Take these chances, place them in a box until a quieter time

This past week or so we have been very busy sitting in on Political Institute classes. I think I am taking at least two (Political History of France and Globalization and Sovereignty) and possibly two more after I sit them on Tuesday (Image and Event and Philosophy, Social Science, and Cinema). Last Tuesday we had a grève, a strike, of the professors, so there were no classes that day. Apparently there is another one on Thursday. They are protesting the implementation of changes in the teaching process that they feel are not sound/productive/in agreement with how material should be taught.

I am also going to be looking into the literature courses that I will be taking. I probably only need one or two but I circled four. I have to go to the department office tomorrow to establish what times the courses might be at.

In other news, the internet has returned (hopefully for good), the television is streaming French digital cable, and the fixed phone line is free outgoing calls to the States / French fixed lines and free incoming calls. Email me (asl3w at virginia) if you would like the new phone number, or we can just Skype.

Now, pictures. I just discovered that if you click on a thumbnail, it takes you to a full size view of the image. Try that!


Screenshot of the crowds in DC for inauguration, and CNN telling us the wind chill is 17 Fahrenheit.


Random window display along the Saône river.


Passerelle (I forget which one) over the Saône.


You can see the Alps on a clear day! We posited that the big one might be Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe (excluding the Ural Mountains).


A trompe à l'oeil, or trick of the eye (mirage) in Presqu'île. The whole block was covered in these realistic paintings -- I chose this one because the lion is one of the symbols of Lyon.


Graffiti reading "love our children," and me being excited about it.


Galette au fromage et tomate, a cheese and tomato buckwheat crêpe for Saturday lunch.


Crêpe beurre-sucre (butter and sugar) for a lunchtime dessert.


Pont de Lafayette at night.