Sapience

Owl and serpent mosaic in the entryway to the Département d'Études Cognitives, ENS.

Le Panthéon

It snowed all day yesterday but today was perfectly clear and sunny. I've worked out my morning commute so that I can check out what's playing at La Filmotheque and then walk by the Panthéon.

Paris Wintertime

Rue Montorgueil

Pergamonmuseum

The Pergamonmuseum is Berlin's massive museum of ancient art and architecture. The only thing that would make it more impressive would be if it itself was taken apart, shipped to some distant country and, like the Pergamon Altar, enclosed in an even more enormous museum.

Currywurst usw.

Back in Berlin for the first time since 1999. Ate currywurst and pommes at Curry Mitte, tafelspitz at the Brecht Museum Kellerrestaurant, and a list of stuff too long to name at the Schwarzwaldstube in Mitte. Hat super geschmeckt.

Villa Savoye

Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye is at the end of one branch of the RER A line, about an hour outside of Paris.

Thanksgiving in Paris

There were more oysters than usual.

Bois de Boulogne

Water, trees and RC sailboats in the Bois de Boulogne.

Jardin des Plantes

There are petits pandas in the Jardin des Plantes.

Therme Vals

Peter Zumthor's thermal baths in Vals, Switzerland. The baths had different themes: an outdoor bath that was covered in fog, a "fire" bath that was very hot, an "ice" bath that was very cold, a bath full of flower petals, a high-ceilinged cave room that had very weird acoustics, usw. The night swimming one evening was accompanied by two guys banging on gongs and other percussion instruments.

Glacier Express

The Glacier Express runs between Zermatt and St. Moritz. The train serves an enormous lunch.