Umbria (11/1)

On our way to Rome, we decided to detour through Umbria, visiting St. Francis' Assisi and spending the night in romantic Spoleto.

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Umbria

Neither of us had ever been to Umbria, and after having spent over a week in Tuscany, we were eager to see how the neighboring region compared to the famous hilltowns to the East. Perhaps it was the weather, but we didn't fall in love with Umbria. (The temperature dropped about 15 degrees on November 1st, and it rained...whereas before it had been absolutely beautiful, perfect weather.) To be fair, we visited only two towns over one day, but still, we aren't sold on Umbria.

Assisi was rather interesting, not just for the famous basilica, but also because it is so well preserved. Walking from the east to the west, you somewhat trace the history of the city. From the remains of the Roman arena, now well absorbed into the medieval architecture that followed--to the Temple of Minerva that was later converted into a church in the ninth century--to the courtyards, archways, and balconies of the 13th & 14th centuries, Assisi has quite a lot of charm.

And then there is the Basilica of St. Francis. St. Francis is the influential man who decided to live his life as Jesus did, giving all his possessions to the poor and spreading a message of tolerance and peace. He is the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the Franciscans, and the patron saint of animals.

The Basilica, where he is buried, is frescoed from top to bottom by leading artists of the time, including Cimabue and Giotto. What is especially important about this art is its realism, revolutionary in its day. In the 1300s, it was radical to show real people in nature in realistic three dimensional situations. Giotto's painting of the crucifixion is likely the first one since antiquity where people are expressing emotion. Unfortunately, a large part of the upper basilica was badly damaged during a 5.5-magnitude earthquake in 1997. Some of Giotto's frescoes were shattered into over 300,000 fragments that had to be meticulously picked up and pieced back together. Somehow, they did it, and only a few patches remain unrestored.

We decided to spend the night in Spoleto because we had heard it was the "most romantic city" in Italy. It wasn't. Parts of it were nice enough, but others felt quite run down. Perhaps if you visited during the annual festival, then it might have more character. The highlight of our stay was our beautiful hotel room with an amazing view of the illuminated Ponte delle Torri, a 13th century aqueduct. Getting to the Hotel Gattapone was another situation altogether though...it took us three drives around the one way streets of the city before we found the correct route there. (Google driving directions apparently thinks you can drive on the Ponte delle Torri...) Once we did find out way, navigating the tiny and perilously steep streets was terrifying! When we arrived at the hotel and saw our room, it was completely worth it though.

Tuscan Hilltowns (10/29-31)

Under the Tuscan Sun...we spent only four days exploring the hilltowns of Tuscany, but we are ready to come back and rent a villa soon! Anyone want to join us, let us know!

For photos, click here.

Tuscany

Kimberly

After spending three days running around Florence, we were ready for some relaxing time in Tuscany. We decided to drive through the Chianti region on our way south from Florence. We did not stop at any wineries, as we knew that we would be going to Montalcino later on, but admired the picturesque views along the way. We did stop at Castello di Brullio, an old castle and vineyard, but just for a quick visit (and not a tasting, as it was unfortunately a Sunday).

Rather than stay in a hotel or B&B, we opted for an Agriturismo--a concept widely spread throughout Italy. The concept was created in the 1980s as a way for small farmers to survive in a modern economy. By renting rooms to travelers, the farmers could remain on their land and continue to produce food. In order to call yourself an Agriturismo, a certain percentage of your income must still come from food produced on the land...which means staying at a place like this is guaranteed to be a highly authentic experience. We stayed at the very charming Agriturismo San Giorgio. It was only a fifteen minute drive from Siena, and we could see the towers of the Campo from the farm. We had a very large 1 bedroom apartment with our own patio and even a loft. Every morning, for breakfast, we were given an assortment of jams and jellies that were made from fruit on the property. And there were large lawns and a playground for Zookie to play on. (Check out our photos to see Zookie on the swings, slide, and teeter-totter...) It was a wonderful experience, and we are completely sold on the concept.

