TAIZE LINK

The brothers at Taize are tech saavy and in the 21st century! Thanks to Eric Vin, who sent us the link below, which will take you to a podcast of the services in TAIZE. You may recognize our voices in the background, he quipped!!?? √
http://WWW.taize.fr/IMG/mp3/taize_podcast_2011_01_24.mp3">

Last Two Days in Paris

During our last two days in Paris, many of us visited several museums, especially the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, a train station transformed into a wonderful space to exhibit everything from sculptures to furniture and the most famous impressionist paintings, tomb of Napoleon and the adjoining museums concerning the liberation of Paris and the deportation of Jews and resistance fighters. Some of us also visited a more unusual exhibit--the sewers of Paris! Because the FIAP, our youth hostel was already fully booked for the last two days we had to move to the Hotel Opera Cadet, a very nice three-star establishment located in the Rue Cadet, about 3 metro stops from the Opera on the right bank of Paris. To conclude our stay in Paris, we enjoyed a group dinner at a favorite restaurant of previous Luther groups, Cafe Caramel on Rue St. Jacques, where two Luther alumni, Bill Vollman and Nicole Matusinec, both living in Paris for many years, joined us. Tomorrow, at 9 am, we board a bus for the airport Charles De Gaulle and our flight home. It has been a great experience--a bientot!!!
The photos show a church in Lyon, students on a bench in Taize, Dinner at the Cafe Caramel, a Louvre museum courtyard, the red marble tomb of Napoleon, a street in Paris, the Seine river with tourist boat, the old opera building in Paris. Other photos will be posted soon, for example of our visit to the Bread Observer, a magazine that monitors bread consumption in France. Thanks to Bill and Stephanie for a great presentation! Many pictures will follow, once we get back and have time to organize them!

PARIS --the first evening and full day

After a 4.5 hour bus ride, we entered Paris around 5:30 pm and got installed at the FIAP, an international youth hostel (really a 3 star hotel after roughing it at Taize). After eating dinner at the FIAP we got on the Metro and arrived at the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) just in time to watch the glitter of strobe lights that sparkle for 5 minutes every hour on the hour. We walked to Trocadero and amazingly, while walking to the Arc de Triomphe on a side street, encountered one of our newly-acquired friends from Taize, Shane from Dublin! We got to the Etoile (the star) at the center of which the Arc de Triomphe is suituated, and walked down the Avenue des Champs Elysee all the way to the Place de la Concorde at which a giant obelisk sits in front of an even larger ferris wheel. We walked along the north side of the Tuilleries park to the Louvre and admired the building s from the outside before finally taking the Metro home to a well-deserved bed and sleep. At 8:00 am we were up for breakfast (cereal, bread, butter, jam, orange juice, coffee or tea) before leaving for a whole day of running around Paris--St. Michel (the left bank area where students like to hang out) the flower market, the police headquarters and voila! Notre Dame's imposing towers appeared. After spending almost an hour inside we walked to the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) probably the most decorative city hall building in the world in front of which we took a group shot. Amazingly, some of us stumnled upon another of our Taize friends, Colin and Sheryl there!


Then we walked to the Centre Pompidou, a large exhibition hall in a modern style that we did not appreciate very much, but found Les Halles, a shopping center built on the site of the famous old central market place of Paris and then moved on to Sacré-Cœur, a church built on the highest point overlooking Paris, called Montmatre. Wandering through cobblestone streets, we came to the Place du Tertre. famous because many painters set up their easels in this quaint little square. It is surrounded by restaurants and some of us decided to eat lunch there.
The 26 of us split up, a number walking down to the Moulin Rouge then took the metro to La Grande Arche situated at the end of the Metro line number 1 in the modern business district of Paris called La Defense (because it was where a sculpture honoring French troops who held off Germans in WWI is located) See photo of "LC" on the steps! There we also saw a large thumb sculpture [another photo] and one of the world's greatest free span of concrete, a shell housing a shopping center. Several others split from the group and the rest of us headed for refreshments at a brasserie before taking the metro to meet the whole group for a lecture on French bread, given by a market research group for which Bill Vollman, LC 85 works as a consultant. We sampled wine (langedoc) and a multitude of different breads. Then took off for dinner and bed--a full day, to say the least. Tomorrow and Wednesday will be spent visiting lots of museums before heading back to Chicago and home on Thursday. More photos to come

