP8i-m2PDhXyHDtaQB6SpT0FyClMGzOt8wGh8hFmIzPo1lAKLX6b17pKSc5j3Os3RPQhiyq7zDx6BTo3sRkBEoep4JXBdeeAqYJOCrSwL7IdkPjYjY4/s1600-h/S7301137.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJTHk9-XZnmEYRmrELO4aw9HtFP8i-m2PDhXyHDtaQB6SpT0FyClMGzOt8wGh8hFmIzPo1lAKLX6b17pKSc5j3Os3RPQhiyq7zDx6BTo3sRkBEoep4JXBdeeAqYJOCrSwL7IdkPjYjY4/s400/S7301137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816068684545218" border="0" /></a>This was a square where Hitler held a book burning rally.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZojaWtkHCWtZlr_r2abJgMz9eWj0qBLm_Qt0-34ZJHZrhRsDEYv5VePbNlyBi9yQSJNZLJ006aWiKATDhOJjS2cRH8koBTKtyaD1YsrymsfXNkA8SOnrIVVhzW98SEhbDPwX9Dp1zRU/s1600-h/S7301139.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZojaWtkHCWtZlr_r2abJgMz9eWj0qBLm_Qt0-34ZJHZrhRsDEYv5VePbNlyBi9yQSJNZLJ006aWiKATDhOJjS2cRH8koBTKtyaD1YsrymsfXNkA8SOnrIVVhzW98SEhbDPwX9Dp1zRU/s400/S7301139.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816063108327266" border="0" /></a>This park is the Lustgarden, which is in front of the Berlin cathedral (on left). The ugly towers behind are what remains of the Palast der Republik, the East German parliament, which is now being dismantled.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRH4HtdzsQ5T910UQvD97UESubuxvx6ZBSfAbaiR_8I4XJufe5W2hHTaWWI1-1qMOD2weAhA9y9QiYV7oX7uPfNdeAwm758l7D7RZh1Ghy0dqbYbIIIJcGHrYuSfGeJ1vAI4s-5OadERs/s1600-h/IMG_1769.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRH4HtdzsQ5T910UQvD97UESubuxvx6ZBSfAbaiR_8I4XJufe5W2hHTaWWI1-1qMOD2weAhA9y9QiYV7oX7uPfNdeAwm758l7D7RZh1Ghy0dqbYbIIIJcGHrYuSfGeJ1vAI4s-5OadERs/s400/IMG_1769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816569389822146" border="0" /></a>Oktoberfest started the weekend we were there!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2e0_D49Spo25tzfhMm_h7cpEhZU_H10kACM8gYFZfpI-SBhN0HHwvE_vzeVbB6aRHS-As7K0mewC-ZQ5gJva5tMKytmkLdPOWqQUnll_H9RxXKcgO8Ajnm4WJNYeZm0xCuYVEII8WoM/s1600-h/S7301136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2e0_D49Spo25tzfhMm_h7cpEhZU_H10kACM8gYFZfpI-SBhN0HHwvE_vzeVbB6aRHS-As7K0mewC-ZQ5gJva5tMKytmkLdPOWqQUnll_H9RxXKcgO8Ajnm4WJNYeZm0xCuYVEII8WoM/s400/S7301136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816069743260690" border="0" /></a>At the end of our walking tour, in front of the city hall, there was a big Löwenbräu tent. "Here's to good friends...."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUikv7X2epF4dJppU4gde28t-S-jDzuVHDgF_lYhjgUecivo4xPngSpcebX0EUAq986pvI0OZDopb4WW9uD-HGYj01l4irOoswrkG-yuurT9gkL9zwXGwJWuoRZrM0NddqAE-um917TM/s1600-h/IMG_1772.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUikv7X2epF4dJppU4gde28t-S-jDzuVHDgF_lYhjgUecivo4xPngSpcebX0EUAq986pvI0OZDopb4WW9uD-HGYj01l4irOoswrkG-yuurT9gkL9zwXGwJWuoRZrM0NddqAE-um917TM/s400/IMG_1772.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256816572394474258" border="0" /></a>Inside the tent we had enormous beers and pretzels, while a band played traditional German drinking songs.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vUQhFkw4u9rfccqHeNzKwpz8SVrVHKNeUCmAco5Nbqw8Tm_VSSfwbsfxQpC8u6tCoZwEUCqA3LnBWLp5XU3DReaJElF6sQe2pZsqPH6NjhRvULT42rR8ydFrlUMw4r9m1EppFdUlLe8/s1600-h/S7301149.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vUQhFkw4u9rfccqHeNzKwpz8SVrVHKNeUCmAco5Nbqw8Tm_VSSfwbsfxQpC8u6tCoZwEUCqA3LnBWLp5XU3DReaJElF6sQe2pZsqPH6NjhRvULT42rR8ydFrlUMw4r9m1EppFdUlLe8/s400/S7301149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256814953096396674" border="0" /></a>B got in trouble with our waitress because, instead of waiting to be served, he went up to a line and got us our beers there. How easy it is in Germany to break some rule you didn't know existed in the first place. The waitress lectured us and then punished us by ignoring us and not bringing our order.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgydddiLsQM2AjafiUn7oEvGZmRg-3OU8DMpngbTxkUvVz5gmYzGsrbudwQHf_So1vHCwiv872dC26seV_Arjw9bnoh9W135oWo9cBoMO3jELb1UNuqjeZai1sTT_ueD59D4-EVPHc1A/s1600-h/S7301155.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgydddiLsQM2AjafiUn7oEvGZmRg-3OU8DMpngbTxkUvVz5gmYzGsrbudwQHf_So1vHCwiv872dC26seV_Arjw9bnoh9W135oWo9cBoMO3jELb1UNuqjeZai1sTT_ueD59D4-EVPHc1A/s400/S7301155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256814945127433106" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-46573081827094758562008-10-13T19:16:00.000+02:002008-10-14T03:19:49.361+02:00DresdenWe blew through Dresden in a flash, taking it in long enough to soak up some of the beautiful skyline. It was pretty much firebombed to bits during WWII, but much has been painstakingly rebuilt, and since reunification, the train station was redone and an excellent tram system was put in (one of the best we saw in Germany, which is saying a lot).<br /><br />Here are some of the many gorgeous buildings there.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSsOlZZ-o8VrP0ZaDfCmsdkz7sjsKz4JyRKrRkj_s62uIIfDyZt3LsowxiLFrD6-BLL0VUsOg7LVi-jpWassCBEknoWch33oKybdSQSlW2v_cgBCCeELUqxuP8HCPcPnWJIvPdRuZmKg/s1600-h/S7301116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSsOlZZ-o8VrP0ZaDfCmsdkz7sjsKz4JyRKrRkj_s62uIIfDyZt3LsowxiLFrD6-BLL0VUsOg7LVi-jpWassCBEknoWch33oKybdSQSlW2v_cgBCCeELUqxuP8HCPcPnWJIvPdRuZmKg/s400/S7301116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147164420722162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYrNSCtNxgT1oDEwmb6hez2SpcTS9ob7qt_T6Hu9PRXgxa_D44c8vTmVwqG2MrIgV67XSYxuPssPdE2yhC99M4xHNUp5EgDUxYjeyAOWMsWWrA_nGDTssn-17xie7HwaH2je5ZWQ28FM/s1600-h/S7301120.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYrNSCtNxgT1oDEwmb6hez2SpcTS9ob7qt_T6Hu9PRXgxa_D44c8vTmVwqG2MrIgV67XSYxuPssPdE2yhC99M4xHNUp5EgDUxYjeyAOWMsWWrA_nGDTssn-17xie7HwaH2je5ZWQ28FM/s400/S7301120.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147176632800802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNBrWR6u8IzdnBiLC9DcQbQbt509yjV8qzWeEzadAF9lh_ir-Av67lU7RhMqgE5siGvc4vjU0sso23xSnChejGQa9m4oSn8ThBVLq_oP7__JSyWpd8OkCBX4oUbg-fGn6STr3yucZBAw/s1600-h/IMG_1733.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNBrWR6u8IzdnBiLC9DcQbQbt509yjV8qzWeEzadAF9lh_ir-Av67lU7RhMqgE5siGvc4vjU0sso23xSnChejGQa9m4oSn8ThBVLq_oP7__JSyWpd8OkCBX4oUbg-fGn6STr3yucZBAw/s400/IMG_1733.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145233037955154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4RN5HFMHyiPBY1Akw2OIOdyExagPJN6jiCUPj-LwqU5rwclua5C91Fbnci-qGheJSrH3ebbTRrp1eTPQgCreONUSleG-5x8Y1CzARYSNpxyFKHsSEIDn1DSpI3HXnUNEIBWkE5M-sbg/s1600-h/S7301123.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4RN5HFMHyiPBY1Akw2OIOdyExagPJN6jiCUPj-LwqU5rwclua5C91Fbnci-qGheJSrH3ebbTRrp1eTPQgCreONUSleG-5x8Y1CzARYSNpxyFKHsSEIDn1DSpI3HXnUNEIBWkE5M-sbg/s400/S7301123.