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University of Dubuque — International Studies Program

Art and Culture of Spain and France 8 Days in Western Europe: Madrid, Toledo, Paris and Versailles.

“The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible." – French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac

January 11 (Tuesday) – January 18 (Tuesday) 2011

Group Leaders: Professors Alan Garfield and Mary Pregler-Belmont. Remember, Madrid and Paris are 7 hours ahead of Iowa. If it’s 4pm in Iowa, it’s 11pm in Paris. >> How your folks would call Alan Garfield anytime. From the US: 011. 32. 489. 904561. << >> How you would call US from Spain/France: 00. 1. 563. 123. 4567. <<

Day 1, January 11, Tuesday – Depart Dubuque at 11am. Dubuque-Chicago-Paris. We meet in Tech 205, University of Dubuque, at 10:30am for last minute handouts, questions, etc before boarding our coach for Chicago. We’ll leave precisely at 11am, with a lunch stop at

McDonalds/Subway/Culver’s in Winnebago Corner’s to savor American fast food for the last time. (Truth be told, there’s a McD’s in the international

section of the airport and you’ll see McD’s all over Paris. Oh well, globalization.) Bring your one, small, carry-on (I’m always hopeful), money, and passport. I have everything else. We’ll arrive at O’Hare’s International Terminal (#5) at about 2:30pm. We’ll check in, usually 2-by-2, at the Air France desk for our overnight flight via France’s national airline. If you are a frequent flyer for Air France or Delta, bring your number along for loads of credit. Or, get a Delta number before we leave. Incidentally, the requirements for cabin baggage on Air France is always dependent on what the gate agents have to say. Here is what their website says: Your cabin baggage must not exceed 55 cm (21.5") in height, 35 cm (14") in length, and 25 cm (10") in width. The maximum weight varies but is usually between 12 kg and 18 kg (26.5 to 39.5 lbs). Air France AF667N Chicago-Paris. 5:20pm-8:35am. Meals (dinner/breakfast) are served during the flight. Movies are free. No charge for food or libations. Every flight is no smoking. After your dinner, I suggest trying to get some sleep. This is your night. Remember, you have a long day ahead of you, so some sleep would be good. It might not seem a wise use of your time at the moment, but come tomorrow afternoon, you will really wish you had a few more zzz’s.

“Our future begins on January 1 1999. The euro is Europe’s key to the 21st century. The era of solo national fiscal and economic policy is over.” German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, December 31, 1998.

Day 2, January 12, Wednesday – Arrive Paris. Fly to Madrid. Walking Tour Madrid. Good morning, we arrive in Paris at 8:35am. Actually your body thinks it's 1:30am, probably more typically

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your bedtime. So, I hope you enjoyed your sleep, because today we’re all about using daytime hours. You'll wake up, though, about an hour before we land for our “continental” breakfast (croissant, yogurt, tea/coffee). Make sure you fill out your landing card completely. First thing, passport control. Here is where you get your passport stamped. This is a secure area. NO PHOTOS, please. Since the formation of the EU, travel is unrestricted within member states, at least in theory. It still is restricted to the point that each EU country protects itself from illegal immigration with different rules (sound familiar?).

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We’ll freshen up here and check where our connecting flight leaves from. There might be a Bureau de Change here. If not, we’ll change our US $$$ to EU €. While the rate might be off a bit, I think you can count on, gulp, about $1.50 to a Euro. This is, for your info, not very good for us. Could be better, but I have been in Europe when it was the equivalent of $1.85 to a Euro. If you check online (at sites like xe.com and others) the figures given there are only bank rates – not rates for you and me; don’t get your hopes up too much. By 10:30am, then, we should be all freshened up and at the gate for our next flight, the one to Madrid. Air France AF1600L Paris-Madrid. 12:30pm-2:35pm.