With Agriturismo San Giorgio as our homebase, we explored one or two of the nearby hilltowns each day. On our first day, we went to Volterra, a relatively undiscovered hilltown just east of Siena. We loved this town! More than 2000 years ago, it was a very important Etruscan city--and remarkably, one of the gates to the town remains from that time. (Even more impressive is that the Nazis had planned to blow it up during WWII, but the town residents wanted to badly to preserve their Etruscan historical landmark, that they tore up the street and blocked their own entryway to the city and convinced the Nazis general that there was no need to destroy it!)

As with many of the other Tuscan hilltowns, the eventual decline of the city is what has kept it so well preserved in its historical state. The alleyways are narrow, streets cobblestoned, and residents quiet and calm. Today the town is known for its quality artisan crafts, especially alabaster, historical charm, and truffle festivals. We were lucky to arrive at the beginning of the fall truffle season, and thus for the "Volterra Gusta" white truffle festival. This kicked off our Italian grocery shopping spree...for the next ten days, we bought 5 bottles of olive oil, 6 bottles of wine, 1 of balsamic vinegar, 12 packages of pasta, 16 jars of various sauces, and several other artisinal grocery items...

FYI, we had two great wining and dining experiences in Volterra. We had lunch at Ristorante Il Sacco Fiorentino (Piazza XX Settembre 18, tel 0588-88537), which included a special pasta with a white truffle sauce...just divine! And we tasted a few regional wines at La Vena di Vino (Via Don Minzoni 30, tel 0588-81491), including a Super-Tuscan--the latest phenomenon in the world of wine.

That night we visited the nearby hilltown of San Gimignano, famous for its medieval skyscrapers. Today only 14 of the original 60 medieval towers remain. In the 13th century, rich families built these towers as a refuge for when the town was attached and sacked by rival city-states. Even after the town walls were built, the towers continued to rise: feuding noble families would battle things out from the protection of their respective family towers. (Think Montegue and Capulet from Romeo and Juliet.)

It was nice to visit San Gimignano at night in late October, because we understand it gets quite touristy during the day--especially during high season. There was also something quite striking about viewing the towers illuminated against the night sky. Visiting at night also gave us the opportunity to enjoy a fabulous Tuscan dinner at Ristorante Bel Soggiorno (Via San Giovanni 91, tel 0577-940375). The menu featured primarily game, and this meal was a highlight of our entire trip.

On our second day in Tuscany, we drove around the Crete Senese region, appreciating the unique landscape. In the spring, the fields are painted in yellow and green with fava beans an broom, with red poppies on the fringes. In the autumn, it was almost a lunar lanscape of clay, with olive groves and stone farmhouses, punctuated by perfect lines and curves of trees.

That afternoon, we visited the largest town in the region, Siena. Once Florence's archrival, today Siena is best known as the host for the annual Palio horserace, which turns its city-square (Il Campo) into a race course for the 17 neighborhoods of Siena to compete for the glory of the prize. However, there is much else to see in this jewel of the region. Most importantly, there is the Duomo, Siena's 13th century Gothic cathedral. The interior is a "Renaissance riot of striped columns, intricate marble inlays, Michaelangelo statues, and Bernini sculptures." And if that is not enough, the vividly colored and intricately detailed Piccolomini library features 15th century frescoes chronicalling the adventures of Siena's philanderer-turned-pope Aeneas Piccolomini (Pope Pius II).

And Sienna turned out to be a good place for shopping too! In addition to the necessary olive oil and pasta, I managed to purchase not one, but two pairs of fabulous Italian leather boots! Such a deal!

On our last day in the region, we ventured south to the town of Montalcino, famous for its wine Brunello di Montalcino. In this hilltown, we explored quaint alleyways and Tuscan views. We also visited the Fortezza, where we indulged in some wine tasting and climbed to the top of the towers--all of us, including Zookie!! (Tower climbing, not wine tasting.)

