So Happy Together

Well, HIP2012 is officially over.

That few students are trickling home from free travel,

and all we have now is the weight we added from too many Nutella crepes

& a lifetime of memories from our spring in France.

We also have this video,

which we can always look back on

when we are missing our HIP family,

the fun times we had together exploring,

the deliciously famous meals of the FIAP,

&, of course, our favorite city- Paris.

Normandy Trip

Normandy Trip

First off, let me say that this trip was executed at a very very fast pace, so if it seems like I am jumping from place to place…it’s because we were. The first stop on our two day Normandy trip was Giverny, the home of the well-known impressionist painter Claude Monett.  Here we were able to see the beautiful gardens that he made himself. You will probably recognize the famous water lilies that were his muse time and time again.

 From here we traveled all day to a little village in Normandy where we stayed at a fantastic B&B. Needless to say we all loved it. We all sat down to a home cooked meal after our long day in the French countryside. None of us had trouble sleeping that night. We woke up the next morning to a breakfast equally as good as the meal from the night before. Fresh coffee, coffee cake and sunshine made for perfect travel conditions.

 And travel we did. Our first stop was Mont Saint Michel. This was quite a sight to see. Set on an “island” it was unlike anything I’d seen before. Unfortunately we were pressed for time and were unable to go inside, but we were all happy to be able to finally see it. I should mention that our professor Britton Lynn had waited 15 years to see it, he was ecstatic to say the least.

 Forty minutes after seeing Mont Saint Michel we were off again, our destination, Sainte Mere-Eglise. Famous for being a battle zone during Operation Overlord on June 6^th, 1944 it was liberated by the 82^nd Airborne Division. Now there resides an Airborne museum in the town along with a manikin paratrooper hanging from the church steeple.  We then set off for the American landing beaches. Utah and Omaha beaches were the beaches where the American Allied forces invaded France on D-Day. Standing there on the beaches, knowing what had taken place there less than a century ago, it was moving and sobering place to be.

 After spending half an hour per beach drove to our final stop before catching our train back to Paris. We visited the American War Memorial site. I have never seen so many grave markers in my life. The loss of lives during WWII is mind blowing and again very sobering. Standing there among the head stones you realize how much a sacrifice is made during war and how short life is. Sadly we had a train to catch back in Caen, so our stay at the memorial was also very short. I have always had a love for WWII history, and seeing these places was one of the best times of my life. I am glad the I and everyone else on our trip was able to experience it as well and maybe one day we will get to go back.

HIP 2012 on Utah Beach

~Andrew Hervey

Mont Saint Michel

Claude Monet

82nd Airborne Division

Musee d'Orsay et Musee L'Orangerie

Today we went to the Musee d’Orsay and the Musee L’Orangerie. I highly recommend going to see both museums on the same day. L’Orangerie is a fairly small building and can easily be seen in about an hour. The main room to go see are the Monet Water Lilies rooms. These pieces are some of Monet’s most famous.

After you leave the L’Orangerie, you should head towards the Musee d’Orsay. The d’Orsay is considerably larger than the L’Orangerie. In the d’Orsay I suggest that you go see the Impressionist hall, the Toulouse lauTrec section, and finally the Palais Garnier model. It is also inside of a famous old train station, which is pretty neat!

The Impressionist hall is full of beautiful paintings including many pointillist painting. Pointillism is my favorite style of the impressionists. This hall has something to offer everyone!

The Toulouse lauTrec section is amazing because it gives you a  look into life in Paris during 

the Belle Epoque. His work is some of my favorite because it so beautifully displays his time.

The Palais Garnier model was by far my favorite part in the d’Orsay. It is SO cool! When we went to see the actual Palais Garnier I had a hard time imagining the Phantom of the Opera actually being able to haunt like the myth says. But when I saw the model it all made sense. We only saw a small, very small, portion of the actual building. It is MASSIVE! The basement is huge and above the ceiling there is a massive attic where the chandelier pulley is!

Just seeing these few things makes visiting these two museums VERY worthwhile.

COFFEE!!!

Coffee has been a popular drink in France since the 17th century when the Ambassador from Sultan, Mehmed IV, brought coffee beans with him on a trip to Paris. The french drink their coffee much differently than we do in the states. They don’t typically add milk or sugar. If they do either it is in very small quantities. They enjoy it at all hours of the day here as well.

In France it’s not hard to get a cup o’ joe, because there are hundreds of cafes around any city. The amount of cafes further makes it evident the cultural importance of coffee. And that being able to sit and enjoy your coffee is also very important. The idea of “to-go” coffee isn’t really widespread in France, it’s an American idea.