After going thru the arrivals hall, I will get our tickets for the Metro to downtown Madrid. The temperature here will be c. 40-50°F (5-10°C). We’ll catch

the Metro from Barajas Airport to the Puerta Del Sol stop. Hold on, we have to switch a few stations (only takes about an hour): at Barajas we take Line 8, transfer at Nuevos Ministerios with Line 10, transfer at Tribunal with Line 1, arrive at Puerta del Sol.

From the Puerta del Sol, it’s a 5 minute walk to our new home, Hostal Cantabrico on 5, Calle de la Cruz. Whew. Finally here. We’ll check in and I’ll give everyone about 45 minutes to tidy up before dinner and a walk. Or, it might be a walk and then dinner. Here we’ll have Madrid Stew. This dinner is being hosted by Mrs. Dunlap. Now, after dinner, everyone should be getting their second wind and…it’s time to walk and explore a bit. Night in Madrid. Our Madrid hostel: Hostal Cantabrico; Calle del la Cruz, 5; 28012 Madrid; +34 915 32 31 32.

After dinner, we’ll explore by walking to the Prado, down to Atocha Train Station, and back up to the Puerta del Sol, if we have the energy. I would suggest a short evening, though, since this is your jet lag day.

“I don’t think any of us would want to put our fate in the hands of the big countries now.” Netherlands Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm, Irish Times, November 29, 2003.

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Day 3, January 13, Thursday – Prado Art Museum and City/Madrid Tour Breakfast at the Hostal Cantabrico is, well, a breakfast. We’ll eat between 8 and 9am, leaving the Hostel at 9:30am for our walk to the most famous art museum in Spain, the Prado. First a bit of history about the Prado. The Prado Musuem sits in a building that was part of the Paseo del Prado. This was an urban reform project conceived during the reign of Charles III (1759 - 1787). Basically this was a large area set aside for parks, buildings, monuments, etc. Prado in Spanish means "meadow". It was Charles III's attempt to add grandeur to Madrid - the same grandeur that existed in London, Paris and Rome. The building that comprises the main area of the Prado, was originally conceived as a Natural History museum. Real scientific study was just beginning and a great number of Kings, Charles III included, were eager to sponsor scientific projects and buildings. This gave not only a learned aire to the city, but also to the big politicos themselves. It is referred to as the "Villanueva" building after the architect Juan de Villanueva who designed the building. Although this building was originally begun in 1785 construction was halted during the War of Independence. It did not continue again until the reign of Ferdinand VII (1803 - 1833). During this time, Ferdinand decided that there needed to be a building to display the Royal Art Collection. This was an idea that had been originally proposed during the reign of Charles III. It was mostly though the special interest in the project that his wife, María Isabel de Braganza, showed that the idea was actually carried out. As such she is considered to be the founder of the museum. Rather than place it in an existing building, Ferdinand decided to finish the building which his grandfather (Charles III) had begun 30 years ago. Even then it was difficult to complete the project because the people of Madrid keep "borrowing" construction materials to rebuild their own homes which had been damaged during the war. As such it took over 10 years to complete the building - which was finished in 1819. Since then it has been expanded in 1918, in the 1950's and again in the 1960's. Since that time, instead of expanding the present building another surrounding building (Casón del Buen Retiro) was incorporated into the museum in 1971.

The museum almost ceased to exist soon after it was completed. King Ferndinand VII died and willed half the collection to his daughter, Isabella II and the other half to her sister, Luisa Fernanda. To avoid the collection being split up it was decided the Queen Isabella II would buy her sister's half. It was then decided that the collection could only pass from monarch to monarch. This never became a future issue anyway because in 1868 Queen Isabella II was expelled and the museum was nationalized. The Prado contains about 9,000 works of arts, mostly paintings. However, there is only room to exhibit about 1,500 of these. As such those works of arts that are not part of a permanent collection became

