Reformation Day

what it is...

Nationalism is nothing more than extreme selfishness mixed with pathological narcissism.

Remember

1980 Brett

Last Thursday was 80's day at the high school. I dressed up as 1980 George Brett, the year he hit .390 and won the AL MVP.

sunlight

First United Methodist Church of Heath, Texas.

I Voted

For Beto.

Actually I voted for Democrats, a couple of Republicans and even a Libertarian. Straight ticket voting is dumb.

Wake Up America

I started this blog back in February 2006, over twelve years ago. After my first introductory post, my first actual post was about the evils of nationalism. I think it's worth a revisit. You can find it HERE

And back in 2006, this evil ideology must have been really weighing on me, because the fourth blog post ever on this blog was also about the evils of nationalism. Maybe it's also worth a revisit.

Because we now live in a country with a Nationalist as President.

Wake up America.

Nationalist

While you were looking, the current President of the United States of America just declared himself a nationalist...at a speech in Texas.

"A globalist is a person that wants the globe to do well, frankly, not caring about our country so much. And you know what? We can't have that. You know, they have a word. It sort of became old-fashioned. It's called a nationalist. And I say, really, we're not supposed to use that word. You know what I am? I'm a nationalist, OK? I'm a nationalist. Nationalist. Nothing -- use that word. Use that word."

 

There is a difference between a nationalist and a patriot. You can be a proud patriot without wishing to subjugate others. Nationalists are not only prideful of their nation, they want to dominate other races, nations and people groups. After two world wars and several genocides I think we can safely say that nationalism is one of the great evils of the modern era. Other proud nationalists? Otto van Bismarck, Adolf Hitler, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Generalissimo Franco, Benito Mussolini, and many many more.

 

And by saying he knows he isn't supposed to use that word, the president is not mistakenly or accidentally misusing the word. He knows full well the historical and ideological meaning of the word nationalist. He's wielding it as a badge of honor.

 

Wake up America. You have a proud nationalist as president.  

schism

When you weren't looking the Orthodox Church began the process this week of splitting and yes, it involves Russia, Ukraine and Constantinople (wait, isn't it Istanbul?)...read more here...

https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-10-19/orthodox-christianity-faced-political-dividehttps://www.pri.org/stories/2018-10-19/orthodox-christianity-faced-political-divide

Travelin'

I was listening to Live From Here with Chris Thile this weekend. One of their guest performers was a singer-songwriter named Gabriel Kahane. I was not previously familiar with Kahane's work but was immediately entranced by his performance on the show. After the show I immediately downloaded Kahane's latest album, Book of Travelers.

After the 2016 election, Kahane decided to break out of his New York City cultural bubble and see the country. He wanted to see a nation first hand that had become so divided. He left his cell phone at home and boarded an Amtrak Train for the next two weeks. He traveled the breadth of the country and back engaging in conversations with Americans from all walks of life and across the political spectrum.

His Book of Travelers is inspired by that sojourn. Kahane also wrote about his experience on the train for the New York Times. His column is insightful and hopeful. It's a quick read and well worth your time.

His album, Book of Travelers is also well worth the listen. It is a poignant work for our troubled times. Kahane is a wonderfully talented composer, pianist and storyteller.

The First Man (not the space movie)

As I blogged several days ago, stopping at the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris, was for me one of the highlights of our trip to France.

Being in France I decided to buy a book by one of my favorite French authors, Albert Camus. After much internal debate, I settled on The First Man.

The First Man was Camus's unfinished work that was found in the mud at the site of the car accident that took his life. He intended it to be his masterpiece but he had not completed it at the time of his untimely death. His daughter eventually set about publishing it. She included his notations in the margins and a thorough appendix of ideas he meant to expound upon. She made it clear that this was indeed an unfinished work.

But even in its rough state it is a poignant and beautiful work. The First Man is Camus's autobiography but with the names changed.

A few things stuck out to me in reading this wonderful book...

The greatest difference maker in changing his life path and helping escape the grinding poverty of his family was Public School. In particular, one of his teachers took him under his wing and pushed him to apply for secondary school when his family wanted him to go into the labor force. This one teacher made all the difference in Camus's life and Camus never forgot him. He dedicated some of his books to him and mentioned his teacher in his acceptance speech when he was awarded the Nobel Prize. His teacher sacrificed his time to help prepare him for the lycee entrance exams and mentored him. Albert was nine years old at the time.

Imagine that! A teacher noticing the giftedness of a what would be a Third Grader in the U.S.. Brought tears to my eyes. This kid, saved from a life of poverty and mindless work in the slums of Algiers because a teacher cared.