9 kilometers south of Montalcino, we found the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy. Legend has it that Emperor Charlemagne founded the Abbey after his soldiers were miraculously cured from the plague in a nearby field. We came not only to see the architecture, but more to hear the beautiful Gregorian chanting by the monks that still live and practice here. For a video of the chanting, click here.

Later that afternoon, we made our final Tuscan hilltown visit to Pienza--the home of Aeneas Piccolomini, later Pope Pius II. Yes, this is the person whose life was chronicled in the cathedral in Siena. And he made quite an impression on the town when he decided to completely remodel the city center in the Renaissance fashion in the 1500s. What was extra fun about our time in Pienza was that it was on Halloween, a recently adopted holiday by the Italians. As darkness began to fall, kids appears in the streets, popping from cheese shop to artisinal store trick-or-treating...it was fabulous!

Our time in Tuscany was simply all too brief. We would love to go back and spend a week relaxing at an Agritursmo, taking cooking classes and horseback riding around the picturesque hills. And there is always more exquisite Tuscan food and wine...

Florence (10/27-28)

From masterpieces by Michelangelo to the Ponte Vecchio - the Medici Family brought the best to Firenze or 'Florence' making it a fantastic stop for beautiful art and architecture (along with great food and a little shopping).

For photos, click here.

Florence

Daniel

We stayed a little ways outside of the city center at Hotel Ungherese. (With the traffic laws in Florence, it is actually illegal to actually drive/park in the city center) The hotel was warm & pet friendly. Plus, they made some of the best cappuccinos we have ever had. Zookie made quick friends with the hotel owner, and she shared stories about her "puppy" which she pronounced "poopy." It was too funny to correct the tiny mistake.

Trying to see Florence in two days, especially if you haven't been there before, is just exhausting. In addition to all the sights, described below, we did have some authentic travel experiences--mostly thanks to Zookie!

Traveling with a dog in Europe is great because it gives you the opportunity to interact with people that you never would otherwise. All during our trip, old Italian men, little Italian children, and locals and tourists of all ages wanted to meet our fabulous pup! Unfortunately, we don't speak Italian, so we couldn't really communicate with most people, but we knew that Kane means dog, and besides, we can tell when Zookie has an admirer that wants to make friends with him. (We did learn to say "Posso potare mi Kane destra?" which means "Can I bring my dog inside?"...invaluable when we were trying to bring Zookie to dinner, in shops, or on buses--where he was technically not supposed to go.)

No where in Italy was this Zookie fan club more apparent than in Florence. There was the old man in Piazza della Republica, who kept tricking Zookie by whistling. Zookie couldn't figure out where the funny noise was coming from and kept looking around to find its source. Then, there was the Italian family with the toddler who really wanted to pet the doggy, but was still a little afraid. And the funniest experience was when three old Italian women actually stole Zookie from Dan when they were riding on the bus into Florence. Dan was trying to keep Zookie from investigating these women's shopping bags, when, suddenly, one of the women just took his leash and brought him over to their seats! Hilarious, especially because neither party could communicate with each other!

We visited a lot of sites in and around Florence so listed below are some of the major highlights. Each day we jumped on a bus that took us right to the heart of town where the Duomo towered over the central piazza. Day or night the scenary was beautiful.

Bargello Museum - full of Renaissance sculpture including two versions of David by Donatello and Verrocchio, stark contrasts to the more famous interpretation by Michelangelo. We spent a morning checking out the highlights before we hit the ultimate in Italian painting, the Uffizi Gallery.

The Uffizi Gallery - Florence was at the heart of the Renaissance and the Uffizi can take you on a walk through history as realistic art evolved during the Renaissance. Some of the best Italian paintings are found within the 'U-shaped building, including the Madonna and Child by Gioto (example of flat art during medival times) and Birth of Venus by Botticelli (Epitome of the exploding realism in art).