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part of rotating temporary exhibits. The list of artists is extensive and include not only Velásquez, but also Goya, El Greco, Brueghel, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Rubens, Botticelli, Rafael, Murillo. The museum collection also includes many 19th century works of art but these are primarily displayed in the Casón del Buen Retiro. The view to the left is of the west front of the museum. This is commonly referred to as the "door of Velásquez" because of the commerative statue. Above the door is a frieze depicting an allegory of King Ferdinand VII as protector of science, art and technology which are represented in symbolic figures and are located in front of his royal throne. Behind the king are the classical mythological gods (Athena, Apollo, Mercury, Neptune). The facade was completed with a double decoration in the two long stretches of the Central Gallery, allegorical feminine sculptures in niches and medallions with the busts of the main Spanish artists, six painters (three on either side of the door), five sculptors (on the left), and five architects ( following on from the ones on the right). This exterior decoration of the building was actually completed 5 years after the interior of the building. So, what’s in the Prado? The Prado Museum’s permanent collection is one of the largest in the world. It consists of about 9,000 paintings, 5,000 drawings, 2,000 prints, 1,000 coins and medals, and approximately 2,000 decorative objects. Perhaps not surprisingly, it has the world’s finest collection of Spanish art, with extensive examples of works by El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, and Murillo. But it is a world class museum and we will see works by Flemish artists (Peter Paul Rubens, van der Weyden, Brueghel and Hieronymus Bosch) as well as Italian Renaissance works. Because the collection is so extensive, only about one-seventh of the museum’s entire permanent holdings are displayed at a single time. Here are some of the gems we’ll see:

The collection of Spanish painting ranges from 12th century Romanesque mural paintings to 19th century works by Goya. The Spanish painters of the 17th century, known as the Siglo de Oro (Golden Century) are very

José de Ribera, Martyrdom of San Felipe, 1639 Domenikos Theotokópoulos / El Greco, The Nobleman with a Hand on His Chest, 1577

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well represented by El Greco, Diego de Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, José de Ribera and Murillo.

El Greco (1541-1614). Domenikos Theotokópoulos, best known as El Greco, was born in 1541 in the Greek island of Crete. In 1567, he

moved to Italy and spent the first part of his career in Venice and Rome. El Greco arrived in Spain in 1577 and settled in Toledo where he lived until he died. In the Prado Museum there are 34 paintings by El Greco, mostly portraits and works with religious themes, like this large Adoration of the Shepherds.

El Greco, Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612 El Greco, Holy Family, 1600

Diego de Velázquez (1599-1660). Diego de Velázquez was born in Seville in 1599. In 1622 he moved to Madrid and became court painter of Felipe IV for the rest of his life. Velázquez's paintings are characterized by his unique way in the use of perspective. Major works of Velázquez include The Surrender of Breda, The Thread Spinners, and the masterpiece Las Meninas. Room 12 at the Prado is exclusively dedicated to Velázquez.

Velázquez, Maids of Honor (Las Meninas), 1657

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Velazquez, The Thread Spinners, 1648

Velazquez, Surrender of Breda, 1635

Velazquez, Triumph of Bacchus, 1628

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Francisco de Goya (1746-1828). With more than one hundred paintings, the Goya collection is by far the largest of all at the Prado. His most famous paintings are The Naked Maja, The Clothed Maja, Carlos IV and his Family, as well as The Charge of the Mamelukes and The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid: The Executions of Príncipe Pío Hill, where Goya successfully depicted the atrocities of the Peninsular War against Napoleon's troops.

Flemish and Dutch Schools. From the 16th century the Netherlands were governed by the Spanish crown and this explains the wealth of

Flemish paintings in the Prado. Collections of paintings by early Dutch artists such as Rogier van der Weyden (The Deposition from the Cross), Bouts, and Memling, together with paintings by Hieronymous Bosch (The Garden of Delights) and Pieter Brueghel "The Elder" (The Triumph of Death) are displayed. The collection of 17th century Flemish painting includes works by Peter Paul Rubens (The Three Graces, The Duke of Lerma), Anton van Dyck (Sir Endymion Porter and Van Dyck) and Brueghel. Artemisia is the only work by Rembrandt owned by the Prado Museum.