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147180162720018" border="0" /></a>The Frauenkirche was badly damaged in WWII and was left in ruins for years. But, after reunification there was a call to rebuild it. I wondered if the darker colored stones were pieces of the original. Supposedly inside there is an altar inside made of thousands of shards of the original one (we couldn't go in to see it because there was a service).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBpm2_399au0tys2W56fE3JQz3AggFJcHLb7wZdab0Jvw6uMDY8JOwSsj9F86X7eho_ZMsz5GcBjIzFmC7JimfjDBy6OdUgX4eDIb5q9_9TWBD326-3aLfvZjpSLVf56RacEyc6Tl8o8/s1600-h/S7301127.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBpm2_399au0tys2W56fE3JQz3AggFJcHLb7wZdab0Jvw6uMDY8JOwSsj9F86X7eho_ZMsz5GcBjIzFmC7JimfjDBy6OdUgX4eDIb5q9_9TWBD326-3aLfvZjpSLVf56RacEyc6Tl8o8/s400/S7301127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147490874328018" border="0" /></a>Martin Luther. Of course.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ_VWIrZi25runkcg56AiY1NoVCZE2LrrAJMdNDvvzB7myhGo6vG-eBrw3H6U9AD7xzoMRkxGQjNylBU7B5-RNXRepQfli1sGgcx8vsL-_wq3HgUUAYs-y9rkPjpNfoP17THnjR6IigI/s1600-h/IMG_1739.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ_VWIrZi25runkcg56AiY1NoVCZE2LrrAJMdNDvvzB7myhGo6vG-eBrw3H6U9AD7xzoMRkxGQjNylBU7B5-RNXRepQfli1sGgcx8vsL-_wq3HgUUAYs-y9rkPjpNfoP17THnjR6IigI/s400/IMG_1739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145238097504770" border="0" /></a>We went to check out the famous Zwinger building, which is an old baroque palace. This is its courtyard.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYgynh_hVbkXOvqY66a_fGcISr18rnflbaVFPEAXdSMs2FtYErSDHE5tZTbmGm6lURjeXObB7DTSrE8fbi6mPEuMpawJF89i_558DG6lW4EqD_2fvuy-qVDwekWqTdRrWMh4tgTqt3xg/s1600-h/S7301113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYgynh_hVbkXOvqY66a_fGcISr18rnflbaVFPEAXdSMs2FtYErSDHE5tZTbmGm6lURjeXObB7DTSrE8fbi6mPEuMpawJF89i_558DG6lW4EqD_2fvuy-qVDwekWqTdRrWMh4tgTqt3xg/s400/S7301113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147152682987858" border="0" /></a>We walked along the roof of the Zwinger.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GGgcMYf2A4pvYPGr_TNszpT54lFG-PN_hhlZAPF3zdde1ImmwvaZjUhQvQYOiUpPWLgosC8j1OoNpK4W-OQPsi7X0AXIhdhsxiwSQHYB5wLzCxIVrEk29gpmSigINlbTD1PQvup5APQ/s1600-h/S7301112.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GGgcMYf2A4pvYPGr_TNszpT54lFG-PN_hhlZAPF3zdde1ImmwvaZjUhQvQYOiUpPWLgosC8j1OoNpK4W-OQPsi7X0AXIhdhsxiwSQHYB5wLzCxIVrEk29gpmSigINlbTD1PQvup5APQ/s400/S7301112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147143276119698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnOqXL19btZvWH0LEjMC2FbvHYQu_Od1cx7JyZpBXGEEZq758Y5BU4dtgvzzpVRNM9lS_haKfDdKtHeZKaqrmv28-4PUVl0vBP9UnG9i1V9VNb3lLvtdrSvFq6cSJVu_8H_i2kmygvZU/s1600-h/IMG_1721.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnOqXL19btZvWH0LEjMC2FbvHYQu_Od1cx7JyZpBXGEEZq758Y5BU4dtgvzzpVRNM9lS_haKfDdKtHeZKaqrmv28-4PUVl0vBP9UnG9i1V9VNb3lLvtdrSvFq6cSJVu_8H_i2kmygvZU/s400/IMG_1721.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145216447262242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXJ3VCG7gTUpda7nzNkqlwRyQTRBJpSzZ6oD8Wx2rN3wQ1U3E1urN1n-PCQLN4hixUVOSinrUteDRWVocpVi7wLltu5Ay9NQkfFrUH5P9Mdh7eUZBDXuzVfWdeWJai1-wb0PXj6gDRrA/s1600-h/IMG_1723.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXJ3VCG7gTUpda7nzNkqlwRyQTRBJpSzZ6oD8Wx2rN3wQ1U3E1urN1n-PCQLN4hixUVOSinrUteDRWVocpVi7wLltu5Ay9NQkfFrUH5P9Mdh7eUZBDXuzVfWdeWJai1-wb0PXj6gDRrA/s400/IMG_1723.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145220377735730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-E8bdDPMR7afCa498oQz7JiKqI27tT-uas4UKqnM8OysfWiM9gKfw25h6lvhozbmAy5AW3QanNUsPV0y8qJ9sAkLoab9IiXCiMZFm5ch_8Yvr4wwItxi5acGB230M5uE4fPBB38-USVA/s1600-h/IMG_1730.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-E8bdDPMR7afCa498oQz7JiKqI27tT-uas4UKqnM8OysfWiM9gKfw25h6lvhozbmAy5AW3QanNUsPV0y8qJ9sAkLoab9IiXCiMZFm5ch_8Yvr4wwItxi5acGB230M5uE4fPBB38-USVA/s400/IMG_1730.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145222525170354" border="0" /></a>This picture represents pretty much every meal we ate in Germany.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjji23MvnkDNdLX200vRCsnMJpYxil6DlwHXYfR1Pel4U-z1WNi-RBrfvPUAqN_s94HuQbEUSZFMdTH0ZI7imIHRfZ96uJvxmdvPCYPoXIK8MIE6h_TdocJmZe02gFSreA8je4A8TamE/s1600-h/IMG_1744.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjji23MvnkDNdLX200vRCsnMJpYxil6DlwHXYfR1Pel4U-z1WNi-RBrfvPUAqN_s94HuQbEUSZFMdTH0ZI7imIHRfZ96uJvxmdvPCYPoXIK8MIE6h_TdocJmZe02gFSreA8je4A8TamE/s400/IMG_1744.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254145573654281842" border="0" /></a>Before leaving town B bought his fave treat, roasted nuts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp98t9GYf5sPQxQzVwDfHQewZEGH5zQtNX-UloaxpSIfCH4hsqpNGlDNWVTb-0dzKKtWsfoCTQ4akEt5oU9HdxYy_Slj4AaChGUVW6ZaMJGPYAAxxao3d29QGol2BolegFqp08KAedcU/s1600-h/S7301131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp98t9GYf5sPQxQzVwDfHQewZEGH5zQtNX-UloaxpSIfCH4hsqpNGlDNWVTb-0dzKKtWsfoCTQ4akEt5oU9HdxYy_Slj4AaChGUVW6ZaMJGPYAAxxao3d29QGol2BolegFqp08KAedcU/s400/S7301131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254147675161248594" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-92152540236259120982008-10-12T08:53:00.006+02:002008-10-12T08:53:00.530+02:00BerchtesgadenWe rented a car to drive down to this corner of southeast Germany, in the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border. Here we are on the autobahn, getting dusted by every Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen on the road.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxitk8f3rx7HYlQ12csCEdsBy7qX5jSLeZxwuSaYMVa8r3fY4PPUdmZxk91I30haPgMtAvUtob9ue99Es_D0AoF8vlqmYkvm-bc5TlNuwt4k51QCPsXoSoEH2KDd4UAVHbxq0WQqTOOU/s1600-h/S7301083.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxitk8f3rx7HYlQ12csCEdsBy7qX5jSLeZxwuSaYMVa8r3fY4PPUdmZxk91I30haPgMtAvUtob9ue99Es_D0AoF8vlqmYkvm-bc5TlNuwt4k51QCPsXoSoEH2KDd4UAVHbxq0WQqTOOU/s400/S7301083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253643732317700530" border="0" /></a>We stayed in Berchtesgaden, which was pretty. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJkNLNrs435aGaxdd7SPCB9MByL0p-uEJ9qdkkyqrQBT-tWzR_rn6RB95-jFhSnpJxci9zCcbnBMJVKT8vRokT7-xl4PQq7FRl44FBR5Bl9R5VDKFWfHz03t-c3-P7Vo6QfuzbxKn160/s1600-h/IMG_1711.