Ponte Vecchio - the famous bridge over the Arno River. While touring the Uffizi, we caught a glimpse of the secret passage that the Medicis used. We also took a stroll with Zookie on the bridge covered with small traditional shops that still sell gold and silver.

Accademia - a fantastic collection of sculpture including Michelangelo's masterpieces. We stared in awe at just how beautifully he carved David out of a block of marble. This statue is amazing to see in person (unfortunately they don't allow photos in the museum). They also have a interesting collection of the The Prisoners. These massive statues still remain from the unfinished commission for Pope Julius II (he also commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine Chapel). The statues look as though they are coming to life, trying to break free from the marble they are still encased within. The most impressive part of these marble rocks is that Michelangelo was known to work completely freehand and chipped away at the stone from front to back until he was satisfied.

Baptistery - Known for its famous bronze doors whose panels were sculpted by Ghiberti who won a contest to earn the project. Brunelleschi lost the competions, fortunately since he went on to design and build the dome that covers the Duomo.

Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore) - beautiful architecture and impressive science behind the facade. The structure that sits atop the dome is about the size of the Baptistery building, which gives you a sense of scale. The Duomo was actually built with a hole awaiting a dome in its roof...nevermind that this was before the techonology was available to span such an area. Brunelleschi solved that problem, and many others copied this first Renaissance dome in years to come.

Duomo Mueseum - contains Ghiberti's original (and Bruno's) panels submitted for the Baptistery door competition. It also showcases a Pieta statue that Michaelangelo originally carved for his own tomb and a unique Donatello statue of Mary Magdalene carved from wood.

Medici Chapels - You can almost see into the mind of Michelangelo while visiting here. He had free reign on the architecture, sculpture, and subject matter. These partly unfinished chapels/tombs celebrate the Medici family patrons who supported M through numerous commissions during his lifetime. You can even see the sketches and scribbling of Michelangelo and his assistants as they filled in the architectural space with sculpture and paintings.

Church of Santa Maria Novella - filled with beautiful frescoes as well as signs of the growing Renassaince. The inside of the Church was built to magnify the visual impression - the floor is slanted upwards as you work towards the altar. Also, the collonade narrows as you appoach the altar making the Chruch seem longer, taller, and more grandiose.

Eating in Florence

We also had some fantastic cuisine. Our favorite dinner meal in Florence was at Il Cibreo. Rich, filling Tuscan plates made this place a winner. We actually ate at the Trattoria, which does not accept reservations, has equally good food, and lower prices. (Via Andrea del Verrocchio 8r. 055-2341100)

We also dined at Filipepe, which has a more upscale Mediteranian menu. (Via de San Niccolo 39r 055-2001397)

We also enjoyed a great meal at Osteria de Benci a well known trattoria with great desserts (Via de Benci 13r 055-234-4923)

We did not make it to Acqua al Due on this trip, because we did not make a reservation in time. This was a favorite places from one of Kim's previous trips here. And, they surprisingly opened a second location in San Diego, which we have been to. Great pasta. (Via della Vigna Vecchia 40/r 055-284170)

Oh yes, and we did some shoping for leather goods. Kim found a good deal on purses while Dan finally bought another pair of shoes (at least they are Italian and stylish). We also spent a few hours touring the many street markets as we walked around the city.

Lucca & Pisa (10/26-27)

Lucca and Pisa introduced us to the Romanesque remains and Renaissance glory that endured in Italy. And Zookie had a good time too, running around the ramparts of Lucca and riding in bicycle baskets...

Daniel

For photos, click here.

Lucca & Pisa

Our first stop in Italy was Lucca, a town known for it's surrounding ramparts and Romanesque style within the town walls. Since we arrived in the evening, we spent our first night wandering the town. The old churches, cathedral, and medieval walls were all dramatically illuminated, making the architecture tower above. Although, the town within the walls was relatively quiet, we came across many couples and locals enjoying the tranquility.

