For the past several years, every month while in France I post a picture of one of the 4,000 castles here that we have either visited or will visit as a masthead to the months blog. At the island its, well, the islands. Gosh, do we ever love the variety.
Mandy, again.
Having just recently completed her Master’s degree in International Commercial Arbitration Law from the University of Stockholm, daughter Mandy was approached by the largest law firm in Aachen Germany (where she and Markus live) and offered a position. She has joined 19 other attorneys and a support staff of 25, the latter who she will be responsible for managing as she serves as a legal adviser on EU law and Arbitration law cases. Multi-tasking, she teaches English to select legal staff and is the liaison for English speaking clients.
Self-effacing, reserved and lacking in self-confidence, Mandy called us with the news a mere 20 minutes after it was a done deal announcing “the writing is on the wall…I am on track to become partner!” The apple does not fall far from her mother’s side of the tree. I can hardly wait for her to be appointed judge so I can get all my speeding tickets fixed. Seriously, we are VERY proud of our girl.
In April she is scheduled to travel to Ireland to attend an International Client Counseling competition. In the past, she has participated as a student in Europe and Asia but this time was invited to coach the team.
Mandy and Markus had planned to come visit us for the holidays but a combination of now having two families to split their time with, a new job to prepare for as well as Markus having school responsibilities, it began to become a crazy maker so we decided to go visit them. We spent Christmas day with friends in our village then set off for Germany the next morning.
Driving across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and finally into Germany is a pretty good run, but in truth is little more than half the length of California. Still, we were early enough to make it on time to take them out for dinner to celebrate Mandy’s new job. We had last visited the kids in May so throughout the week we finished up several ‘honey do’ tasks. We installed a washer and dishwasher, hung rods and curtains, repaired a faucet, hung pictures and shelves, etc.
Between tasks, we took a day to visit the city of Trier, the oldest city in Germany, founded by the Romans in 16 BC. Located near the Luxembourg border, it happens to have been the birthplace of Karl Marx, and is classed as a World heritage site (WHS) due to its multiple Roman archeological remains.
We visited several, including the amphitheater, the baths, and the entry ‘gate’ to the city (above). Of course, the big dog was the Cathedral of Trier itself. Having visited more Cathedrals in Europe than I can count, I am struck by how many purport to contain incredibly significant religious remains and artifacts. There are ossuaries containing skeletal remains of saints by the dozens, but this Cathedral displays what it says is the seamless tunic that Christ wore just before being crucified. It has been on display only 3 times in the past century and is scheduled to be shown again in April, 2012.
A nail used in Christ's crucifixtion?
Also in the heavily secured Crypt (It would have given Mission Impossible a run for its money) were a plethora of centuries old chalices and other large, gold, ornate religious objects including their prized possession: a single nail recovered from Christ’s crucifixion. This became the 97th WHS I have visited.
We wrapped up our visit by attending New Year’s services at the Dom in Aachen where the kids live. It is quite a sight being below the throne where for over 600 years, 30 Kings and 12 Queens were crowned and where Charlemagne* is buried.
*Note to young readers: Charlemagne was way before Britney Spears. Radical, huh?
Note to very young readers: Like, Charlemagne was, like, even before your parents were, like, born!! Sooooo 7th century!
Parlex vous Francais?
Janice has been working on her French language Rosetta Stone computer program on and off for several years and has found it to be very helpful. Recently though, she has started to take French lessons from a lady nearby. I wondered about this at first, considering that she is married to a fluent French speaker but she chooses to only speak English around the house.
I am guessing that part of the reason is that it is very fatiguing to work your brain in a new language from morning to night, and that English at home is a bit of a break. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that what she studies with this lady is not conversational French but French grammar. Explain French grammar, Moi? “Vous etes kidding, right?” I could no more explain French grammar than the inner workings of a synchrotron, and I haven’t a clue what that is.
What's shaking?
The only other news from this side of the pond has been Janice's continuation of her painting classes, my continuation of working on my little forging [blacksmithing] projects (show-and-tell next month) and spending a little time helping some buddies on theirs. This was the first time I have done any slate roofing and it is quite different than what we are used to but it will go in the experience bank.
Fashionista
As long as we are bragging about kids, it is high time I raise the subject of our niece, 20 something Christine. While her day job is working for my brother’s firm “Vigilantia”, who purports to offer “international investigation consulting, comprehensive domestic and foreign intelligence services to the legal, corporate and financial communities”, her avocation has been to be on the bleeding edge of the fashion world.
Fashionista Christine
I thought her interest in fashion was kind of cute at first, but she has become a serious contender in this milieu and is no longer to be taken lightly. This is one of those cases where we are watching someone on the cusp of breaking out into the big time and can only hope she remembers us little people when she does. You can see her site HERE or at http://www.vigilantfashionista.com/ For you old farts who think high fashion is baggy pants, T shirt and a baseball cap, you seriously need this girls help.
Christian Dior, Yves St Laurent, Prada…..beware. There is new kid in town.