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJkNLNrs435aGaxdd7SPCB9MByL0p-uEJ9qdkkyqrQBT-tWzR_rn6RB95-jFhSnpJxci9zCcbnBMJVKT8vRokT7-xl4PQq7FRl44FBR5Bl9R5VDKFWfHz03t-c3-P7Vo6QfuzbxKn160/s400/IMG_1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254142228603284786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_s5n1fmTVZZ1O7W_CXYjkoYKFOHafqlnxIocgrp82Bdt1SjQMXgt1UtRKDC53Zcj4qy75WoVZ1PidNlF-8iFTkX6CjDEmK2i-gZ3zPZRmIfNIT5LQ0FV2bT6HvWH1o8QT1X0sPIR7Fk/s1600-h/S7301084.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_s5n1fmTVZZ1O7W_CXYjkoYKFOHafqlnxIocgrp82Bdt1SjQMXgt1UtRKDC53Zcj4qy75WoVZ1PidNlF-8iFTkX6CjDEmK2i-gZ3zPZRmIfNIT5LQ0FV2bT6HvWH1o8QT1X0sPIR7Fk/s400/S7301084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253643736619448530" border="0" /></a> One of the things we did while we were there was hike out to Lake Königssee and take a boat across the lake. Here is B on the path.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GgVgMUANQRyIUi4RT8zRIQOdS1z4xGnRZeOO047A30Ajj-vlwTviEGz4yoL-PD41eqCkLWLmbgj-PxEQGjGr7VOKlcg8lqlz8D7B0Jhms9Y304j5JoZjFwuTxc5WD4pLT3rVkSrDsRA/s1600-h/S7301086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GgVgMUANQRyIUi4RT8zRIQOdS1z4xGnRZeOO047A30Ajj-vlwTviEGz4yoL-PD41eqCkLWLmbgj-PxEQGjGr7VOKlcg8lqlz8D7B0Jhms9Y304j5JoZjFwuTxc5WD4pLT3rVkSrDsRA/s400/S7301086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253643741543143890" border="0" /></a>Some of the tourist dreck for sale by the lake included Beaver ointment. Good for what ails you.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAbfZx1tQ3SxDDDKXNZGP5cEPXmfq1zXYfhiDiaQx6FOTvIKiP3t_Pv-svqLBeUNSLTtcOMJ96VcidYMVDcfAik8iORMhW1zBJDUJWGO_L1fnGHu45fJFZcCG_bri-QLLl4eaRmJyIMY/s1600-h/S7301087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAbfZx1tQ3SxDDDKXNZGP5cEPXmfq1zXYfhiDiaQx6FOTvIKiP3t_Pv-svqLBeUNSLTtcOMJ96VcidYMVDcfAik8iORMhW1zBJDUJWGO_L1fnGHu45fJFZcCG_bri-QLLl4eaRmJyIMY/s400/S7301087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253643738509408370" border="0" /></a>Here are folks waiting by the lake for their boat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaB2kVHICxmy2gPfQcfOtyzenElzbf37f87HkIRuZ5hvyZ24UbJrxQNHPF5hCT7O_NHtEvQtvJjldBW7o_AncvTInjhQBjQlcZCJ4QTGBaftctrD0fUUA-JCxWqTteS9pSmZhsAy8jNA/s1600-h/S7301088.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaB2kVHICxmy2gPfQcfOtyzenElzbf37f87HkIRuZ5hvyZ24UbJrxQNHPF5hCT7O_NHtEvQtvJjldBW7o_AncvTInjhQBjQlcZCJ4QTGBaftctrD0fUUA-JCxWqTteS9pSmZhsAy8jNA/s400/S7301088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253643743484795874" border="0" /></a>The lake is surrounded by mountains. The boatmen stop in the middle and play a few bars on the trumpet, and you can hear the music echoing over and over again.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeXklul5qgidPMfF7UpFdFnvJquMANN17uYjSLAAZ4SPxCmc_IC90maFkmtYVTxoAAOGxBsKkYsTjVIbAQDXIOhqABsKoz5X-3sqemt9ZMenap-AqyV-tIGRLg8m2uTFK34Lz0lY1c0s/s1600-h/S7301090.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeXklul5qgidPMfF7UpFdFnvJquMANN17uYjSLAAZ4SPxCmc_IC90maFkmtYVTxoAAOGxBsKkYsTjVIbAQDXIOhqABsKoz5X-3sqemt9ZMenap-AqyV-tIGRLg8m2uTFK34Lz0lY1c0s/s400/S7301090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253645900227963874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wofcx2xLGD9DZgcL_mlxYjuJat-Z3a6MtlrQDjskCzu7zgPRq-ZvdSnSKuU_k0oJKquFWw58U897bicjt-d6tm3dVyw3dv6iAaS-dYrCj-VXBf8taCPnWnKmUPcu2MvD19Jkl_K_gEg/s1600-h/S7301097.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wofcx2xLGD9DZgcL_mlxYjuJat-Z3a6MtlrQDjskCzu7zgPRq-ZvdSnSKuU_k0oJKquFWw58U897bicjt-d6tm3dVyw3dv6iAaS-dYrCj-VXBf8taCPnWnKmUPcu2MvD19Jkl_K_gEg/s400/S7301097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253645902519137298" border="0" /></a>The boat stops at a little lakeside area where you can have some beer and bratwurst.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LwTLbp8bI3Hd9RLpy90_jt6qpP4vT9bkSmHCsDzme3UHatDPT2Gvq7Eg8ICGDNXIEyTI9dOI4ym9tmlryYqoPSg8qqccV3UbrejEjQNZiGSP-OvC1yjUw35ClrUhEJb5pARjfszKUCY/s1600-h/S7301093.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LwTLbp8bI3Hd9RLpy90_jt6qpP4vT9bkSmHCsDzme3UHatDPT2Gvq7Eg8ICGDNXIEyTI9dOI4ym9tmlryYqoPSg8qqccV3UbrejEjQNZiGSP-OvC1yjUw35ClrUhEJb5pARjfszKUCY/s400/S7301093.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253645905037902210" border="0" /></a>On the walk back we stopped for a beer. In Germany, what else?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgF8cXtwLcacevqiHBKzXW7PJWBiMcPjuW-UaOnvJHjXgQJsG_INRcFEAd_F6OZK6Dqw3wPl1vMZSUuEpU1PccyPQajwEBqsd9yVjD2ZIuL6fIz9jV55hTfJF6eN9xDU9ODQQIoM4f6g/s1600-h/IMG_1709.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgF8cXtwLcacevqiHBKzXW7PJWBiMcPjuW-UaOnvJHjXgQJsG_INRcFEAd_F6OZK6Dqw3wPl1vMZSUuEpU1PccyPQajwEBqsd9yVjD2ZIuL6fIz9jV55hTfJF6eN9xDU9ODQQIoM4f6g/s400/IMG_1709.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254142225546100690" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulnPdiJhsLWO50PdVzB50UdQSrOf31MD5FF_6A1sjmK0QxctJwVmtFH5E59z-YGrYuPloL0PNqaxfFQvd4Es9ruh1Cab5xpIW0f65WvV_7zYm5y08tPi-DYWJmxLFJovmsb-QMBKf74s/s1600-h/S7301101.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulnPdiJhsLWO50PdVzB50UdQSrOf31MD5FF_6A1sjmK0QxctJwVmtFH5E59z-YGrYuPloL0PNqaxfFQvd4Es9ruh1Cab5xpIW0f65WvV_7zYm5y08tPi-DYWJmxLFJovmsb-QMBKf74s/s400/S7301101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253647081249392850" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4BwzKk_vvWpKYQo19ouQQ_n1IPitpkGJC9c2ROOsWDbU0HyjW6XJA5J8YtLa65oUVsbcG39cHbzw0XeRZBOKQLu51rKaSFbGLvXzfxPFtRHbYph8LsV3qlhPY365BRx0vhY_xa7MQNg/s1600-h/S7301102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4BwzKk_vvWpKYQo19ouQQ_n1IPitpkGJC9c2ROOsWDbU0HyjW6XJA5J8YtLa65oUVsbcG39cHbzw0XeRZBOKQLu51rKaSFbGLvXzfxPFtRHbYph8LsV3qlhPY365BRx0vhY_xa7MQNg/s400/S7301102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253647083780288962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdzp80SQWwYaKH9M2799rOr2RkIC8X1kWFFYC2AYJxy9v5-9Ju0OlBjgrbPcadyW3-WqypkNb2R5aMcZkXqxlyz1oZnw78c6JAR25DjFgQvvSoIQKvQZYCEX1cquQZVJOQ6x-Lt6p3vc/s1600-h/S7301103.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdzp80SQWwYaKH9M2799rOr2RkIC8X1kWFFYC2AYJxy9v5-9Ju0OlBjgrbPcadyW3-WqypkNb2R5aMcZkXqxlyz1oZnw78c6JAR25DjFgQvvSoIQKvQZYCEX1cquQZVJOQ6x-Lt6p3vc/s400/S7301103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253647091207148562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-40501862431960800122008-10-11T08:52:00.001+02:002008-10-14T03:20:35.651+02:00MunichAfter arriving in Munich we wandered towards the Residenz area, passing Odeonplatz, the site where Hitler attempted his revolt, the one that got him in jail, where he wrote Mein Kampf.<span style=""> </span>There was a street fair there and we watched some performers.