Rogier van der Weyden, The Deposition, 1435

Italian School. Includes the period from the early Renaissance (Fra Angelico, Mantegna and Botticelli) to the 18th century (Tiepolo). Of particular interest are the works by Raphael and the 16th century painters of the Venetian School such as Tintoretto and Veronese, as well as paintings by Titian (Carlos V at the Battle of Mühlberg, Bacchanal), Caravaggio (David and Goliath), and Gentileschi.

Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait, 1498

German School. The collection of German painting is not very large but includes works from the 16th and 18th centuries. Paintings by Dürer (Self-portrait, Adam and Eve), Lucas Cranach, Baldung Grien, and the neo-classical Anton Raphael Mengs (María Luisa de Parma) are there.

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French School. Spanish-French relations during the 17th century and the acquisitions made by the Spanish kings, Felipe IV and Felipe V, form the basis of the Prado's collection of French painting which includes works by Nicolas Poussin (Parnassus, The Triumph of David), Claude Lorrain (Embarkment at Ostia), and Jean-Antoine Watteau (View of El Escorial). Also of interest is the portrait of the King of France Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud.

We’ll be at the Prado all morning. If the weather is with us, maybe we’ll get a quick lunch in the Prado park. If not, we’ll find a great place walking around. Originally, we were going to go on a bus tour of the city, that is, until the only bus group - Madrid Vision – lost its charter to operate just a week ago. Gulp. Stay tuned for plan B. Dinner tonight will be at a tapas restaurant. We’re going to eat the way Madrileños do tonight. Local foods, you know. Night in Madrid.

“We must go back to teach Europeans to love Europe.” Jean Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, El Pais, June 2, 2004.

Day 4, January 14, Friday - Toledo. After our hearty Cantabrico breakfast, off we go to the medieval town of Toledo. After our breakfast, we’ll walk (about 15 minutes) to the Atocha train station and in about an hour, we’ll be in Toledo. We’ll use the entire day to experience this unique medieval, walled city. The Alcázar (outstanding castle used as a fortress by Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and

Christians), the Cathedral of Toledo (founded around 100, changed into a mosque by the Arabs, and then converted back into a cathedral in 1100s), and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes (15th century Gothic monastery). With all those El Greco paintings, windy streets, and sword shops. Toledo steel was the best and latest in Stained glass in the Toledo warfare technology train station. until the 18th century.

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I will try to book a Toledo steel/sword making tour. The single most famous artwork here in Toledo is El Greco’s best

known work (left), The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1588, which illustrates a popular local legend. This is an exceptionally large painting, it is clearly divided into two zones: the heavenly above & the terrestrial below, brought together compositionally. We’ll be back in Madrid for dinner tonight. Tonight, you’ll experience flamenco dancing and music after our final dinner here in Madrid. This is what UNESCO has to say about flamenco: “Flamenco is an artistic expression fusing song (cante), dance (baile) and musicianship (toque). Andalusia in southern Spain is the heartland of Flamenco, although it also has roots in regions such as Murcia and Extremadura. Cante is the vocal expression of flamenco, sung by men and women, preferably seated, with no backing singers. The gamut of feelings and states of mind – grief, joy, tragedy, rejoicing and fear – can be expressed through

sincere, expressive lyrics characterized by brevity and simplicity. Flamenco baile is a dance of passion, courtship, expressing a wide range of situations ranging from sadness to joy. The technique is complex, differing depending on whether the performer is male (heavier use of the feet) or female (gentler, more sensual movements). Toque or the art of guitar playing has long surpassed its original role as accompaniment. Other instruments, including castanets, hand-clapping and foot-stamping are also employed. Flamenco is performed during religious festivals, rituals, church ceremonies and at private celebrations. It is the badge of identity of numerous communities and groups, in particular the Gitano (Roma) ethnic community, which has played an essential role in its development. Transmission occurs through dynasties, families, social groups and Flamenco clubs, all of which play a key role in its preservation and dissemination. “ Under threat of persecution from church and state authorities in Spain during the 16th century, "Gitanas", Muslims, and Jews came together to help each other survive, and within this melding of cultures Flamenco was born. Flamenco dancers physically interpret the music of the singer and guitarist through movements which include percussive footwork and intricate hand, arm and body movements, the most inspired of which will conjure the "duende," or magic, of the dance. We’ll have a special meal and show afterwards. Night in Madrid.

