Is this semester just a ginormous field trip?

Yes. This wonderful week has confirmed that we are indeed on a giant field trip. Our first stop on the bus ride of eternity was the French town of Colmar, a very photogenic town containing the “Isenheim Altarpiece.” This work is important for depicting Jesus on the cross with plague symptoms, as a more relatable religious image for those suffering. While the altar was certainly something to look at, I really couldn’t get over the fairytale, old-town feel of the city all together.

We then traveled to Beaune for our first night on Monday. In the “wine capital of Burgundy”, there was plenty to drink with our delicious food. During the tour of the Hotel-Dieu on Tuesday, I was mostly struck by the arrangement and style of the hospital. It seemed like an old B&B combined with a church sanctuary, and it’s surprising to me that they were using it up until the 1970's.

I’ve spent some time in Paris before and although I love the city, I so I’m not going to go into the amazing landmarks that we saw. It’s a bit repetitive and boring to blog about. Instead, I’ll talk about the things that stood out for me:

The bike tour: I’d previously passed on bike tours, because of disinterest and the fear that I had forgotten how to bike. However, this tour was amazing! I, and I think most people, had so much fun biking around Paris. I couldn’t imagine walking all of that, and it was a blast to zip around past those nerds on foot. I think I’m going to do more of these on trips.

Shakespeare & Company bookstore: (Backstory, I watched Midnight in Paris last weekend, and the main character goes into this store. So, I decided to check it out.) This store was adorable and a bit inspirational to read more. It was filled floor to ceiling with old and new books. I found this nook upstairs where people from all over left notes with personal favorite quotes from literature.

Paris is beautiful, especially at night and in the rain. It’s no wonder that is the preferred subject of so many artists and authors. I don’t really sense any of the stereotypical rudeness that I always hear about, but I don’t feel like I fit in as well as I do in other places.