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAd8yKl6WKGtxhL4je28ASZpeKqIif2WUm1Dy8K9u2aDPNsqgll6VXeAuTbb2WgwSoObK7z8sXLfTpXUtJCq4EAMKiPAh1H6esJGg1FiDvHG6Ut6tCbshQy-S6ndE_Hrb0dg_0ZNtAwk/s1600-h/S7301067.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAd8yKl6WKGtxhL4je28ASZpeKqIif2WUm1Dy8K9u2aDPNsqgll6VXeAuTbb2WgwSoObK7z8sXLfTpXUtJCq4EAMKiPAh1H6esJGg1FiDvHG6Ut6tCbshQy-S6ndE_Hrb0dg_0ZNtAwk/s400/S7301067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253640584581467682" border="0" /></a>We spent a couple days in Munich, and the entire time the weather stunk. Rain, rain, rain. So we spent our time in cafes and beer halls.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjz2_ZezcmLFhFll9okE6mlGg5QNAH8CWyL4mPzC3_kwp3I-UnmgaFWhv9T9v625qsNJlqkE8DGpSpG0IlJge2OefSPbDhC1PbZ7le1prWpn0rFzfBh3VyRwAA-9kQTeIZq6ZEwoo8DU/s1600-h/S7301069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjz2_ZezcmLFhFll9okE6mlGg5QNAH8CWyL4mPzC3_kwp3I-UnmgaFWhv9T9v625qsNJlqkE8DGpSpG0IlJge2OefSPbDhC1PbZ7le1prWpn0rFzfBh3VyRwAA-9kQTeIZq6ZEwoo8DU/s400/S7301069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253640588321357794" border="0" /></a>Here is one bier hall where we had dinner. As I recall, B had a 'sausage salad.' Only in Germany can you make a salad out of different types of sausages.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyVaqSZOjH90J_Jbo9tCaTDSmOp6eHwUNcrf_MDV4zSeYyfc7nymY05wzBStLh2ac0Q4ZJMxTEw3ypusOJAfdVbKRuq-w8C45Vvy2hKAvOdfgia_Am-ogbRtbUwTS2spio78o_3cAXro/s1600-h/S7301073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyVaqSZOjH90J_Jbo9tCaTDSmOp6eHwUNcrf_MDV4zSeYyfc7nymY05wzBStLh2ac0Q4ZJMxTEw3ypusOJAfdVbKRuq-w8C45Vvy2hKAvOdfgia_Am-ogbRtbUwTS2spio78o_3cAXro/s400/S7301073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253640597179136290" border="0" /></a>We also went over to the Alte Pinochek and saw some works of one of my favorite German artists, Caspar David Friedrich.<br /><br />Here is a picture of the Rathaus (city hall), I believe.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1hnj16Dw4NqpqlZ9mEyHpVkwn9uti4UmMsjYqNTIDLmDyBwd_8K8cUT5GLDJV_QOg9ERUre0OnXN0wpZ3rscQWdUHLnIHCPIpeLAWEC2lPaU2lQDk_6U0JdT0AVcoFgFoHbcZuOIbcE/s1600-h/S7301074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1hnj16Dw4NqpqlZ9mEyHpVkwn9uti4UmMsjYqNTIDLmDyBwd_8K8cUT5GLDJV_QOg9ERUre0OnXN0wpZ3rscQWdUHLnIHCPIpeLAWEC2lPaU2lQDk_6U0JdT0AVcoFgFoHbcZuOIbcE/s400/S7301074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253640599403812370" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>When we were walking by, the Rathaus had its occasional showing of the little figurines dancing. This was a tradition created by merchants to celebrate the city being freed from the plague.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDQ5dbDmc5CgmZ4LAbeSgZZt-YQH730uoNHGwqeQueVYkHLgrb_ycxserkFS73ZxEUYZ0b0ZvHkUNDa_orrLljswjaQEPG6GUz5TTPwch3GsS7_D_psjfYPldNB9mT039f3rvANOffBA/s1600-h/S7301075.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDQ5dbDmc5CgmZ4LAbeSgZZt-YQH730uoNHGwqeQueVYkHLgrb_ycxserkFS73ZxEUYZ0b0ZvHkUNDa_orrLljswjaQEPG6GUz5TTPwch3GsS7_D_psjfYPldNB9mT039f3rvANOffBA/s400/S7301075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253641821154876146" border="0" /></a>We wandered around on the last day. Here we are by the main shopping street.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpVXCocW8hsUjCC74skw_PIzQUUpdw1IUyCYlSNMu0C3S4zkuQLCWrbEc2RDBquqjJg29BZgi8FpCdlha0ijlzu9i9B_CTFIjtjcUqnBN3-TjzHyOiVdd9KI9yrWEYIbKokTl3V7lcSc/s1600-h/S7301072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpVXCocW8hsUjCC74skw_PIzQUUpdw1IUyCYlSNMu0C3S4zkuQLCWrbEc2RDBquqjJg29BZgi8FpCdlha0ijlzu9i9B_CTFIjtjcUqnBN3-TjzHyOiVdd9KI9yrWEYIbKokTl3V7lcSc/s400/S7301072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253640585642284706" border="0" /></a>And in the market.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY_jyPsF4C_91ELbMH7cvrianCvrAL8RmAiyYMAbIJq9p9zPZ6txvwn_B_Sh_P5YObD8UAQAHPuWn8gY0dTIu7-kGateRTQTCqR80PPL78hx00taHi5kxt4ZnFZ4QObQh-8f0w1CJ_us/s1600-h/S7301078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY_jyPsF4C_91ELbMH7cvrianCvrAL8RmAiyYMAbIJq9p9zPZ6txvwn_B_Sh_P5YObD8UAQAHPuWn8gY0dTIu7-kGateRTQTCqR80PPL78hx00taHi5kxt4ZnFZ4QObQh-8f0w1CJ_us/s400/S7301078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253641825531467186" border="0" /></a>We also walked down to the river. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jDIePSYvHduj3OhPtXRm92WWHc_AScuLLBt876rB-PvJYV807j8tM5RSEgv6JZOrS4YTsPxQ4X-BDMIz1RyyHh7kAkmNnVwMWNZz5z3ldt78G4U8l986aygZn7w9ig4C4ZSyoFQgHws/s1600-h/S7301081.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jDIePSYvHduj3OhPtXRm92WWHc_AScuLLBt876rB-PvJYV807j8tM5RSEgv6JZOrS4YTsPxQ4X-BDMIz1RyyHh7kAkmNnVwMWNZz5z3ldt78G4U8l986aygZn7w9ig4C4ZSyoFQgHws/s400/S7301081.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253641831244227922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-53034107223007792532008-10-10T08:52:00.001+02:002008-10-10T08:52:00.288+02:00SalzburgWe arrived in the late afternoon in Salzburg, where the weather was cool and cloudy.<span style=""> </span>After checking into the hotel we walked the short distance downtown to dinner.<span style=""> </span>En route we passed Mozart’s birthplace and his residence.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>We went to a chic eatery for dinner called the <a href="http://www.blauegans.at/de/menu_main/restaurant-salzburg-essen-trinken/restaurant-salzburg-altstadt">Blaue Gans</a>.<span style=""> </span>I was relieved to get the English translation of the menu because I wouldn’t have known the German <span style=""> </span>word for ‘Innards”, “Calf’s brain”, “Heart of beef”, “kidneys” etc.<span style=""> </span>It seemed the only safe thing to order was schnitzel.<span style=""> </span>B got the Austrian specialty, tafelspitz, <span style=""> </span>which is boiled beef.<span style=""> </span>Our dishes came with potatoes; there was nary a vegetable to be seen anywhere.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p> The next day we awoke to clouds and rain, so we pressed on to Munich.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVAxq8OS2PEXN0omLhkr8D3N1j0Xc7kouHtOBmVYITS5xwDaqKY6lOHaFpG8t2ZAHZFBjL9qegmilvkqvBHjgVpFOg1CnIqgfzGVrb2YsBeYmpUldgSc3_s_Pqf7VC5WKv1YJqWN0jXg/s1600-h/S7301065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVAxq8OS2PEXN0omLhkr8D3N1j0Xc7kouHtOBmVYITS5xwDaqKY6lOHaFpG8t2ZAHZFBjL9qegmilvkqvBHjgVpFOg1CnIqgfzGVrb2YsBeYmpUldgSc3_s_Pqf7VC5WKv1YJqWN0jXg/s400/S7301065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253639579694198418" border="0" /></a><o:p></o:p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-24053367336073944952008-10-09T08:51:00.002+02:002008-10-09T08:51:01.055+02:00ViennaWe had a blitzkrieg visit to Vienna.