“The euro was not just a bankers’ decision or a technical decision. It was a decision which completely changed the nature of the nation states. The pillars of the nation state are the sword and the currency, and we changed that. The euro decision

changed the concept of the nation state and we have to go beyond that.” President of the European Commission 1999-2004, Romano Prodi, Financial Times interview, April 9, 1999.

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Day 5, January 15, Saturday – Madrid to Paris; Exploring Paris. After breakfast, we’ll have part of the morning free. Last time to run around Madrid and do some shopping before we walk over to the Puerta del Sol to take the train to Barajas Airport. We will leave the hostel for our Metro to the airport at 11am. After getting our boarding card, we’ll pass thru security and proceed to our gate. The airport is a great place to change more money, if you need it. Air France AF1601L Madrid-Paris. 3:35pm-5:40pm. Once we land in Paris, follow me through the French crowds. We’ll take the train to the metro in two steps.

- RER line B in the direction Robinson - Exit at Châtelet les Halles. - Line 1 in the direction Château de Vincennes – Exit at Porte de Vincennes.

From the Metro exit, it will take about 10 minutes to walk to our new home, CISP, Maurice Ravel. CISP Ravel; 6, Avenue Maurice Ravel; Paris, France; +33 1 44 75 60 14 After we check into our rooms, we’ll meet in the lobby for our dinner tonight, complements of Mrs. Dunlap. After dinner, depending on the weather, we’ll explore a bit of Paris (around CISP or down to the Arc de

Triomphe de l'Étoile.

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The Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch) is one of Paris' main tourist attractions. It was commissioned by Napoleon after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz and was finished in 1836. The Arc de Triomphe was dedicated to the French army and is the home to the Unknown Soldier’s grave since 1920. The Triumphal arch is one of the most famous arches in the world. It was designed by Jean Chalgrin and it resembles the Arch of Titus in Rome. The Triumphal arch is a monumental building 50 meter high (164 ft). It’s decorated with reliefs and friezes depicting scenes of Napoleon's victories and just below the roof thirty shields bear the names of his many victorious battles. Humble, he wasn’t. The Triumphal arch is at the center of Charles de Gaulle square (Place Charles de Gaulle) and is a starting point

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of 12 avenues one of them the famous Champs-Elysees. And while we won’t be able to explore it tonight, on the roof is an observation deck offering an incredible view of Paris and Champs-Elysees. Maybe you’d like to visit here Monday afternoon during your free time. The sculpture, by Rude, is Departure of the Volunteers, from 1792. After this, we’ll Metro back to CISP. Night in Paris.

“The creation of a single European state bound by one European constitution is the decisive task of our time”. Joschka Fischer, German Foreign Minister since 1998. Daily Telegraph, November 27, 1998.

Day 6, January 16, Sunday – Notre Dame, the Louvre and Versailles. We’ll start today early with breakfast between 7-8am. Choice of tea/coffee, croissant and roll, butter and jam,

cheese, hard boiled egg, and yogurt in this beautiful cheery room. I just love breakfast here. Great place to work on your journal, while the group finishes breakfast. We’ll leave at 8:30am. Off to the Metro (you’ll get used to this routine) to take #1 in the direction of La Defence, get off at Châtelet. We will be attending the 9:30am Lauds Service (in French, of course).Whether

you are Catholic or not, everyone attends as this is part of the history and culture of France in Paris’ most famous church. It is a short service, about 30 minutes. No rush and we can explore the area. If the stairs are open, we might have enough time for a quick ‘run’ to the top of Notre Dame. It is a great view. But if it’s closed

(there are services today of course), then perhaps you might wish to return here Monday afternoon on your free time for a very scenic

view of Paris from Quasimodo’s perch (you remember him, the deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame in Victor Hugo’s 1831 book). In any case, from here we’ll walk up to the Louvre for our introduction to the most famous art museum in the world. I want to be at the Louvre by 11:30am. But first, a bit of history about this museum.

