One way is Rome and the other way is Mecca

This place was huge.

The Acropolis. This view is the best I could do to hide the scaffolding and cranes.
Shannon at the Temple of Zeus Olympion "holding up the pillar." This picture was taken after we saw two giggling middle-aged men attempt this same photo.
Shannon failed.

Thanksgiving dinner was rather untraditional as it involved yogurts, chicken, and Greek potatoes but Shannon and I made the best of it with some flaky baklava and bright blue 60-degree skies. This trip marked Shannon's last travels until she goes home and simultaneously confirmed for me how much life we have lived over the last 3.5 months. Interestingly, Shannon ended this tour of Europe with the "cradle," as it were. It provides a perfect moment to evaluate our society and ask the question: have we really progressed? In view of the intricacy and skill devoted to the various temples and old fora, I wonder what have we lost in the name of this progress.

The Ultimate Adventure

Paragliding above Interlaken
My first and last attempt a "jump photo." It looks like I am A) in front of a blue screen or B) falling off of the mountain.

An example of one of the many couple's weekend shots from the trip. Highlander, who knew? This picture does not convey the buckets of sweat that fell off of us over the course of the week
A view of the mountains around Saas Fee, where we went skiing. In Switzerland. I know.

Talk about a good weekend in Switzerland. We went paragliding, skiing, and hiking, ate fondue, and enjoyed the sincere Swiss hospitality. I wish I had more words to explain the weekend, but I am still slightly in shock that it happened.

Encore quelques uns de la famille

Mildred and I in the Jardin de Tuileries
Millie, Ian Berry, and I at the Rodin Museum.
Garrett, the FBIL (future brother-in-law), practically being taken off of the Eiffel Tower by the gusty winds.
One of the many views of Brussels for those who will not get to see it in person (et tant pis!)

Though now nearly a month ago, Millie's and Garrett's trip to visit me rests near to my heart and mind. Of course, we ate great food, laughed, waited while Garrett took a sufficiency of photos, and took in all that Paris and Brussels could offer. Major regards to Ian Berry for a superb breakfast recommendations, to Danny for having a great, rentable apartment, to Rodin for being so skilled, and to the Belgian rail unions for striking on our way back from Paris.

To my contentment, Millie and Garrett were able to meet my two co-workers, Stephan and Giovanni, who invited us to a jazz bar and then to Stephan's for dessert. The night was a smash on all accounts, only nearly jeopardized by a Hitler joke from one Mr. Hicks. Luckily, his American accent and the genera hubbub of the jazz bar, none caught wind of it.


Oh, and Millie and Garrett are now engaged. For more on that story, you can try to pry details out of Ms. Emily Wantland, soon-to-be Hicks.

Fall and the Wall

Segment of the Berlin Wall. Much of the paint was recently refinished in preparation for the 2oth anniversary.
Much of the wall was removed, for the obvious reason that Berliners didn't want a visual reminder that such a history had been possible and could again happen. However, they decided to lay this memorial along the path of the destroyed wall. If the plaque is facing you, you are on the West, if it is upside down in your view, you are on East.
Beautiful Käthe Kollwitz sculpture in the Neue Wache (New guardhouse). There is an opening in the ceiling that exposes the sculpture to all of the elements.
Fall in the Tiergarten. This expansive garden was once the hunting grounds for the Hohenzollerns (Tier referring to animals). Fall was in full-bloom in Berlin and the open spaces and tree-lined boulevards made it much more apparent. It felt like the Blue Ridge...

Visiting Berlin the week before the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall was certainly a rare experience. We took a bike tour that followed the path of the wall and on that tour, met the brother of the first person to be killed attempting to cross the wall. Also, I found Berlin to be stunning. It was a hodge-podge of new and old with substantially more open space than many of the other European cities. We also visited the Jewish Museum which highlighted 200 years of life in the German lands. The museum actually focused very very little on WWII and, as a result, was a refreshing take on Jews in Germany.

Lastly, I reneged upon my previous abstinence from German food. Bratwurst... oh my.

Paris et mes amis

Walking by the Hôtel des Invalides (old military hospital and current home to Napoleon's rotted corpse), I spied some brightly colored raincoats. Uncommon for European attire, the raincoats caught my eye.
FRIEND SIGHTING!!! Michael and Jane met me (and others, but essentially...) in Paris for another whirlwind weekend of good food and good friends
Sainte Chappelle, facing the king's entrance. Sainte Chappelle is a vestige of the oldest remaining dwelling of kings in Paris.

Well, pure ruckus was the order of the weekend as Poteatians (our freshman year dorm was Poteat. Hence the titling.) reunited for some seriously good French pastries and, among other highlights, a hilarious dinner in Parc Champs de Mars, just in view of La Tour Eiffel. I never knew a "petit Brie" could be so huge. It seems that we have all learned how to navigate the "string men" and other European challenges like general dehydration and full bladders (string men: people who wait for tourists with little braided strings that are looped at one end. They manage to throw the loop on one of your fingers and then, as you pull away, the string tightens and then they've CAUGHT YOU! It is actually quite harmless, but unnerving all the same). It was a delight to see these marvelous people and rehash summer memories. I look forward to being with them again next semester.

Good King Winceslas Went Out...

A stunning chapel in St. Vitus' Cathedral, just a few doors down from King Winceslas' coffin.
Hey Soo Chang, it's him. JAN HUSS! This picture is Cambridge Church History in a nutshell.
Interior of the very Baroque Church of St. Nicholas.
Prague Castle from the side. The main feature is St. Vitus' Cathedral.


Well, these pictures do not capture the extent of my trip to Prague with my parents. Here is a list of the things not captured
1. The throngs of tourist groups following floating flags and bobbing umbrellas
2. The snow
3. The delicious food
4. The rather erotic modern ballet that we awkwardly endured
5. The overwhelming grandeur of, well, everything.
6. The potato dumplings.... oh my were they good.

We managed to dodge all conflict, injury, sickness, and pickpocketers and enjoy some quality time in a foreign place. It was a treat, to say the least. More to follow.