<span style=""> </span>We arrived and checked into our cheapy hotel, the <a href="http://www.dostepinn.at/en/">Do Step Inn</a>, which was notable only for its convenience to the Westbanhof and free internet.<span style=""> </span>We went into the city for lunch, where I had a delicious veal weiner schnitzel, mashed potatoes and sliced apples, and Brian had a pork schnitzel with potatoes.<span style=""> </span>This was the true start of our meat-heavy Germanic eating.<br /><br />Typical fancy fountain.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ59HBLtrky7BHzS94mW5WVYPmhiZMjhD27STYV_Qz_MKcVPMKE2gmeHx7fC6CoLounDImwV9QlAc0wVNBJwe_MWHj3Alacri4VGvuMSpVFgS_wI7-IGo3zpqQOzmxhVnQRHiKO4uljI/s1600-h/S7301059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ59HBLtrky7BHzS94mW5WVYPmhiZMjhD27STYV_Qz_MKcVPMKE2gmeHx7fC6CoLounDImwV9QlAc0wVNBJwe_MWHj3Alacri4VGvuMSpVFgS_wI7-IGo3zpqQOzmxhVnQRHiKO4uljI/s400/S7301059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253638469742119730" border="0" /></a>Typical grandiose Viennese building.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M8sqdXddyCcK2r4Pxiib_5_NF9uk_dwna-U1OAKFF8ygoBLdMD_QQVy0astrqiX0YlmXzEPRtxQCz8vLAL1lmPxEQee3MPOsD65ORqGggowyUMCP07zRTZumaHd4_HbS3JN4gYcyxsU/s1600-h/S7301061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M8sqdXddyCcK2r4Pxiib_5_NF9uk_dwna-U1OAKFF8ygoBLdMD_QQVy0astrqiX0YlmXzEPRtxQCz8vLAL1lmPxEQee3MPOsD65ORqGggowyUMCP07zRTZumaHd4_HbS3JN4gYcyxsU/s400/S7301061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253638475077295954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ATK5BSKFino9I36OosUxrFvV1IKV-qh-NJwLC75gqLbOnazcdmtAGiaxKBzb8nWFbCLbdWquNRAp9Tw-VIV-qnlE1-jnPnEC4-mbUnglMVyPUWnWTAP-48L53EHggNE9fS-or0hjii4/s1600-h/IMG_1669.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ATK5BSKFino9I36OosUxrFvV1IKV-qh-NJwLC75gqLbOnazcdmtAGiaxKBzb8nWFbCLbdWquNRAp9Tw-VIV-qnlE1-jnPnEC4-mbUnglMVyPUWnWTAP-48L53EHggNE9fS-or0hjii4/s400/IMG_1669.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254141243064363842" border="0" /></a>As we walked to lunch, we were stopped in front of Stephensdom by a man dressed in 18<sup>th</sup> century garb who sold us tickets to a Mozart and Strauss concert that evening.<span style=""> </span>The concert took place at the Hapsburg palace in the gold and white room, which was the location where Mozart played his first concert.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p> We arrived early at the palace and walked around the gardens, which were spectacular.<span style=""> </span>B seemed remarkably comfortable in the opulence and claimed he would soon be building a palace of equal stature in Lynchburg.<span style=""> </span>Of this I have no doubt.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmej3ZNy2UDd-kaCqQRRP5N4lhUkYjpZ6RPQZmlORLHCyxuvdZtvybcdWjjQM3jHldQL2jgyl8R08NYP1s4zEJONb2YhmhyphenhyphencSWpEYI80D6pb6n88rd1cZRvo-3Tz5DCXEeFZQrR4K0AM/s1600-h/S7301046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmej3ZNy2UDd-kaCqQRRP5N4lhUkYjpZ6RPQZmlORLHCyxuvdZtvybcdWjjQM3jHldQL2jgyl8R08NYP1s4zEJONb2YhmhyphenhyphencSWpEYI80D6pb6n88rd1cZRvo-3Tz5DCXEeFZQrR4K0AM/s400/S7301046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253637153803561778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwgz_AYJEQmqoOgyytKC4X-LqFwPTZY-dvfDhAWFnbrnkjvM-3Jfkt-NOGQpC1o6GEAg-5CdTYCGE4jJ0dUO0WRoYZBdjaPphdK9cXbpnCA_OUrwPKA5k7NVnVHc3fOx6ozohu9TBS6U/s1600-h/S7301049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwgz_AYJEQmqoOgyytKC4X-LqFwPTZY-dvfDhAWFnbrnkjvM-3Jfkt-NOGQpC1o6GEAg-5CdTYCGE4jJ0dUO0WRoYZBdjaPphdK9cXbpnCA_OUrwPKA5k7NVnVHc3fOx6ozohu9TBS6U/s400/S7301049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253637157386144930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0rn7UrJ9frY-7nnSFF6AnlN09x4QCEVwBcu03Zlq0zhYUqNV6vk7_ra2f78fxHzNyBVnhqh_6FsAhqnhWXg6sPc62RyUjQjrpbG6777m5vd3_wjEW6ZscMn1QI9D7e1ZcDWVhABks_s/s1600-h/S7301048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0rn7UrJ9frY-7nnSFF6AnlN09x4QCEVwBcu03Zlq0zhYUqNV6vk7_ra2f78fxHzNyBVnhqh_6FsAhqnhWXg6sPc62RyUjQjrpbG6777m5vd3_wjEW6ZscMn1QI9D7e1ZcDWVhABks_s/s400/S7301048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253637161766834674" border="0" /></a>The concert itself was quite good, and had a tourist-pleasing mix of Mozart’s and Strauss’s greatest hits, plus some opera singing and ballet.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjZcZHnxlsQFlKvdiG69Ysh8fya_IGfUPUpkaTdlsqlK6TJdnzfuVguNZ5iimV9YFNBw6DtyFLOic3ghiaP-pe3QpbqtSrgNO1zJQOrnd21akfBLjYWTC5TlLeKzNc7jzLHKoPP_Dts0/s1600-h/S7301054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjZcZHnxlsQFlKvdiG69Ysh8fya_IGfUPUpkaTdlsqlK6TJdnzfuVguNZ5iimV9YFNBw6DtyFLOic3ghiaP-pe3QpbqtSrgNO1zJQOrnd21akfBLjYWTC5TlLeKzNc7jzLHKoPP_Dts0/s400/S7301054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253637166300495378" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p> The next day we went back into the downtown for a coffee and pastry breakfast, where we were surprised by a passing marching band.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMLM9oFuSfHtnSybxV2vuuyhu0dpc4n34yKItcpW8VPQPOku7Z1nnC0KjR3rHtROlEKMksCk7Wl4YXe_KPoIcO_O19zeExL3YSShunkEsXQ8OWmGd094bKSLCk8vXrp4OIHs7vs33lS8/s1600-h/S7301058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMLM9oFuSfHtnSybxV2vuuyhu0dpc4n34yKItcpW8VPQPOku7Z1nnC0KjR3rHtROlEKMksCk7Wl4YXe_KPoIcO_O19zeExL3YSShunkEsXQ8OWmGd094bKSLCk8vXrp4OIHs7vs33lS8/s400/S7301058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253637168434419746" border="0" /></a><span style=""><br /></span>Later that day we progressed to the Hapsburg royal vaults, where we rested our eyes upon the most opulent, extravagant, self-aggrandizing coffins it has ever been my pleasure to see.<span style=""> </span>The 17<sup>th</sup> century coffins featured carvings of skulls and crossbones along with depictions of battles, weeping cherubs, eagles, hawks, Christ on the cross, and representations of the deceased.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />From there we wandered through the palace garden and stopped for a drink at the kuntzmuseum coffeeshop, and sat outside in the sun.<span style=""> </span>I have to admit, every coffee we had in Vienna was damn good.<br /><br />Here is B, breaking the rules and risking getting a lecture.