As the date for my chorale concert approaches, our rehearsals are increasing in both frequency and intensity. This is wonderful for me because working with my fellow choristes allows me to learn more of the nuances of the songs and have a more enjoyable learning experience. We’ve had some interesting répètes, like trying to learn an entire church program in one hour before the service, but things are coming together quite well. I’ve finished the 80% « easy ground work » and am wandering through the 20% « nitpicky » phase. Oh well, the rewards for personal growth don’t come with challenges.
This past Sunday, I ran a 10K race with my friend L. She wasn’t going to because her hip hurt, but at the last minute she decided to join the race and helped me keep my pace. We finished in a respectable time of 50 minutes for 6 miles. It’s hard to believe that this would’ve been impossible for me 7 years ago. In other health news, I’ve been stocking up on vegetables for soups and salads. Hopefully all of those vitamins and minerals will keep me from getting ill this winter !
Stay tuned for more updates about my recent trips to Metz, differences between blogging in Senegal and in France, and the holiday activities in Europe !
Friday, December 4, 2009
Luxembourg
The German assistant S who lives in my building was going home last weekend and offered to give anyone headed to Metz or Luxembourg a ride. Since my American friends spread out through France were sick or busy that weekend, I decided « Why not ? » and hopped in the car. We had some very pleasant conversation in French for 1.5 hours – though S speaks English, she prefers French and it helps to maintain some semblance of immersion. She had too much faith in my multilingual abilities and asked me to read some directions in German – I could only pick out the words which were English and French cognates. Parking was rather difficult to find in Luxembourg City (the national capital and largest city). All of the signs were in French, though people were speaking German and Luxembourgish (a German dialect which has diverged from High German).
I left S at a jewelry shop and walked to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It is a lovely well-used church with some beautiful gold artwork (sculpture, paintings ?) and gorgeous vitrines (stained-glass windows). Then, I strolled along the main shopping boulevard and marveled at the wide variety of shops : home furnishings, health food stores, fashion from Milan and Paris, exotic curiosity shops from the « Third World. » Ensuite, I bought a pizza which was assez chère, which I expected. According to S, many Germans and French work in Luxembourg but live on the frontiers of their respective countries because the cost of living and wages are quite high. My waiter said « S’il vous plait » instead of the more commonly used « De rien » or « Je vous en prie » for « You’re welcome. »
The highlight of my visit was a tour of the Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art. The first floor was an interactive exhibit which told the story of how Siegfriend, the city’s founder, supposedly married Mélusine , a mermaid who lived in the nearby river. At the end of the presentation, the narrator added that the story didn’t exist until the late 1800. My Medieval French Literature course had discussed the appropriation and renewal of medievalism as a cultural movement in the 19th century, so it was quite exciting to see another example. Other notable parts of the exhibition included the Royal Throne and a retrospective on the 1960s in Luxembourg and the rise of consumerism. I took a few photos, but was stopped by a security guard before I got too far.
In addition to the permanent exhibition the Musée had also curated a special exposition on Questions of Life and Death. Small partitions were placed on the upper two floors to create little rooms, each of which focused on a theme. The Glorificatio of Serial Killers in Popular Culture, War Criminal or National Hero, Is Your Neighbor Capable of Genocide ? are some examples. By far, the creepiest part of my visit occured in a chamber dedicated to tracking criminal activity. I looked around and saw a TV in the corner. Glancing a tit, I saw a man in a sweatsuit and sunglasses who was carrying a knife follow me around the chamber. Thankfully, it turned out to be a prerecorded scene which played for every visitor, but it still freaked me out. The top level hosted some chambers dedicated to more personal issues such as abortions and euthansia and asked guests to drop a card in bins to see for what they would be willing to kill. Most cards ended up in the « To protect myself and/or my loved ones, » but « For money » or « For fame » had some representation as well. The entrance/exit of the musuem is guarded by the last guillotine to be used in Luxembourg in 1821.
I walked 20 minutes to the central gare, crossing the more modern part of the city and seeing the same major shops as throughout all of Europe. My ticket back to Nancy cost a mere 12 euros (20 bucks) and the trip lasted only half an hour. I was asked to show my passport 10 minutes from home but otherwise it wasn’t necessary in the open borders of the Union Européenne. Small day trips, such as to Metz this weekend, are nice little chances for tranquil exploration in between the hectic « must see everything TODAY » pace of international voyages.
I left S at a jewelry shop and walked to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It is a lovely well-used church with some beautiful gold artwork (sculpture, paintings ?) and gorgeous vitrines (stained-glass windows). Then, I strolled along the main shopping boulevard and marveled at the wide variety of shops : home furnishings, health food stores, fashion from Milan and Paris, exotic curiosity shops from the « Third World. » Ensuite, I bought a pizza which was assez chère, which I expected. According to S, many Germans and French work in Luxembourg but live on the frontiers of their respective countries because the cost of living and wages are quite high. My waiter said « S’il vous plait » instead of the more commonly used « De rien » or « Je vous en prie » for « You’re welcome. »
The highlight of my visit was a tour of the Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art. The first floor was an interactive exhibit which told the story of how Siegfriend, the city’s founder, supposedly married Mélusine , a mermaid who lived in the nearby river. At the end of the presentation, the narrator added that the story didn’t exist until the late 1800. My Medieval French Literature course had discussed the appropriation and renewal of medievalism as a cultural movement in the 19th century, so it was quite exciting to see another example. Other notable parts of the exhibition included the Royal Throne and a retrospective on the 1960s in Luxembourg and the rise of consumerism. I took a few photos, but was stopped by a security guard before I got too far.
In addition to the permanent exhibition the Musée had also curated a special exposition on Questions of Life and Death. Small partitions were placed on the upper two floors to create little rooms, each of which focused on a theme. The Glorificatio of Serial Killers in Popular Culture, War Criminal or National Hero, Is Your Neighbor Capable of Genocide ? are some examples. By far, the creepiest part of my visit occured in a chamber dedicated to tracking criminal activity. I looked around and saw a TV in the corner. Glancing a tit, I saw a man in a sweatsuit and sunglasses who was carrying a knife follow me around the chamber. Thankfully, it turned out to be a prerecorded scene which played for every visitor, but it still freaked me out. The top level hosted some chambers dedicated to more personal issues such as abortions and euthansia and asked guests to drop a card in bins to see for what they would be willing to kill. Most cards ended up in the « To protect myself and/or my loved ones, » but « For money » or « For fame » had some representation as well. The entrance/exit of the musuem is guarded by the last guillotine to be used in Luxembourg in 1821.
I walked 20 minutes to the central gare, crossing the more modern part of the city and seeing the same major shops as throughout all of Europe. My ticket back to Nancy cost a mere 12 euros (20 bucks) and the trip lasted only half an hour. I was asked to show my passport 10 minutes from home but otherwise it wasn’t necessary in the open borders of the Union Européenne. Small day trips, such as to Metz this weekend, are nice little chances for tranquil exploration in between the hectic « must see everything TODAY » pace of international voyages.
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