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.