The french press is a device used to brew coffee that is native to France. It involves pouring hot water and coffee grounds into the press, letting it steep, and then pushing the grounds down to the bottom with the plunger.  Many French people enjoy making their coffee this way. I have found that I LOVE coffee from made with a press. Another French favorite is espresso, which is basically a shot of caffeine. It is done by pouring hot water, under high pressure, through finely ground beans.

As an uneducated American I used to always drink my coffee with a TON of creamer and sugar. But when I arrived in France, I decided to try it the real way. Literally changed my life. I don’t think I’ll ever drink coffee the “American” way again.

HIP Takes England

This past weekend,

HIP lugged our luggage to Gare Du Nord

and set off an underwater voyage through the English French Channel

 for a five day trip to England.

It was glorious.

We stayed in Central London

at the Janet Poole House on Gower Street.

We visited saw all the sites that make London one of the world's favorite cities:

 Shakespeare's Globe Theater,  St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square & The Borough Market.

We trekked north to Oxford to visit the famous academic hotspot

and had lunch in Tolkien & CS Lewis's favorite spot, The Eagle & Child.

Then we trekked a little west to Stratford-Upon-Avon

where we saw Shakespeare's birth place & his play, The Tempest.

And we ate a lot of REALLY good food.

Basically, we had an overall blast.

Have you been to London?

Were you a student like us?

 What are some of your favorite memories?

*all images via

La Butte Montmartre

Espace Dali

Being a huge Salvador Dali fan, I couldn't let the opportunity to see a Dali museum just past me by! And when I found out it was in Montmartre, one of my favorite places to go in Paris, I was ecstatic. Espace Dali is a must see because it houses Dali originals, across his career.

Also in the museum is a chapel where he and other artists worshipped and the chapel itself is a fantastic example of trompe l’oiel, “trick of the eye.” This museum is one of the many reasons why I love Montmartre, it eloquently and deeply captures the sense of artistic freedom and liveliness that you get when you climb the steps up to Montmartre.

Sacre Coeur

Sacre Coeur is the Catholic basilica that is up on the top of Montmartre. At first glance, you'd think it was built several centuries ago. However, to my surprise and probably yours as well, its only around a hundred years old. Crazy, I know! But regardless, it is a gorgeous building. Not only is the outside of this building astounding, but the inside is equally impressive. The inside of the dome is absolutely breathtaking.Go to a service while there, because the organ is gorgeous. It is awe-inspiring because of the care and consideration that was taken when building it and in taking care of it throughout the years. But remember, pictures are NOT allowed inside!

Youri (and other street performers)

I highly recommend making your excursion to Montmartre on a warm Saturday afternoon. Not only will the weather be fantastic and the view overlooking Paris gorgeous but you will also get to hear my favorite street performer play, Youri. Every saturday he plays on the steps of Sacre Coeur, of course he had to get a petition to be able to do so! He mainly performs covers of popular songs but he also performs his own original works as well. This is a concert you do NOT want to miss!

And if Youri isn’t your “cup of tea” ,well have no fear there are many other performers in Montmarte, all of whom are very talented. There are musicians, mimes, human statues, and many different types of performers all around this little village!

Parisians, their Love Locks, and their Public Display of Affection

Parisians, their Love Locks, and their Public Display of Affection

Blogged by Marcus Bellamy

In the states, PDA is typically frowned upon, wherever you are; keep it private because no one wants to see that!  A common enough phrase is “Get a room!” which is said to any couple who is display their affection in public too much.

But in Paris?

That’s not the case at all!  Couples from young…

 …to old…

…show absolutely no shame in displaying their love for one another in Paris.

This brings me to the Love Locks Bridges.  Regardless of its origin – some claim that it began in Paris while still others say that it began in Italy – the Love Locks Bridges in Paris have been a symbol of everlasting love since the early 2000s.

Couples come to these bridges with a lock and key.  Once there, they inscribe their names or initials upon the lock, a significant date in their relationship, and lock the lock on the bridge.  After this, the couple throws the key into the River Seine, symbolizing that the key to unlocking their affection for each is now lost beneath the waves of the Seine.  Nowadays, some bring a combination lock instead, which loses the meaning, in my opinion; the method of opening the lock is a number, which you (can) memorize, and then return to unlock another time if the relationship goes sour.  That’s just MY take on it.

Here is a video of one couple, walking down the Love Locks Bridge near Notre Dame.  They don’t throw their key in the Seine, though…

If you have time, I suggest you read this article about a sudden midnight disappearance off every love lock in Paris:

Apparently, though, there is a difference between the two bridges upon which these locks are locked.  The “Pont des Arts is for your committed love, while Pont de l'Archevêché is for your lover.”  The whole article can be found here:

The Love Locks Bridges are a cute sight for tourists, but they hold deeper significance in the hearts of passionate lovers.