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The Louvre originally was a fortress (1200) built by Philip II Augustus to defend the Seine below Paris against the Normans and English. It consisted of a thick cylindrical walls called donjon - this is where our word "dungeon" comes from. This château was enlarged and embellished by Charles V in the 1300s. In the early

1500s after Francis I, it was leveled and a new Renaissance structure was started. In 1564 Catherine de Médici had her architect, Philibert Delorme, build a little château in a neighboring field to the west called the Tuileries. It was then decided to create a grandiose royal residence by joining the Louvre and the Palais des Tuileries by a series of buildings. The most important is the Grande Galerie built along the Seine in the

reign of Henry IV. In the 1650s, Louis XIII and his minister Richelieu extended Lescot's west wing northward by adding the majestically domed Pavillon de l'Horloge (clock pavillion) by Jacques Lemercier and recreating Lescot's building beyond it. Under Louis XIV and his minister Colbert, the Cour Carrée, a great square court, was constructed by Louis Le Vau. The east façade of the east wing was later given a classical colonnade by Le Vau and Claude Perrault. The royal apartments were sumptuously decorated by Charles Le Brun and others, as the Apollo Gallery still bears witness. The Louvre was abandoned as a royal residence when Louis XIV moved the court to Versailles in 1682. After the Revolution of 1789, Napoleon I, later kings, and Napoleon III lived in the Tuileries. The Louvre was used for offices and a museum. Along the Rue de Rivoli, Napoleon I began a wing

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parallel to that of Henry IV along the Seine. Napoleon III finished the wing, thus closing the great quadrilateral. In 1793, during the French Revolution, the first state museum was opened in the Louvre, consisting of the former royal collections of painting and sculpture. It was enriched temporarily by loot from the Napoleonic wars and then permanently by purchases and gifts, including archaeological finds. More and more specialized divisions were created. The present Louvre departments include Oriental (ancient Mesopotamian) antiquities; Egyptian antiquities; Greek and Roman antiquities; sculpture from the Middle Ages to modern times; furniture and objets d'art; and paintings representing all the European schools. A section of the museum is also devoted to Islamic art. Universally famous ancient works of art in the Louvre include a statuette of the Sumerian ruler Gudea, a stele bearing Hammurabi's code, an Egyptian painted stone statue of a scribe sitting cross-legged, the Venus de Milo, and the Victory of Samothrace. Among outstanding later works are two marble Slaves by Michelangelo, the treasure of the abbey of St. Denis, and important paintings by Leonardo da Vinci (Mona Lisa), Veronese (the immense Wedding at Cana), David, Ingres, Gericault and loads of others. I illustrated some of those paintings here. The Louvre's collection of paintings dates back to the reign of Francis I of France, who sought to create a gallery of art in his château at Fontainebleau rivaling those of the great Italian palaces. He acquired masterpieces by leading Italian masters (Michelangelo, Raphael) and invited Italian artists to his court (Leonardo da Vinci, Rosso, and Primaticcio). The French royal collections grew steadily as successive sovereigns made acquisitions reflecting the tastes and fashions of their time—Louis XIV's purchase of the collections of the banker Jabach is a prime example. Louis XIV also expanded the collection of Italian paintings. The first Spanish paintings (by Murillo) and a series of French works (Le Sueur) were acquired during the reign of Louis XVI. Works from the Northern schools appeared first during the 17th century and, above all, the 18th. In 1793, these works formed the core collection of the Muséum Central des Arts, opened within the Louvre after the Revolution. Throughout the 19th century, confiscated French aristocratic collections and the spoils of the Napoleonic conquests brought important new acquisitions. Other works were purchased from individuals (Giampietro Campana) or were acquired through the Paris Salons and donations (the collection of Dr. La Caze in 1869). With the opening of the Musée d'Orsay in 1986, the collection was split up, with works painted after the 1848 Revolution (including pictures by Courbet and the Impressionists) transferred from the Louvre to the newly renovated Gare d'Orsay. Look, I love this place but even I recognize that anyone can get museumitis (too much of a good thing in museums), so after the organized tour, I will give you a bit of time to wander and then meet down by the bookstore. We’ll leave the Louvre via the underground Carrousel and a marvelous Food Court. Our stop here for lunch will be well worth it. After lunch, we’ll quickly dash out, across the Seine River, to the RER train station (by the Musée d'Orsay) for our train outside of the city to Versailles. I’ll get the tickets and within 40 minutes, we’ll be at Versailles. It’s only a short walk to the Chateau. Now…for some history.

