Bonbons and more!

Caroline, the English teacher with whom I am staying, and I went to watch the soccer game at a bar called "Toons." It had pictures of Loony toons all over the wall. But let me assure you, the French flags and soccer jerseys every where reminded me exactly where I was. A group of German students also were watching the game. Did you know the drinking age is not enforced in France and they have no official smoking age? France had a disappointing loss that involved the team scoring a goal against themselves on a penalty kick and a player being ejected with a red card. This morning, I saw a clock in the Strasbourg Cathedral (the one I climbed to the top of yesterday). It was the tallest structure from 1647 until 1874. In this cathedral, there is an astronomical clock. The clock in the cathedral is not the original clock, rather this clock was rebuilt around 1840. However, this elaborate and Armageddon-esque structure can indicate leap year, equinoxes and Easter, and much more astronomical data that is quite advanced considering the time in which it was built. I say Armageddon-esque because of the messages of death and judgment (think skeleton with scythe and angel with an hour glass). At noon, after the skeleton rings a bell and the angle turns over the hour glass, the 12 apostles circle around Jesus at the top of the clock. This clock is massive as you may imagine. Also, I meet with two classes of French students today to talk to them about America and Wilmington, NC. I took a picture of the 8th graders on a wall build by the Romans in the 1st century. The 10th graders are some of the students that will be traveling to Wilmington in October. I also stopped by a French candy store (magasine de bonbon)--I can feel the cavities coming. But it's good!