Sam, Oliver, and other members of our group
my first trip out West. I spent three weeks moving around the western part of the state with 15 other students, 2 TAs, and our faithful instructor Gail, in two big white vans, so we could study the geology, ecology, and biology of the Northern Rocky Mountains. For the full account, read my Montana Journal . I'm still in the process of typing it all up, and once i finish i may post a brief summary here for those who don't want to plow through the long, detailed, and poorly written primary source.
More Montana photos:
reflection of mountains at dusk
Bowman Lake, from Numa Ridge Lookout
snow at Glacier Park's visitor's center
Another of my favorite sights was the Pantheon. The walls on the ground floor are covered with murals depicting the history of Paris and of France, from the legends of the patron saint, Genevieve, and the crowning of Charlemagne to the founding of the University of Paris in 1520. A narrow, spiral stone stairwell leads to the crypt in the basement, where the tombs of Voltaire, Rousseau, and other famous frogs are hiding.
We didn't get inside any of the famous museums, but we spent an enjoyable few hours walking around the Louvre admiring the sculptures of various famous politicians, intellectual figures, and other *great beings* of French history. One of the great things about wandering around Paris is the history--there are monuments on nearly every block and statues on several bridges, and churches that date to 500 years ago or more. In the heart of the city, on Ile-de-la-Cite in front of La Cathedrale de Notre Dame, is a crypt that holds ancient Roman ruins on display. It's impressive to think that this land, these buildings, have been in use for so many years.
Every morning we had coffee, fruit, and an authentic French croissant (that's kwah-son, not crah-sont, mind you) on la Rue Mouffetard, a charming cobblestone street lined with open-air markets and little shops. Not a touristy place, but all the more appealing for being a cozy hang-out. The food in France, in general, was some of the best I've ever tasted. I couldn't resist unusual dishes like crayfish (that's crawfish for those of you below The Line) stew and leg of rabbit with wild mushrooms, but the normal french fare was great also. In Paris I tasted Kir Royale for the first time -- Champagne with Creme de Cassis. It's the only alcohol I'll drink :)
On the other end of the dining spectrum, but just as enjoyable, was a late-night trip my uncle and I took to a creperie in the theatre district, Jocelyn's. The line was out the door, the one huge room was crowded and smoky, and we watched with fascination as the students around us carried on animated conversations holding a fork in one hand and a cigarrette in the other. The crepes were fabulous, and dirt cheap--something like 15 francs each.
I remember thinking that if this were my reward for learning French, as my aunt and uncle told me, I should pick up some other languages. :) Definitely a place I recommend visiting, especially if you like history, architecture, and great cuisine.