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The Château de Versailles, which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for 30 years, is one of the most beautiful achievemen

ts of 18th-century French art. The style is French Rococo and all you really have to remember is that sometimes it is good to be the king. Pre-revolutionary times is one of those times. 1789 afterwards, well, not so much (if you remember even a bit of your history).

The site began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful.

The Château de Versailles, the seat of power until 1789, has continued to unfurl its splendour over the course of centuries. At first it was just a humble hunting lodge built by Louis XIII. But Louis XIV chose the site to build the palace we know today, the symbol of royal absolutism and embodiment of classical French art.In the 1670s Louis XIV built the Grand Apartments of the King and Queen, whose most emblematic achievement is the Hall of Mirrors designed by Mansart, where the king put on his most ostentatious display of royal power in order to impress visitors. The Chapel and Opera were built in the next century under Louis XV.

Hyacinthe Rigaud, Louis XIV, 1701

The Château lost its standing as the official seat of power in 1789 but acquired a new role in the 19th century as the Museum of the History of France, which was founded at the behest of Louis-Philippe, who ascended to the throne in 1830. That is when many of the Château’s rooms were taken over to house the new collections, which were added in the early 20th century.

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After our tour of Versailles (including the outside, weather permitting), we’ll take the train back to Paris and stop off at the Left Bank – the ole student quarter, for a student dinner: Greek souvlaki. Cheap, warm and filling. Then back to CISP. Night in Paris.

"To enter Europe, you must have a valid passport with a photograph of yourself in which you look like you are being booked on charges of soliciting sheep.”

Dave Barry, American writer and humorist best known for his weekly syndicated newspaper column from Miami.

Day 7, January 17, Monday – Paris: Eiffel Tower, Perfume Museum and Free Afternoon.

Rise and shine to a marvelous breakfast at CISP. We’ll be off to the Metro to see the hit of the World Exhibition in 1889, held in celebration of the French Revolution in 1789. Yes, the tower (only later dubbed the Eiffel Tower) was only meant to last for the duration of the Exposition, but it still stands today, despite all protests from those contemporary artists who feared the construction would be the advent of structures without 'individuality' and despite the many people who feared that this huge 'object' would not fit into the architecture of Paris. Today, there is no such aversion anymore among the Parisians, and one could not imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower. In fact it has become the symbol of the City of Light. The man behind the Eiffel Tower was, of course, Gustave Eiffel, known from his revolutionary bridge building techniques, as employed in the great viaduct at Garabit in 1884. These techniques would form the basis for the construction of the Eiffel Tower. He was also known for the construction of a female sculpture that was given to the United States – yes, the Statue of Liberty's iron framework.

The structure took more than two years to complete. Each one of the about 12,000 iron pieces were designed separately to give them exactly the shape needed. All pieces were prefabricated and fit together using approx. 7 million nails. (Don’t worry, everything – I mean everything – has been completely replaced since 1889.) Inaugurated March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower would be the tallest structure in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930. So what are we waiting for, time to take the elevator to the top. Mind you, if there are nasty winds (it is winter after all), we won’t be allowed all the way up, for safety reasons.