The next day, we explored more of the town streets - narrow and picturesque under the sun. We got a light breakfast at Caffe di Simo, where Puccini is said to have frequented. Since Zookie was with us, he got a lot of attention from the proprietor - she eventually insisted on a piece of Parmesan cheese for Zookie. (He earned his treat by performing some tricks of course!)

Food was consistently amazing--you know we enjoy eating through our travels. One highlight was Locanda Di Bacco, Via San Giorgio 36, where we had a fantastic lunch. Zookie won the heart of our waitress (yet,again). So while we were enjoying our fine cuisine, Zookie got a fresh bowl of water to keep him occupied.

One of the best parts of Lucca, were the Ramparts. During Lucca's history, they invested nearly a third of their income in these protective walls, which today serve as parks and running/bicycling paths. We took advantage well maintained walkways atop the ramparts and rented bicycles for the day to enjoy the views. Zookie came along and ran alongside as we biked the ramparts.

The next day we set out for Pisa - yep the one one with the original leaning tower. Because Pisa is so over run with tourists and the sights are concentrated in a small area - we planned to just spend a few hours there on our way to Florence. The very touristy center of Pisa, the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) is scenic array of grand Romanique buildings: The Leaning Tower, Duomo or Cathedral, and the Baptistry are the stand outs.

We spent time exploring the Duomo/Cathedral and the Baptistry. Each building shows just how powerful Pisa was during the 1200's. The Cathedral contained a masterpiece marble podium sculpted by Giovanni Pisano (his father, a fellow sculptor, carved the pulpit in the nearby Baptistry). Finally we made that long and very slanted climb up the leaning tower. Structural improvements in recent years has opened the tower up to tons of tourists clambering to the top.

Sidenote: Having grown up in Evanston, IL, I often drove by the Leaning Tower of Niles - now I can say that I experienced the real thing.

After a few hours in Pisa we grabbed a mediocre, but not horribly overpriced, gelato and hit the road again: destination Florence.

Burgundy, France (10/24 & 11/6)

After three hard weeks of work, we had our first vacation...got to love the French working system! For the "Vacances de Toussaint" we spent two weeks in Italy, but rather than fly or take the train, we decided to take a more leisurely pace and drive. We stopped in Burgundy both on our way to and back from Italia. Read below for our culinary and wine tasting (oh, and historical) adventures. And don't miss the photos...Zookie went to a classy restaurant and ordered of the "Menu Toutou pour les chiens!"

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Burgundy

Lyon

We got a late start out of Paris on Friday night, so it was a race to make it to Lyon before Restaurant Paul Bocuse closed for the evening. After having watched the "Bocuse D'Or" cooking competition (think Olympics for chefs) on the Food Network, we have always wanted to eat at Paul Bocuse's restaurant in Lyon. And driving to Italy was our perfect chance! M. Bocuse is one of the most famous chefs in the world, widely credited with being one of the first chefs to emerge from the kitchen and to enter public life. He is also known for creating the "Nouvelle Cuisine" movement in France: a focus on fresh ingredients of highest quality over heavy sauces. Needless to say, dinner was superb! The dessert cart and cheese course (during both of which we could choose as many items as we wanted) were the definite highlights.

The next day, we had just the morning to spend in Lyon before heading off on our six hour drive through the Alps to Italy. Although we spent only a short time in the city of Lyon, we really enjoyed it and would like to return some day. The Roman ruins (in both the Amphitheatre and Museum) are spectacular. And the Basilique Notre -Dame de Fourvière is one of the most delightful churches I have visited. Our favorite part of the town was the "vielle ville" where traditional architecture remains, including the famous "traboules" or connective passageways.