Taize - Mid week post

Greetings from Taize. We managed to find internet, but it is a very bad computer so this post will be short. The class is going well in this new stage. We are all well used to getting to the three services a day which are quite interesting. There is no sermon, the service rather consists of chants, a scripture reading, some short prayers and a very long silence for prayer, meditation, reading scripture, or other silent activities. The food is good and the company is fantastic. We have made friends from Slovania, Norway, Germany, France, Belgium, California... you name it. It's a wonderful way to bring the "Making Peace" part of our course to life as we eat and attend services with our new friends. Personally, I have had several very meaningful discussions relating to religion and politics with my new acquaintences. There are so many diverse opinions circulating the world, if only one could document them all.

In short, we are enjoying our time in this community, but even so, we are getting excited for Paris. We'll post again soon with pictures from the beautiful Taize.

Karl

Photos of Lyon, second upload

Hello from Lyon. We leave tomorrow for Taize where we will not have any internet, so there will be no posts for several days, sorry for that. To make up for our silence, here is a batch of photos from Lyon depicting two tours we took and other various frivolity we partook in. Lyon is so interesting, from the lowest bricks of its architecture, to the highest calorie food, simply amazing to learn about.

Here is the link for the pictures. Stay safe and we'll post again in several days.

More Lyon Photos

Photos of Lyon Days

Au Revoir Italy...Bonjour France!

Hello again to our loyal blog followers.

Our class has now had a few days to settle into our new surroundings in Lyon, France--the nation's food capital. The city has already provided us with some lessons in history and gastronomy (the perfect fit for our course). A two day museum pass and all day metro passes gave us free reign to tour the sites of our choice. Most noteworthy were class visits to the "Centre d'Histoire de La Resistance Et De La Deportation" (a museum highlighting the occupation and resistance in France during WWII) and the "Lumiere Museum" where we explored the very beginnings of movie making. The museum itself is located within the Villa of Antoine Lumiere who invented cinematography in 1895. My personal favorite was a trip to the "Musee de Beaux Arts" which houses works by reknowned artists such as Renior, Monet, Pisarro, Picasso, Miro, and Matisse.

We checked out the acoustics at an old Roman Amphitheatre. A few of our talented choir folks performed some Christmas at Luther magic for a diverse audience. While there, we met fellow performers from Spain, France, and Madagascar. Each group was impressive and enjoyable to interact with despite the language barrier.

In addition to all the sights we've seen, we've also had our fair share of French cuisine...but I'll leave insight on our culinary experiences to another blogger.

We'll be in touch again soon and pictures will follow!
Danielle

A Most Delicious Meal in the Countryside of Assisi

January 12, 2011: Our guide, Anne Robichaud [visit her website: Annesitaly.com for more info about Assisi and the region of Umbria, its food and culture], led us in three large taxi-vans to an old country store and restaurant called Da Giovannino near her home and farm several miles outside of Assisi. She has known the family that operates the store and restaurant for some 30 years and recounted how she and her Italian husband celebrated their wedding feast there. The restaurant is famous in the region for the quality of its polenta, a simple dish of tomato sauce and meat served on a bed of corn meal spread out on wooden boards over a yard in length. Most of the ingredients are grown and raised on the local farms. Below you can read the descriptions of this unique experience by several of our student participants [photos will be posted shortly]:
The corn meal was heavy, yet wonderful.The texture complements the taste. The meat sauce was, in short, incredible. The several types of meat, along with a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce, made the meal a real treat. (Karl Gilbertson)

My favorite part of the lunch at Giovannino’s was knowing the history of the restaurant. It was great to hear stories about the role the family and their business has played in the community. (Kia Johnson)