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9LPJIwt1rduLLADpJYfYt5IjuuXtIsDiL6KX6Af871WjlfbSlEweC9iBkb1OP_Tn_U3G2DW8809gTzbQvDlrH4sVAu5C-yjPQkCtPbwN8TVTXPSOFddd41DQ8y1IXCPPI6EgThs9jBU/s1600-h/S7301060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9LPJIwt1rduLLADpJYfYt5IjuuXtIsDiL6KX6Af871WjlfbSlEweC9iBkb1OP_Tn_U3G2DW8809gTzbQvDlrH4sVAu5C-yjPQkCtPbwN8TVTXPSOFddd41DQ8y1IXCPPI6EgThs9jBU/s400/S7301060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253638480035989154" border="0" /></a>We had lunch at one of the bratwurst stands in downtown Vienna, before having another coffee and heading back to catch the train to Salzburg.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJThxqUSVWKrbLMj4WZ48PeOMZTb2fbht2t1xDpF4oaItvs9tPu6uQqqNlJRgNWogKuxEogxr8KJRa8u2WFIKFsy38ct0LnGen1AYwnvwMu8Ih8pjvuXWF1vaDgu07l-_S-MXiR2_FGg/s1600-h/S7301063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJThxqUSVWKrbLMj4WZ48PeOMZTb2fbht2t1xDpF4oaItvs9tPu6uQqqNlJRgNWogKuxEogxr8KJRa8u2WFIKFsy38ct0LnGen1AYwnvwMu8Ih8pjvuXWF1vaDgu07l-_S-MXiR2_FGg/s400/S7301063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253638482142618386" border="0" /></a><o:p></o:p><p></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-6853564869407106172008-10-08T08:31:00.004+02:002008-10-08T08:31:00.564+02:00Even more BudapestBy European standards things were pretty cheap.<span style=""> </span>We stayed at the <a href="http://www.hotelvadvirag.hu/">Vadvirag Panzio hotel</a> up in the leafy hills of Buda.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0JIOypOAgKsUyHxe7BnCv6KE009KgOLyayffbI2CFhO_tX9SuwnOF1rcT74tk13pWqPgXvTTqSdfi-q9wyKtNix_3XaeNIPtfNHIuaZvrjqiyAc-yA3z8cH5UwBcGgtk204GCv4T8hQ/s1600-h/IMG_1666.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0JIOypOAgKsUyHxe7BnCv6KE009KgOLyayffbI2CFhO_tX9SuwnOF1rcT74tk13pWqPgXvTTqSdfi-q9wyKtNix_3XaeNIPtfNHIuaZvrjqiyAc-yA3z8cH5UwBcGgtk204GCv4T8hQ/s400/IMG_1666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254140821284073554" border="0" /></a>For our lunches we would stop at small places downtown and order at the counter like everyone else.<span style=""> </span>The first day we had schnitzel and salad with yogurt; the second day, pork cutlet and cabbage soup.<span style=""> </span>Nothing flashy, just a straightforward lunch for 4 euros a pop.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />One of the days, we went up to the palace district, which is high on a hill in Buda, to look around at the museums there. Here is the wall of the old castle.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnwS4OGyWoNTpNHzuJaHNSW6rPhOE-P3ZVsgD7kOXZl5aG51h3P4NTBF5lQuWibhzOATlFpZkDvg4cLvkBPq9djC0bhnoTLG-uMQKqsC4EBRmZ44_oQZ4xnL-HUMNLEOJ7FzO02fOIaM/s1600-h/S7300998.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnwS4OGyWoNTpNHzuJaHNSW6rPhOE-P3ZVsgD7kOXZl5aG51h3P4NTBF5lQuWibhzOATlFpZkDvg4cLvkBPq9djC0bhnoTLG-uMQKqsC4EBRmZ44_oQZ4xnL-HUMNLEOJ7FzO02fOIaM/s400/S7300998.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253633395430490546" border="0" /></a>Yet another gorgeous fountain.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8SHYKs2h81wHEgrPEDfRkzen6zPwgrKe2m5RoXUf4YE4FfPbIzX8VAOMz7mtgd8DiaJp9fCtHcJNXNGQbZLs8KqWwGlui5O9ezYgYvyoO9d-Uy6wTSLI-P-TcdMTsKFdl9mHrfBEAKE/s1600-h/S7301001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8SHYKs2h81wHEgrPEDfRkzen6zPwgrKe2m5RoXUf4YE4FfPbIzX8VAOMz7mtgd8DiaJp9fCtHcJNXNGQbZLs8KqWwGlui5O9ezYgYvyoO9d-Uy6wTSLI-P-TcdMTsKFdl9mHrfBEAKE/s400/S7301001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253633399195543154" border="0" /></a>We checked out the labyrinth below the castle, which was dank and wet. They had set up some fake wine fountain in it, below.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhLJabNLaxHWO0g4W8XEhAX5pq3xrJJCSAfcO4XJIzHzO0nq0-IMUggtDLbA0N4NfFxlzfyoDfvlBtcyuFc-kjud2Q04wBwjq9NRI4_n7bC2sEvloDGLTlF84p3o2pMYOFH1KQIv6l5w/s1600-h/S7301005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhLJabNLaxHWO0g4W8XEhAX5pq3xrJJCSAfcO4XJIzHzO0nq0-IMUggtDLbA0N4NfFxlzfyoDfvlBtcyuFc-kjud2Q04wBwjq9NRI4_n7bC2sEvloDGLTlF84p3o2pMYOFH1KQIv6l5w/s400/S7301005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253633414924080722" border="0" /></a>It turned out that there was a wine festival going on on the palace grounds, so we stuck around and sampled some Hungarian wines.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEAzr35DzdTMB3u0H_b_2QeWuuJk3PRN2PTar4KeExsdnj2i9J8PcB5PSdFaf40_SvDsLnJ_g8w-6rq6InUf1uESO-8Zx7k8enWF15HXGNha0qpAJS1plzkvjCrs3gFidgCGpc_Ky94s/s1600-h/S7301003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEAzr35DzdTMB3u0H_b_2QeWuuJk3PRN2PTar4KeExsdnj2i9J8PcB5PSdFaf40_SvDsLnJ_g8w-6rq6InUf1uESO-8Zx7k8enWF15HXGNha0qpAJS1plzkvjCrs3gFidgCGpc_Ky94s/s400/S7301003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253633404798849170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPjOmiTRgp3aj22iw1u_APsn-4b0JOUq9gDRcC2NAFBiH60Hbp5O-yisAiAuetoKsth1xZvfKWiHz9bCFGJZISncEKzIF1q46Dsuu2knR7wjVjpXc6KC446nayzQivDgYpO-5BrCvIZc/s1600-h/S7301002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPjOmiTRgp3aj22iw1u_APsn-4b0JOUq9gDRcC2NAFBiH60Hbp5O-yisAiAuetoKsth1xZvfKWiHz9bCFGJZISncEKzIF1q46Dsuu2knR7wjVjpXc6KC446nayzQivDgYpO-5BrCvIZc/s400/S7301002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253633409843751282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GC4Oi29wKo0CUF5MXPaUVXKAm6m0b_Rk1yPb1VlqDFKDrmi3DAjpZ7L22FwPVEc0eeFPntSzjyWOVIeS9nGlkyqOoMUcg_LSd7OdeIU5Mz58bTyQ5jnhrlC9s0ZM_ALR3Is7yzGmymY/s1600-h/S7301013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GC4Oi29wKo0CUF5MXPaUVXKAm6m0b_Rk1yPb1VlqDFKDrmi3DAjpZ7L22FwPVEc0eeFPntSzjyWOVIeS9nGlkyqOoMUcg_LSd7OdeIU5Mz58bTyQ5jnhrlC9s0ZM_ALR3Is7yzGmymY/s400/S7301013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253634756941500146" border="0" /></a>Here is B with some tickets to try the wines. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV52pTmQwth3Z088OPJE_2hdbEu-YWMugH5kanq-u7xdhzBdh-6Pu5ZgRN2k_HIVarOIp_72TZfNsZvT9NvhfyPb-a0l1pKue57moOqfjipn2V5q-Sbs3bBp8rCabHjI6iJt8kKGe8VwE/s1600-h/S7301015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV52pTmQwth3Z088OPJE_2hdbEu-YWMugH5kanq-u7xdhzBdh-6Pu5ZgRN2k_HIVarOIp_72TZfNsZvT9NvhfyPb-a0l1pKue57moOqfjipn2V5q-Sbs3bBp8rCabHjI6iJt8kKGe8VwE/s400/S7301015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253634757201831298" border="0" /></a>There was some traditional Hungarian dancing, in all of its knee-slapping glory.