The layout of Vieux Lyon is such that there are very few connecting streets running perpendicular to the river. These shortcuts thus allowed workmen and craftsmen to transport clothes and other textiles through the city while remaining sheltered from inclement weather. However, they served other purposes throughout history too...especially for the resistance during WWII. The traboules of Lyon are often credited as one of the reasons why the occupying Nazis were unable to take complete control of these areas.

After purchasing the necessary picnic supplies for our drive to Italy, we set off on the road. The drive was just as beautiful as we could hope for. The leaves were changing colors, so all the hills were different shades of green, yellow, orange, and red. All the way to Lucca, we truly enjoyed the scenery.

Beaune

On our way back to Paris, we stopped this time in a different part of Burgundy, near the celebrated wine village of Beaune. Since we were driving, we booked ourselves at a chateau in a small town of Auxey-Duresses just a ten minute drive outside of Beaune. Yes, you heard right, a chateau! It was Chateau de Melin and was absolutely beautiful. We were the only guests, since it was low season. Our room was enormous and beautifully furnished...and there is just something amazing about staying in a chateau in France.

During the day, we drove around the beautiful countryside and visited some tasting rooms. Unlike in Napa or Sonoma, it is quite unusual to visit the wineries themselves (and you must make reservations in advance). But you can stop in the tasting rooms in many of the small towns where they will offer you several glasses of different wines from the region, and the option to purchase your favorites. We also visited the Hotel Dieu (Charity Hospital) in Beaune. The highlight of the trip was certainly our dinner at Le Relais de la Diligence...and most certainly the highlight of Zookie's entire European experience thus far. They actually have a "Menu Toutou" pour les chiens (for the dogs)...so he feasted on ground beef, pasta, and doggie biscuits, while we had venison and steak. If anything, it made for some hilarious photos!

Bilbao (10/16)

With friends all over the world, I guess it's only natural that we might be attending a wedding in Bilbao, Spain....but I never would have guessed it! Read below about our quick weekend Spanish getaway.

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Bilbao

I never would have guessed that I would be attending a wedding in Bilbao, Spain. And I certainly never would have imagined that 20 of my classmates (or their significant others) from the Stanford GSB would also be there with me. But I guess this is what happens when you go to business school, join a ski house where you are the only student from the U.S., and attend Jazz Fest in New Orleans with a Dutchman, Israeli, Japanese, and Spaniard. And that is where I got to know Jaime Rodriguez. To be fair, we actually met during the "Global Exchange" program during our first quarter at the GSB. We were matched up to meet for coffee and exchange perspectives. But we really got to know each other over the two years, most especially while touring the French Quarter of New Orleans and listening to some great Jazz at the festival.

The wedding was so beautiful, and a completely different experience (dinner wasn't served until 11pm...dancing started at 1am...and the night finished at 4:30am...) The wedding was held at the Casa de Misericordia and was a pretty traditional Catholic ceremony...except it was in Spanish, so who knows what we missed! And the reception was wonderful and held in a beautiful historical building called the Sociedad Bilbaina. Most of all though, it was so wonderful to have a mini-reunion with so many GSB classmates. All in told, there were 20 GSBers (and SOs) there from all over the world. (I'm not sure if Rio or Max wins the award for most miles flown to get to the wedding, from Tokyo v. Mexico City, respectively). Being with so many of our classmates made me realize how much I really miss the excitement of being around GSBers...I always knew it was a special experience, but I don't think I really appreciated how amazing it is when you put a group of us in the same room...something really magical happens.

Of course, we did a little sightseeing while we were in Bilbao. I mean, we couldn't possibly visit the city and not see the famous Guggenheim museum. I expected to hate the museum...really I did. But I found it incredibly intriguing and actually quite beautiful. The architecture really is something completely astonishing...and the art inside, well, lets just say that for modern art, it's actually not that bad.

We also wandered around the Casco Viejo, the old neighborhood of the city. We met a big group of GSB classmates for tapas is the Plaza Nueva...and then afterward, Dan and I decided we were still hungry, so we went for Jamon Iberico at Victor Montez. It was superb!