Palais Garnier

Palais Garnier

Blogged by Marcus Bellamy

I’m not going to lie – I was pretty excited about seeing this place, and while I was disappointed (in regards to my excitement in going), I was intrigued and amazed nonetheless, which turned the outing to the Palais Garnier a fantastic jaunt for that evening.

The Palais Garnier was built because of a competition put in place by Napoleon III.  Architects submitted designs for the new opera house, and the design, drawn by Charles Garnier, won the competition almost unanimously.  Unfortunately, Napoleon III did not live to see the completion of this structure which was made in part as a monument to him.  Let’s step inside and take a look at this magnificent building.

Here you can see, in the low ceiling of the rotunda, something that was unheard of in Garnier’s time: the architect’s signature.  Garnier was the first architect to include his signature on a building of this magnitude.  You can almost make out the dates “1861” and “1875,” the dates of the beginning and ending of the Opera House’s construction.

Garnier wanted his Opera House to be dedicated to the arts, and who better to dedicate it to than to Apollo, the Greek god of music.  Above the grand staircase is a mural of the gods, and on one side is this one of Apollo in his chariot:

However, Garnier could not decorate the whole of his creation with images of Apollo, so he designed the building with motifs of Apollo, such as his lyre, which can be seen in many places throughout the opera house.

Today, the Palais Garnier mainly produces ballets, which are no small event.  Here are three such ballets that have performed on the stage of Palais Garnier in recent years:

Défilé du Ballet

Djémil Variation Act 1

Gipsy dance in Don Quixote

Now, you may have heard whispers of the legend of the Phantom of the Opera, which originated from this esteemed establishment…

Much to my dismay, they are untrue.  There never was an Opera Ghost, as was told in the story written by Gaston Leroux, nor was there ever a lake or river beneath the foundations of the opera house.  In reality, there was an abundance of groundwater on the build site, which Garnier used advantageously: he designed a double foundation to protect the superstructure from moisture, which incorporated an enormous concrete cistern – this would relieve pressure of the external groundwater on the basement walls AND serve as a reservoir in case of fire.  In fact, there now exist within this cistern several carp and eels.

If you are ever in Paris, neglecting the chance to take in the splendor of such a theatre would be a mistake on your part.  Be sure to stop by the Palais Garnier, if even just for a moment, if you ever find the chance.

HIP Hits the Big Screen

By now, you probably could tell that HIP students are pretty cool...

but did you know they are also movie makers?

Check out HIPster Emily Owen has created a collection
of magical moments from our semester.

From frolicking in Marseilles....

to a mad dash around Paris...

to castle hunting in the Loire Valley...

to the first day on the ski slops....

It's all here!

Reims

Reims

Reims may be my favorite city in France.  Sure, the south of France was great, but they were big (and sometimes windy and/or cold!).  Just walking from the train station to Reims Cathedral – and what a sight that is! – gave me the feeling of openness without enormity.  Our first stop in this quaint city was Reims Cathedral, begun in 1211.   On the same site where the cathedral stands today, in 400 AD, Saint Remi crowned the first king of France, Clavis I, as depicted in the tympanum on the northern side of the church.

 The legend says that the church at the time was so crowded that no one could get the anointing oil to Saint Remi; after a quick prayer to God, a dove descended from Heaven and dropped a vial of holy oil into Saint Remi’s hands.

When we see a cathedral, our immediate assumption is that the building was built with stone and other trappings but there was no decoration besides that.  Well, we discovered that cathedrals were actually painted during their early years!  Wear and tear of weather, war, and time have removed most of this beautiful artistry, but some figures still bear a slight coat of the color, as seen here in one of the famous “Smiling Angels.”

 In fact, Reims celebrated the cathedral’s 800^th anniversary (2011) with a light show that put color back on the facades of the cathedral for a short time.   Here, take a couple of minutes to watch a clip from the illuminating experience:

If you’re famished for something that is fancy and filling but won’t break the bank, try Le Gaulois: 

Heading west from Reims Cathedral, you won’t have to walk more than ten minutes to find this place (factoring in weaving through various stores and shops).  On the day that I went with the Lynns, this place had a special deal for a “Plat du Joir” and a dessert for a little under 13 euros.  Take a look!

The first dish is pork in a mushroom gravy/sauce and (I think) scalloped potatoes with melted cheese.  The dessert was a rich and creamy crème brulee.

And if you want to see a piece of Roman architecture while you’re in Reims, be sure to stop by the Porte de Mars, an ancient Roman triumphal arch, dating from the 3^rd century AD.  This arch was the widest in the Roman world.

If you happen to be in France, make a point to visit Reims!

By: Marcus Bellamy