Another observation...the importance of the Public Library in Camus's childhood. He could not afford books and books provided him with an escape from the realities of poverty. Books transported him to worlds beyond the slums. Books were a spark for his imagination and creativity. These free books from the public library transformed him and gave him a larger view of life.

There is a sad poignancy throughout the story. Camus's father died in the Battle of the Marne in The Great War when Camus was only a year old. Camus never knew his father and that sense of loss pervades his childhood. His mother is half deaf and illiterate, she cleans laundry for a living. They live with his Grandmother and half-mute uncle both who are also illiterate.

Despite all this, Camus would break free from the obstacles of poverty and loss and become one of the 20th century's greatest writers and philosophers. He would serve in the Resistance against the Nazi's. Camus would give voice to those without a voice. He would provide moral clarity in a chaotic world. He died young, age 46, in that car accident. Gone way too soon. But what an impact he made in that short time. And man, what obstacles he overcame with the help of many but including the help of...

A Public School Teacher

and

The Public Library.

Rain

We haven't seen blue skies in a week. We even traveled five states this week and still its been all rain. Rain and more rain. Rain in Texas. Rain in Arkansas. Rain in Missouri. Rain in Illinois. Rain in Indiana and then back through all those states again. Nothing but rain.

Back in Texas

Well, it was a long hard trip over five states in the pouring rain, there to Indiana and back. But we made it back to Texas. Finally.

Loss

My wife's grandmother passed away last night. She was one of the most gracious and kind people I have ever met. Her loss weighs heavily on us but we are happy that she's at rest and in the presence of the God of her faith.

The Hollar, where she lived for almost ninety years is not quite as green today as it was yesterday. The trees droop a little heavier this day.

The Last Day in Paris

Our last full day in Paris we spent in the Montmartre area of Paris. The days had gotten cooler and the morning was sunny. We took the metro to the Abbesses station which features one of the last Beaux Arts station canopies in Paris. Right there next to the station is the Wall of Love with expressions of love written in dozens of languages. Of course, there was a french accordion player on the premises to set the mood.

We took the funicular up to the Sacré-Cœur. The Sacre-Coeur is a beautiful cathedral built in the early 20th century. It quickly became a legendary Parisian landmark. Being located on the highest hill in Paris it has some of the best views in town. We climbed up the 300 stairs to the top terrace for even better views. So many stairs on this trip!

We then meandered through Montmartre. We stopped and bought some art from a local artist. We ate at a very nice little cafe. Then the rains came. Just soft rain but we did have to dodge the chestnuts falling from the trees. We had dessert at the Moulin Galette. We wandered down and saw Van Gogh's Montmarte apartment. And after a day of wandering and looking at the beautiful scenery of Montmarte we jumped on the Metro and headed to our neighborhood.

We ate dinner at La Terrase by the Ecole Militaire Metro Station around the corner from our apartment. It had gotten cooler in Paris and the wind was blowing. We walked around the corner for one last look at the Eiffel from its base, called it a day and began to pack for our trip home the next day.

The Musee d'Orsay

The day after our visit to Versailles we headed to the Seine River and went to the Musee d'Orsay. In some ways we enjoyed our visit to the Orsay more than the Louvre. We both are great fans of the impressionists and they are spectacular in person. Degas, Renoir, Monet, Manet, Gaugin and so many more are just amazing.

The space is a wonderful place, an old train station transformed into one of the greatest museums in the world. Despite its size, it is quite a bit smaller than the Louvre. And maybe that freed us up to just enjoy the place. The Louvre is so big it can get overwhelming. The Orsay was just a nice relaxing place to see amazing art.

Tennis Anyone?

One of the great highlights of our Paris trip for me did not involve a famous site, as great as those sites were. A personal highlight was visiting one of the most important historical sites in France, a place overlooked by the tourist machine.

I teach AP European History and we spend quality time each year studying the French Revolution. In the summer of 1789 the three estates (social classes) were meeting at Versailles to discuss the crown's financial crisis.

 

One day, when representatives of the Third Estate (the lower class) came to the gates of the Palace of Versailles they found themselves locked out. Literally. The gates were chained shut. They were being purposely excluded from all future discussions.

 So the angry crowd of representatives gathered at the King's Indoor Tennis Court. There, they took an oath which became known as The Tennis Court Oath. They agreed not to disband until a new constitution had been written with greater freedoms for the lower classes. This revolutionary act took place almost a month before the Fall of the Bastille. Many historians consider The Tennis Court Oath as the beginning of the French Revolution.

 As a history teacher I wanted to see this place, if it still stood. I was surprised to find that the King's Tennis Court (Jeu de Paume) was not actually on the palace grounds, which makes sense if they were locked out. It was and is actually a little less than a mile away from the gates. Using Google Maps we saw that it's located about halfway between the Palace and the Train Station. 