We got really lucky and snagged a last minute deal on Expedia to stay at the Hotel Carlton. It's still a place to see and be seen: Today you are likely to see such celebrities as Chelsea Clinton or Pierce Brosnan. In days of yore, it was Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway, or Ava Gardner. In the Civil War, the hotel was the seat of the Basque government.

The best part was that the hotel was apparently overbooked, so they upgraded us to a two-room suite! (Don't ask why they didn't upgrade someone else who was paying the rack rate...I'm not complaining!) And it made up for the fact that we had to pay twice for our plane tickets...yes, you read that correctly. Important tip for anyone flying in Europe: almost all airplane tickets are completely non-changeable. This means no standby too! So if you miss your flight (because you overslept and the RER was having mechanical problems), too bad for you. You must purchase an entirely new ticket...at the walk-up full-fare rate. (That is unless you cry and explain the situation...then they might let you buy entirely new tickets at a discounted rate...which will still be more than what you probably paid for your tickets in the first place.) Yes, I am dead serious. Be careful about this one!

Paris-our first month (09/21-10/24)

Our first month in Paris...what an adventure! If you haven't already read Stephen Clarke's "A Year in the Merde," you really should. It's great for a laugh, and should be required reading for anyone moving to the "City of Light." Yes, there really is that much bureaucracy in France...and yes, you do learn to be that patient...but, yes, life is good, the city is romantic, and the cheese is phenomenal.

For photos, click here.

Paris-Our First Month

Kimberly

We arrived in Paris on September 22nd, 2006. Miraculously, we all made it...including our 7 pieces of overweight luggage! Zookie didn't seem to upset by his experience in the cargo hold, except that I think he really needed to go to the bathroom....we think he actually held it the whole time! As Murphy's Law would have it - with all the documenting, certifying, microchiping, etc for Zookie to go to Europe. The security officer at the Paris airport simply gave Kim the crate, and we walked out the door with no more than a glance at Zookie's certificate.

We had already made arrangements to stay in an apartment in the 7th arrondissement, right near the "Bon Marche" department store for the first three weeks. The girl who lived there was going on vacation to Spain, and this provided us a place to stay while we found something more permanent. We knew it wasn't going to be easy because 1) We were looking for a short-term lease 2) We had a dog and 3) We're American. As it turned out, the first two didn't cause a problem at all...Paris seems to be set up for short-term furnished apartment rentals...and everyone LOVES dogs! The issue was our being American, not so much being American, but not being French. In addition to having no credit history in France, foreigners face this dilemma...you need to have a French bank account to rent an apartment, but you need to have an address to open a French bank account... such is the system of French bureaucracy!

After hunting and hunting, we found a wonderful place through an agent that specializes in renting to expats (thus, no annoying French hoops to jump through). It is 40 square meters, which is rather large for a 1BR apartment by Parisian standards. (Yes, that is 400 square feet.) The location is unbeatable though, on the left bank, right near St. Michel, Notre Dame, and St. Germain de Pres...we are really in the heart of Paris, a short walk from almost everything!

We didn't start our teaching jobs until October, so that gave us some time to get settled and situated. We both teach just south of Paris: Kimberly in Montrouge, and Daniel in Bagneux. Kimberly is teaching at a Lycee (or high school) and Daniel splits his week between two different Colleges (or middle schools). Our first two weeks of teaching were actually just "observation"--so we had a chance to see how the classroom dynamic differs from the U.S. The classroom dynamic is much more formal: when a teacher walks into the room, all the students stand until they are told to sit (imagine a judge walking into a courtroom!). The kids all go home at lunchtime...in fact, it seems that they are not allowed to be at the school when they are not in class. So when the bell rings, they have five minutes to get out of the building. Oh, and at middle school, they have a very regimented system for how to take notes: three pens (red, blue, and black) and a ruler...Dan still hasn't figured out what is for what...