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYqHoRN28ctoDes7WQwb7AVH1hXmSI8mDRTdgojDnDjZ8EgOeYz8eHWMf0vF1r1xkwVgk3ntVq4i9yi23ITlL5Qihen7D-0OGKPO6xSrIhJLprqWkdkVjeiW6yKnUv3HzabfIzmGG45c/s1600-h/S7301019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYqHoRN28ctoDes7WQwb7AVH1hXmSI8mDRTdgojDnDjZ8EgOeYz8eHWMf0vF1r1xkwVgk3ntVq4i9yi23ITlL5Qihen7D-0OGKPO6xSrIhJLprqWkdkVjeiW6yKnUv3HzabfIzmGG45c/s400/S7301019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253634764983221426" border="0" /></a>I had been wanting to sample some Hungarian pastries since frequenting the Hungarian Pastry Shop in NY, which is near Columbia. I loved those fanciful multi-layered treats! So later that week we had a fancy coffee and pastry at Lucas Cukraszda, which was yummy.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Our last night we had some drinks at some Miami Beach-esque square off of Almassy St, then had more drinks and dinner--<span style=""> </span>I had Hungarian stew and dumplings. The next day we took off early and went to Vienna.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-5860794755670260172008-10-07T08:06:00.001+02:002008-10-07T08:06:01.031+02:00More BudapestThis was our vacation of Nazi and Soviet atrocities. We went to see the <a href="http://www.terrorhaza.hu/en/index_2.html">House of Terror</a>, the excellent, sleek and interactive museum in which the atrocities that took place under the Gulag, Nazi and Soviet occupations are documented.<span style=""> </span>The building itself was the former Nazi headquarters and was used as a jail and torture chamber for political prisoners.<span style=""> </span>In addition to the exhibits describing the persecutions and forced marches of dissenters, Jews, and religious leaders, they have recreated the basement cells where torture and executions took place.<span style=""> </span>It was a compelling argument against fascism.<br /><br />The Hungarians have wisely not destroyed all evidence of Soviet occupation, but rather taken all of the old communist statuary and placed it together out in a run-down, crabgrass-laden park near the city outskirts.<span style=""> </span>They don’t eradicate the history, but they don’t emphasize it either.<span style=""> </span>We took a bus out there to examine the CCCP relics.<span style=""> </span>Next to the park was a shack with an exhibition memorializing the Hungarian revolt in 1956 against the Soviet occupation, which ended with thousands arrested and 250 people executed.<span style=""> </span>The park’s most famous statue is that of Stalin’s boots, which were part of a statue that was torn down by the protesters in 1956; this iconic symbol is one of the most famous representations of Hungarian protest.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcId7f8KcPeto4CKRwu4N8jPmJm70sSgEhAaZSzghNjTzpqOu3s1KyY8Nw05Z-hSx_9jHuw9rrUcYTU2QDriIjQyvqeuABQ-ZEbZQE8staDFMnlf9y78IZ0c7TDs5s9qHqPw3o85TUUuQ/s1600-h/S7301020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcId7f8KcPeto4CKRwu4N8jPmJm70sSgEhAaZSzghNjTzpqOu3s1KyY8Nw05Z-hSx_9jHuw9rrUcYTU2QDriIjQyvqeuABQ-ZEbZQE8staDFMnlf9y78IZ0c7TDs5s9qHqPw3o85TUUuQ/s400/S7301020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253625842258410642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49-z500AivCyQ_htXfK3tNBdloisfjNJcOB0Ay71-5nFxx0OKQRiM9Pu2TuV_vHFCRFnKVqYTIu0Y1NgXBpS-8WOjVnskzCV2FtADxlV1xhFTmrTbcZaqSv9KbAE_TEMM985m1N1t32o/s1600-h/S7301032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49-z500AivCyQ_htXfK3tNBdloisfjNJcOB0Ay71-5nFxx0OKQRiM9Pu2TuV_vHFCRFnKVqYTIu0Y1NgXBpS-8WOjVnskzCV2FtADxlV1xhFTmrTbcZaqSv9KbAE_TEMM985m1N1t32o/s400/S7301032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253625852598673586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7bHW5mlbkQyGVJieZXGCpSzWgeUf032yBr_rLrRW_wO4jxr7oZ21PzsS9nyTpaOkJET7odvd7AeiEiIVKhwPnb7i8BA_QlNqgKcby-qYXXa0Zr5_hiOyNG5bMy9cTp8yiBGI8Cp5EUI/s1600-h/S7301034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7bHW5mlbkQyGVJieZXGCpSzWgeUf032yBr_rLrRW_wO4jxr7oZ21PzsS9nyTpaOkJET7odvd7AeiEiIVKhwPnb7i8BA_QlNqgKcby-qYXXa0Zr5_hiOyNG5bMy9cTp8yiBGI8Cp5EUI/s400/S7301034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253625856604359122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBchUMDu4LEb3ANcqQKSEcVjkWmYDAbkWuZhpKDw91JXOhKwRekbGanVM79Va_EpqtZz5HjVnLVJivbynvL4BhDk77-YSyHEdOEjB9huc9gKIvifKSAA5WihI24Pebiu8E9ONh9b-nzU/s1600-h/S7301037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBchUMDu4LEb3ANcqQKSEcVjkWmYDAbkWuZhpKDw91JXOhKwRekbGanVM79Va_EpqtZz5HjVnLVJivbynvL4BhDk77-YSyHEdOEjB9huc9gKIvifKSAA5WihI24Pebiu8E9ONh9b-nzU/s400/S7301037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253625858718002978" border="0" /></a>B was challenged to recall his freshman year Russian and was able to decipher several phrases.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NCZaX2SQ8QtnpIPoLAPc62WsTcLp1KBYayeB-0NoDtjKG3JkONY5g9mXDNKTXcTEn4hyi6OB58XrQwlWqhXkNKoWYtbW0PEuyB_2X2Yus3a2t3PLblrvdC_gApmym-lVGKOfTSCNKXE/s1600-h/S7301024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NCZaX2SQ8QtnpIPoLAPc62WsTcLp1KBYayeB-0NoDtjKG3JkONY5g9mXDNKTXcTEn4hyi6OB58XrQwlWqhXkNKoWYtbW0PEuyB_2X2Yus3a2t3PLblrvdC_gApmym-lVGKOfTSCNKXE/s400/S7301024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253626158851217826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oZF6xtUYAHOBuqbUf7LSpkphne5jbaMg0CaCDVnANdRlkikdxr4lJLYJFW56otpWwzxLhM88ocWH_f5Np3QVO1iyR8k89PqDs32LLhywHL53I5ehrXZRQGFpikZHBtmmq5xxjmwoKmM/s1600-h/S7301021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oZF6xtUYAHOBuqbUf7LSpkphne5jbaMg0CaCDVnANdRlkikdxr4lJLYJFW56otpWwzxLhM88ocWH_f5Np3QVO1iyR8k89PqDs32LLhywHL53I5ehrXZRQGFpikZHBtmmq5xxjmwoKmM/s400/S7301021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253625857940086066" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-71171014164254556332008-10-06T08:51:00.000+02:002008-10-06T08:51:00.547+02:00BudapestWe took the Easyjet (Sleazyjet?) flight from Geneva to Budapest. The flight took off at 6:00ish, and we flew away from the sun, so by the time we arrived the sun was down in Budapest. All of Europe is in the same time zone, so the sun sets much earlier there.<br /><br />Budapest was leafy and green but polluted and run down.<span style=""> </span>The air quality was noticeably poorer<span style=""> </span>than in Lyon.<span style=""> </span>We arrived and took a bus to the metro; the transportation system has clearly not been updated since the 1960’s, with claptrap rattle-y trains and smoggy buses.<span style=""> </span>From the nearest metro stop, Moscow square, we took a cab to the hotel.<span style=""> </span>Our cabbie had to get the two cabbies behind us to give him a push to get the car started, which was kind of funny.<span style=""> </span>It was trying to be capitalist, with a few third world touches.<o:p></o:p><p></p> But Budapest was clearly European, with grand boulevards and beautiful architecture.