I really enjoyed the sense of community of the meal, which was apparent in the presentation of the polenta as well as the stories we heard about the restaurant. The fact that it is run by the same family that started the original grocery store also evokes a warm sense of community. Sharing the experience with classmates and professors was an important aspect as well. (Kirsten Indrelie)

As a guest in the restaurant, I could really feel a sense of pride in family. It was a truly wonderful and unique experience to hear the history of the restaurant and the grocery store, then getting to experience the food first-hand. The “family meal” was an absolutely fantastic experience that will surely stand as one of my favorite meals in Italy, and a memorable experience that I will treasure for a lifetime. (Michaela Hill)

My experience at this lovely restaurant was definitely a highlight of my stay in Assisi I really enjoyed meeting the workers and chefs as well as seeing all of the fresh ingredients first-hand. Of course, eating the polenta was an extremely delicious experience! What a treat! (Michele Boursier)

Our experience at Giovannino’s ristorante was truly unique. It was so fascinating to hear the history of the area, store, and restaurant before we ate, and to learn about the food of the area. The polenta was delicious, and I loved how everyone just ate right off of a communal board in the middle of the table! (Matthew Umphreys)

Giovannino’s ristorante was an excellent experience. I really loved being able to have an authentic eating experience while in Umbria. Thank you so much for your hospitality! (Erin McWilliams)

Giovannino’s provided an fabulous experience. It was amazing to see how peasant culture and traditions have been preserved to inform today’s culture. Polenta starts as such a simple dish, but can be transformed into something really fantastic. (Benjamin Kofoed)

Who knew “peasant food” could be so tasty? I have had polenta before but none quite like this! It was especially memorable eating it in the “peasant” family style, which Anne recommended. It provided a deeper look into the Umbrian culture. When I bring my parents to Italy in the future, Giovannino’s will be a must. (Collin Meyer)

Meeting Marcello

We were walking up the road to Rocca Maggiore (castle where Frederick of Swabia lived when he was two) when Uwe was stopped by a man coming out into the street. He wanted the group to come see his "presepe" (manger scene). So we entered his courtyard and admired meticulously carved figures of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the shepherds and animals. The artist, Marcello, then invited us into his house to see his workshop [check out photos posted shortly], where, with a warm fire burning in the hearth, we saw many wood and ceramic carving projects, mainly restorations, as he explained. This man, 88 years young, is a master carver. (He said that Ruth was "professoressa" but we he was "maestro"). He has worked in all the churches of Assisi, and elsewhere, and showed us his picture with Pope John XXIII at the presentation of one of his works. Rapidly transitioning from his work, family, projects and life, Marcello made it challenging for Ruth to translate for the benefit of the group. The most amazing revelation came when he explained that during World War II he had been a prisoner of war in Germany and still recalls the joy he felt when American troops liberated him. Some were Italo-Americans, yelling, "paisan!"(countryman). This is why he stopped us: he is so grateful to Americans (for us, a refreshing reaction). Andrew Becklin in our group was particularly moved by this story, since his grandfather, an Italo-American, had liberated troops in Germany. Neither he nor Marcello could recall names and places, but nevertheless, a connection was made. We left him, waving good-bye, as he stood in his doorway, looking towards a lovely view of Rocca Minore [the smaller of two fortifications that overlook Assisi].

A few days later, after our walk down Mt. Subasio, which towers over Assisi, Uwe and Ruth were enjoying the sun at the Café del Duomo when Uwe saw Marcello and invited him for a coffee. He remembered that we were leaving the next day, asked us how our stay was, and then inquired how things were going in the U.S., commenting on the financial crises in Italy and the fact that young people can't find work, wondering why this was so. (Some of this conversation took place in German and Uwe was amazed at how well he still spoke it after all those years since his captivity).

When Ruth asked him how his diet was, he said he had no restrictions but then lamented the "junk" sold in supermarkets, and the dioxin issue in Germany (recently in the news). Bidding us a final farewell, he hopped on his moped and sped away up the steep hill to his home. [See photo below!]