During my first few weeks, things went really well. My kids are great (almost all of them). I had only one class where the kids had no questions except 1) How old are you? 2) Are you married? and 3) Are you for or against the war in Iraq? Other than that class, the kids are all very engaged and really interested in talking with me about life in America. They do all ask about Iraq/President Bush within the first 5 minutes (there is only one correct answer to these questions if you live in France)...oh, and they want to know if I own a gun. Funny how a biased media can completely shape a nation's perception of another country....living over here has really made me wonder about how the media affects Americans' views of the world...

The other teachers are so nice and welcoming...I was shocked that my boss organized a welcome party for me and cooked all these crepes (all the other teachers brought cidre...which is my favorite!). I did not appreciate at all what the hardest part of the job might be for me...integrating with the other teachers. I have a whole newfound appreciation for how hard it must have been for all the international students at the GSB. Every time we had a coffee break, I dreaded going to the lunch room because I didn't know how to socialize with the other teachers...I mean my French is OK, but not great...and I wasn't exactly going to butt into any conversations where I only understood 30% of what was being said... It felt really overwhelming! And, like I said, the teachers were all SO nice and friendly, but still it was very intimidating. I'm sure that as I get to know a few of them more closely, friendships will develop and it will become easier.

Oh, and during the lunch hour on my first day (after my party), the teachers had a meeting to organize themselves for a possible strike because the government is proposing a new measure which would mandate the exact curriculum in all the classes, and the teachers would be observed to make sure they don't stray from the curriculum. It was fascinating to watch the "greve" process in action...on my first day of work!

My boss is really encouraging and very supportive. He spent a long time trying to sort out the classes I'm teaching so I have an easier work schedule...and he managed to arrange things so I have to work only on Thursdays and Fridays! Isn't that crazy?! I have 5 day weekends every week!!

Obviously, this leaves a lot of time for traveling and exploring Paris. We have been to most of the major museums and eaten in many wonderful (but awfully expensive) restaurants. We even took a weekend trip to Bilbao Spain, for the wedding of a Stanford classmate of mine! Oh, and after only three weeks of teaching, we were off on a two-week vacation for "Toussaint" holiday. (literally All Saints Day). We'll try to post photos soon from that trip through central France and in Italy.

In the meanwhile, here are some our favorites, The Best of Paris:

Best Cheese: St. Marcellin (a creamy cheese that melts as it reaches room temperature, so they serve it in a ramekin and you eat it with a spoon).

Best Restaurants:

La Litote
24, rue Bosquet - 75007 Paris - Tel: 01 45 51 78 82
http://www.la-litote-paris.com/
(An amazing little restaurant with surprisingly contemporary decor, warm service, and amazing Provence inspired food...and it is incredibly reasonably priced for Paris.)

Le P'tit Troquet
28, rue de l'Exposition - 75007 Paris Tel: 01 47 05 80 39
(Traditional French Bistro food at its best. The 30 Euro prix fixe for three courses is a steal!)

L'As du Falafel
34, Rue des Rosiers - 75004 Paris - Tel: 01 48 87 63 60
(Yes, this is THE famous falafel place in the Marais (the old Jewish Quarter)...and yes, it is Lenny Kravitz's favorite falafel place...and yes, I do think it's the best falafel in the world!)

A Priori The
35, Galerie Vivienne - 75002 Paris - Tel : 01 42 97 48 75
(Wonderful Salon du The (meaning open only in the afternoons for lunch and tea) that also serves a fabulous Sunday brunch. It is run by an American woman who makes what might be the best brownies and cheesecake I have ever had.)

Oh, and if you are hungry at any odd hour of the day or night, you cannot go wrong with any one of the following French staples, found all over the city.
-Crepe (Nutella)
-Panini (Mozarella et Tomates)
-Millefeuille
-Pain au Chocolat
-Macaroon
-Tarte framboise
....and the list goes on!