<span style=""> </span>Many buildings are elaborately carved with statues and reliefs, carved heads poking out and looking down at the street.<span style=""> </span>One of the first things we did was go to St Stephen’s church, a baroque confection named for the first king of Hungary.<span style=""> </span>The church features a relic: the 1000 year old mummified hand of St Stephen, which was leathery and shrunken.<span style=""> </span>Or maybe he was a leathery, tiny guy, who knows?<span style=""> </span>I wondered where the rest of St Stephen is kept.<span style=""> </span>Maybe his body parts are scattered across churches in Hungary.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7nhcPmimshwUMebu5t5qPMS-13hrQtMQIUNKBbqkkBQF40kI0NMvNaU35NVTLUkjKyGtC_l_D8_C4L8-td3MK1pTySSeEyP7Uzm-K0pooVEcPEIJHD_31aUxukAJtnuua2Rdh-OHgvA/s1600-h/S7300991.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7nhcPmimshwUMebu5t5qPMS-13hrQtMQIUNKBbqkkBQF40kI0NMvNaU35NVTLUkjKyGtC_l_D8_C4L8-td3MK1pTySSeEyP7Uzm-K0pooVEcPEIJHD_31aUxukAJtnuua2Rdh-OHgvA/s400/S7300991.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253624352855419074" border="0" /></a>This is the parliament building.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIwgTzgRr7rxTjzm2kGTN_qJQD3nErExhqktdIOIgckukGhDU1NdJ-89yoWAQBdHaij6dnhbuyyo86KfF9xrztxuASe3N3WLJHXMH5KEGcWtBXIMRHg_l25IBZoD4h3vdgdz9xUHyeM8/s1600-h/S7300993.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIwgTzgRr7rxTjzm2kGTN_qJQD3nErExhqktdIOIgckukGhDU1NdJ-89yoWAQBdHaij6dnhbuyyo86KfF9xrztxuASe3N3WLJHXMH5KEGcWtBXIMRHg_l25IBZoD4h3vdgdz9xUHyeM8/s400/S7300993.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253624360632172578" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW19ctqE4dtxLtkFuJz9PY3o_29w4y5Tnezgc3pqHlVfPb0Sc31tpiLdkC1cDu2tqBcqoTGl6FcnXGbjK6ft7qLa2lRr2sUxYmNTK9XLecypk4wsRwkHHs7e4I4PS-lw5PTGrScXKp-pc/s1600-h/S7300995.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW19ctqE4dtxLtkFuJz9PY3o_29w4y5Tnezgc3pqHlVfPb0Sc31tpiLdkC1cDu2tqBcqoTGl6FcnXGbjK6ft7qLa2lRr2sUxYmNTK9XLecypk4wsRwkHHs7e4I4PS-lw5PTGrScXKp-pc/s400/S7300995.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253624366683682386" border="0" /></a><o:p></o:p><p></p> <o:p></o:p><p></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-57558897970097931252008-10-03T19:34:00.005+02:002008-10-03T19:48:20.971+02:00The texas stompAt my office they occasionally offer yoga classes, and the latest thing is that they are offering a dance class. I went with some coworkers to check it out today. We learned to salsa and then to do a bit of country dancing: we did the Texas Stomp. I had heard that some French people were crazy for line dancing, but I had yet to witness it before. Who knew? It was fun. I may have to sign up for this class... Here is a video of some people leaning it themselves. Dance along at home, everyone.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vB9a6GVnycE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vB9a6GVnycE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-17482045915300933782008-09-27T15:35:00.003+02:002008-09-27T15:39:14.815+02:00DouglasWhen I was in Vienna, and in Germany, I noticed there is a chain store called Douglas, which is my nephew's name! Inexplicably for a store with this name, it sells... cosmetics?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYXabQdDJO7k2wTUxRKXXLVZkgbAytPgbHPM7Kesc8jBjF5cKRhPv1deHRwGrwaqXMcscHulYIY_2DZwAtIpZqjhnZ_vZZJPcID-szbxzOqLgwb3xQjAJnT5PN4enMT6tKM5w1vyub4I/s1600-h/S7301064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYXabQdDJO7k2wTUxRKXXLVZkgbAytPgbHPM7Kesc8jBjF5cKRhPv1deHRwGrwaqXMcscHulYIY_2DZwAtIpZqjhnZ_vZZJPcID-szbxzOqLgwb3xQjAJnT5PN4enMT6tKM5w1vyub4I/s400/S7301064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250694982644898802" border="0" /></a>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117392919104871453.post-11081183554221857922008-09-25T08:50:00.000+02:002008-09-25T08:50:00.983+02:00My fave stop: DinanAfter checking into our scuzzy hotel room, we drove over to St Malo, which appeared to be equally swamped with people. As there was no parking to be had anywhere, we drove a bit further to the down on Dinan, which turned out to be pretty and considerably more mellow. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ2-SgkgnrYtnJvwTyntZLrRrJm8WRQA0N1EE5NOktKTsBLF7RC_YyV0wzhgslJsU2KvBm6RNrwxbBnKBUE2XBBPzJSXjHs273Zg4AfOCOzVwuhatB1Wr6wEsRCYc2G04NECQYN9QcUY/s1600-h/S7300974.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ2-SgkgnrYtnJvwTyntZLrRrJm8WRQA0N1EE5NOktKTsBLF7RC_YyV0wzhgslJsU2KvBm6RNrwxbBnKBUE2XBBPzJSXjHs273Zg4AfOCOzVwuhatB1Wr6wEsRCYc2G04NECQYN9QcUY/s400/S7300974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249307736142116866" border="0" /></a>We wandered around the medieval old town.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcLGLFEJT_G9VhSD78FNN4WtJyuoWkwBvmohmSFkAwQ8DxSRQX9M-o3mxnTE3onqGSgT_zUdGQcXZFfC8DnlXFvD48TFGre7ukaEfRA1UUOPg3lE4-RT6YYZMRiBhLgfUh7Ni4h45XZo/s1600-h/S7300979.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcLGLFEJT_G9VhSD78FNN4WtJyuoWkwBvmohmSFkAwQ8DxSRQX9M-o3mxnTE3onqGSgT_zUdGQcXZFfC8DnlXFvD48TFGre7ukaEfRA1UUOPg3lE4-RT6YYZMRiBhLgfUh7Ni4h45XZo/s400/S7300979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249307707048111362" border="0" /></a> and went up the old clock tower... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz91JrUoEZYAccQ2-LG_hUjKz6lro7EYqViDH8R5nhHUaMgKj_avSYDG1G7c12QIrjxdi5qfUD8Gxmeo7jRhyLwPEjuzr7F4HRZSa6bP4F-zVTZSTNBjNTm2vIuW5g3M2j07glUwpEyts/s1600-h/S7300984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz91JrUoEZYAccQ2-LG_hUjKz6lro7EYqViDH8R5nhHUaMgKj_avSYDG1G7c12QIrjxdi5qfUD8Gxmeo7jRhyLwPEjuzr7F4HRZSa6bP4F-zVTZSTNBjNTm2vIuW5g3M2j07glUwpEyts/s400/S7300984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249307935499485426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eQUeRYUcUtf0HFJu2yz4g-NLKQyWPcjhW9nHxZmLJKB_wX7wnR3UZJdwBDFvE5NwUE0mvjjpImnkxYjHB1Hx3VMF9FdRtap2e9KGiIANzXpXG3FVzZyiXjgJhdQlZdo-V8ODf8_wAms/s1600-h/S7300987.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eQUeRYUcUtf0HFJu2yz4g-NLKQyWPcjhW9nHxZmLJKB_wX7wnR3UZJdwBDFvE5NwUE0mvjjpImnkxYjHB1Hx3VMF9FdRtap2e9KGiIANzXpXG3FVzZyiXjgJhdQlZdo-V8ODf8_wAms/s400/S7300987.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249307720916875826" border="0" /></a>We had a great dinner that night.<br /><br />All in all, a completely hectic holiday weekend. I’m glad to have seen Normandy though.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15136229250550537413noreply@blogger.com1