Assisi Third Batch of photos

I hope you've looked at the post below, written about our adventure today down the mountain. To add to the post, here are several photos that complement the description.

Assisi Batch Three

Adventures on Mt. Subasio by Kirsten and Michaela

This morning started with a lovely hike on Mt. Subasio. The views from the top were simply fantastic and we were blessed with wonderful weather. The clouds hung low over the city of Assisi and it's surrounding countryside, creating a blanket of sky that was truly majestic. While the wind was chilly and strong, the sun shone brightly and we were eager to begin the trek to the hermitage of St. Francis. The hermitage was situated in the mountainside about half way down Mt. Subasio. The hermitage was silent and spiritual, and it appeared that we were some of the only people visiting- despite the fact that monks currently reside in the building. Making our way through the hermitage was a unique experience. It consisted of a series of small, stone-walled rooms that were accessible by doorways through which each one of us had to duck. The rooms were extremely simple, containing only a piece of religious artwork, if anything at all. Eventually we emerged from the building on the other side, through what seemed like the smallest doorway of all. From there we made our way up a path in the woods which was adorned with statues, one of St. Francis lying peacefully on the ground. After exploring the area a bit, we followed the uscita (exit) path around the hermitage to the entrance. From there some of us continued down Mt. Subasio, stopping at a gorgeous overlook to eat the lunches prepared for us by the hotel staff. Uwe lead a group (Michaela, Inga and Britta) down a "trail" that headed in the most direct path to Assisi. This adventure meant a straight-down path of rocks that was treacherous to say the least. We all made it back with no major injuries, through sore muscles tomorrow will be no surprise. The afternoon was left unscheduled; we were free to wander around Assisi as we pleased. The day was finished with another delicious meal prepared by the restaurant staff. All in all, a wonderful, though somewhat tiring, day with great memories.

2011 Jterm Assisi Photos 2nd Batch

Assisi Photos Batch 2

More photos for you, enjoy!

2011 Jterm Greccio Assisi 1st Batch of Photos

Greetings from Assisi. We've posted a few of the pictures from our trip from Rome to Assisi, by way of Greccio, a favorite hermitage of St. Francis of Assisi. Photos in this post include photos of Greccio, an abode located in a hillside overlooking a fantastic vista below. Since St. Francis initiated the "Creche," or manger scene, the exhibit included many unique Creches from around the world, in addition to the quarters where St. Francis and his followers meditated.

We arrived in Assisi and settled into our lodging, the Cittadella Ospitalita', home to an organization run by lay Catholics. The rooms are neither lavish, nor austere, but quite comfortable. The three meals a day that we are provided consist of three to four courses each of very well prepared Italian food.

Assisi is a lovely Italian hillside town where you literally walk uphill no matter where you are going. All buildings are built with stone, of which 85% were damaged in the 1997 earthquake. These buildings have been beautifully restored at great expense to the Italian public, but from our eyes, the job was well worth it, the buildings are exquisite. Assisi is the hometown of St. Francis, as well as St. Clare. St. Francis, born in 1182 as the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. Francis, after spending a year in captivity in a dungeon as a prisoner of war, decided to reject wealth, clothes, and his father. He took off his clothes in the public square, throwing them at his father and embraced a life of poverty. He believed that possession of objects, or the desire to, was the root of all conflict. If one had no possessions, there would be no conflict. He attracted a large following, including St. Clare, both of whom are buried in basilicas in Assisi, one at each end of the town. You can find out a lot more about Assisi and St. Francis at Anne's Italy.

Anne Robichaud, the author of the blog above and a long time resident of Assisi, gave us a wonderfully detailed tour of the historic city, after which, half of the group climbed up and up and up to the Rocca Maggiore, the papal castle situated above Assisi.

The phtos, as promised, are linked below, simply click on the link and you should be taken to the photo album. Please leave a comment if they are not working. There are more to come, now that we have figured out the internet in Assisi. Stay safe and stay tuned. Arrivederci!