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From the Eiffel Tower, we’ll walk to Charles Garnier’s fabulous showpiece, the 1875 Opera House. Around the corner is where we will see how perfume is made by visiting a French perfumery house – Fragonard. Aside from learning

about it, you can actually buy some special perfume here as well (imagine that), but you don’t have to. I think it is rather interesting to find out the history behind the fragrance. Now you have the afternoon off. Remember, you divide up by groups. Perhaps some of you want to shop at Galeries Lafayette (right around the corner). Or there are loads of things to do. Have an idea, just ask me. And, by the way, no – you cannot go to Euro Disney. Well, off you go. And by this time, you will have figured out the Metro and how to return back to CISP, which is where I will meet you for our final dinner in Europe up on the “Butte”, Montmartre. I will meet you at 6pm at CISP for our metro ride there. Remember, no one goes off alone and always stick together with your group. See you at 6pm.

Dinner will be where Picasso, Braque, Dali, Vlaminck and the other School of Paris, early 20th century modern artists lived. This is a special place, kinda gotta know where it is to get there. But first, we’ll visit Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. The view of Paris is unforgettable from here. Then it’s off to dinner. After our meal, we can view all of Paris from here and especially the Eiffel Tower ablaze at night. Time to take the Metro back to CISP. Final night in Paris.

"The introduction of the Euro is probably the most important integrating step since the beginning of the unification process. It is certain that the times of individual national efforts regarding employment policies, social and tax policies are definitely over. This will require to finally bury some erroneous ideas of national sovereignty. I’m convinced our standing in the world regarding foreign trade & international finance policies will sooner or later force a Common Foreign and Security Policy worthy of its name. National sovereignty in foreign and security policy will become a product of the imagination". Former German Chancellor Schroder in 'New Foundations for European Integration', January 19, 1999.

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Day 8, January 18, Tuesday – Paris to Chicago to Dubuque. Whew. We’re up early this morning. Assuming there are no strikes or weather delays (it is Paris after all), I’ll get you up at 5am so we can leave by 5:45am. We’ll take the RATP and then the RER for Charles De Gaulle Airport. We’ll catch breakfast after check-in and security. Here is where you can buy some keen duty-free items, if you desire. I will tell you more about this in class. Also, if you have any euro you would like to change into US dollars, here is where we do it. Remember, though, to keep some change in case you’re hungry for breakfast. Once on the plane, food is free. By 1pm, we will be served lunch and then a snack as we land in Chicago. Air France AF664N Paris-Chicago. 10:35am-12:45pm. We arrive at Terminal 5, O’Hare International Airport at about 12:45pm. The vans will be ready to pick us up after we gather our checked luggage (of course it is just fine to check luggage back) at about 2pm or so. That means we’ll be back at the UD Tech Center by 6pm. Now remember, today is Tuesday. Rest. Do your wash, get caught up (sigh) on your stupid Facebook that you can’t seem to live without. And, I will see you in class – yes CLASS – on Wednesday, January 19, 2-4pm in Tech 205. Here is where we will print out your two pictures (part of the class) which will be displayed at Sylvia’s in the near future. Also, at this time, you will give us your completed journals. Oh, don’t worry, you will get them back (not the photos, though, they become property of CGIM Department). I will email you when we are done with them (I assume within a week). Remember, there is no school on Thursday or Friday, but Spring Semester starts on Monday, 24 January, so rest and get ready for Spring 2011 classes. Do drop by, just to assure me that you weathered reintroduction to the Iowa culture just fine (and because I am sure I will be missing you). I will email you all when I have completed the class DVD (eventually available on youtube.com). In conclusion, please remember that the Wednesday, 19 January, class is required. Your journals and 2 pictures (8x10) are due. This is not an optional class. I expect you to attend and hand in your final work.