2011 Jterm Greccio Assisi 1st Batch of Photos

2011 Jterm: Rome first three days

Rome, first three days

Sorry for the problems with the pictures from Rome. Clicking on this link should take you to the album without problems.

Ned, our super guide with the Anglo-Italo accent we loved is pointing out the highlights of the Coloseum and the Roman Forum

The Rudolf Perspective

After landing in Rome, we toured some of the key ancient sites of the city: the Coloseum and the Roman forum. Our guide, Edward (Ned), is an Italian whose English mother gave him a charming accent. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and great at explaining much of the history in ways that even non-history majors could appreciate. The students were able to handle jet-lag well and only a few nodded slightly now and then. His tour of the Vatican museums the following day was even more informative and gave the students a wonderful overview of art history.
We visited the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the UN, where we were graciously received by Keith Wiebe and his wife, Jill, an American couple, both graduates of Carleton College in Northfield, MN, who have spent the last four years in Rome. Keith gave a talk summarizing the issues of global hunger in a stunningly succinct yet comprehensive way. It was so perfectly attuned to our course subject that this talk alone was worth the entire trip!!! Thank you, Keith and Jill!!

The photos in our slide show looking down on Rome were taken from the roof of the FAO building where we had lunch. Jill took the best group photo so far. Today (Friday) we were given a tour of San Clemente Basilica, a church that is actually 4 houses of worship, one on top of another, the very bottom being a temple site from early Roman times used by a cult of Mithra. Above it was a 1st century church, above that a church from the 4th century and at contemporary ground level, the church from the 12th century!!! Tomorrow we head to Assisi, where internet access will be a bit sketchy, so don't expect posts until we get to Lyon after the 13th of January.

"It's time to change" An experience by Rachel and Inga:

After spending hours exploring the ancient Roman baths, we were ready to indulge in some local Italian flavor. We happened to wander into a little coffee shop that seemed to be quite popular with the local people. At this quaint cafe, we were introduced to dozens of croissants, tortes, and pastries. While we stewed over what to order, the locals became a bit impatient as they nudged through to get their rush of afternoon espresso. Finally Rachel decided to order a donut (something she was able to name). Not wanting to hold up the line she attempted to order. Immediately the waiter shook his head and said, "No, you must change." A bit confused at what this meant, Rachel followed the waiter to the other side of the display case. He pointed out several of the local favorites. Though none of us could understand the names, we recognized some had pistachio, and others had vanilla or chocolate cream. Feeling a bit rushed and confused, we each pointed to one and also ordered a cafe latte. After we ordered the waiter handed us our treats. Just then, the waiter shooed us into the tiny back room to dine without having yet paid. Though we were afraid we would be charged extra for being waited on as tourists, we followed our "orders". After trying the pastries we could have cared less if we were going to be over-charged because the pastries were better than any bakery treat we had tried before. But as we went to pay we were pleasantly surprised. It turns out that no one was trying to take advantage of us. It was very clear that we were tourists, and this native was just trying to give us a taste of his native cuisine. And as it turned out, the man working in the cafe was right. It was time for a change.

Rome, FAO and Sights

The first several days of the trip have been wonderful, and exhausting... wonderfully exhausting. After our lengthy plane ride over, during which I personally did not sleep, we were treated to a day of sightseeing and a guided tour. I felt like such a tourist, going to such requisite tourist havens such as the Colosseum and the Forum, guided by our new good friend and tourguide, Ned, a man who had the voice of a news anchor and fought fiercely with guards to earn us entry into reserved places.

To end the day, which for many of us had been around 26 hours straight, we all tucked into beds not quite so soft as Luther's, but I think I can say without exception, that not a single one of us cared that night.

Over the last couple of days, we have been privileged to see St. Peter's Cathedral, the Vatican Museum, the Pantheon, the Baths, Spanish Steps and Giolitti, the source of the most incredible gelato in the world, no joke.

Soon we leave for Assisi, and hopefully I will find some one else from this trip to elaborate on those days. Till then,
Karl