So after our day at Versailles, we took the short detour into the neighborhood next to the promenade that leads to the station. We turned a corner and there it was. It had a big banner on the outside proclaiming it as the Jeu de Paume, the one we were looking for. 

 At the door there was only one employee. And we were surprised to discover that admittance is free. We were even more surprised to find no one else there. We signed the visitor's book and saw that the place does not receive that many visitors. That did surprise me. I understand how the place might not be of great interest to your average tourist. But I assumed that the scene of one of the most pivotal moments in French history would receive more attention.

The place had been restored and reclaimed by the French government in the late 19th century. Today the Palace of Versailles actually operates the place. It was exactly how I would have imagined it. On one wall was a massive mural sized reproduction of David's famous painting of the Tennis Court Oath. There were statues of many of those involved with the proceedings of that day. I took a photo next to Dr. Guillotin (yes, the guillotine guy). 

It was surreal to walk in the same space where so much changed and that I teach about each year. It was even more surreal that we were the only ones there. It was almost as if we had discovered something just for ourselves. It was a wonderful moment. Well, a wonderful moment for an enthusiast of history. 

Versailles is Big

I've been teaching about Versailles for 20 years. But until you walk the grounds you cannot possibly fathom the scope of the place. That is why travel is so important to one's education. Textbooks can tell you it's big. Photos can show some of the grandeur. But seeing it in person...unbelievable.

A mirror selfie in the Hall of Mirrors

One of the big takeaways for me during our trip to Paris was how inevitable the fury of the French Revolution was. Why were the members of the Third Estate so vengeful? Walk the grounds of the Louvre. Walk the grounds of Versailles. My gosh, it's sickening to see how wealthy the Bourbons were. And to think that when they went bankrupt they had the unmitigated gall to ask the poor for more money. Revolution was inevitable. The Bourbons deserved what they got.

We took the RER train from the Invalides station which was about a ten minute walk from our apartment. The train ride lasted about thirty minutes. We stepped out of the train station at Versailles and followed the advice of several websites to avoid following crowds and take the beautiful tree-lined promenade just left of the green canopied Starbucks across from the station.

It was a cool morning and a pleasant five minute walk to the first gate,t he first majestic gate to the majestic palace. We walked into the large courtyard and headed to the left to the pre-paid timed ticket line. Once again, the best advice I have to offer...pre-paid timed tickets purchased in advance. We walked past dozens of people already in line before the place was open.

We also had a plan. As soon as the gate opened we fast walked to the room I wanted to see most...The Hall of Mirrors. It was in the Hall of Mirrors where the first truly unified German Empire was declared after the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s. It was in this same room where The Treaty of Versailles was negotiated after The Great War. Very few rooms have the historical impact as this one. And we got there first. There was no one there. We got to enjoy the place for about five minutes before the next few tourists wandered in. So surreal to be in a room of such historical import.

We then wandered the rest of the palace. Unbelievable grandeur. Unbelievably ostentatious. We eventually headed outside and as wondrous as the palace is, it's the palatial grounds that really take your breath away.

Yeah, the gardens are beautiful. Yes, everything is manicured. Yes, there are statues of naked people everywhere. Dozens of fountains. But what takes your breath away is how much territory this place covers. You literally cannot see the end of the grounds. The gardens of Versailles extend beyond the horizon in all directions. It's more like a national park than a museum with some nice gardens.

We rented a golf cart for an hour to cover more territory, even that wasn't sufficient. We turned the cart in and walked. And walked and walked again. We took a mini tram train to the outer palatial estates of Marie Antoinette and the Queen. This is where the royals could pretend they were provincials living on farms.

Versailles was extremely impressive. Beautiful beyond words. Despite walking the grounds for hours we saw just a fraction of the place. I would go again in a heartbeat.

Thinking

After several hours at the Louvre, we ate at Angelina's then walked over to the Palais Garnier and spent some quality time in the Opera district. More on that later.

On our way back to our apartment we stopped at the Musee Rodin. Located by the Invalides it was conveniently located close to our lodgings. 

The Museum is actually a small estate in the middle of the city. It was an oasis of greenery and shade on a hot day in Paris. Seeing Le Penseur (The Thinker) in person is surreal. It is truly majestic. The mansion that houses many of Rodin's work is very impressive. 

As we were walking I finally felt the heat of the day becoming oppressive. This was the hottest day of our stay and the temps would cool considerably the next day. After 25,000 steps I felt my heart racing and I began sweating. Fortunately the Rodin estate had a nice shaded cafe where I ordered a cold Coke and we could sit under the trees and enjoy the breeze. In a few minutes I was right as rain. 

The Musee Rodin is an underrated place of beauty under the shadow of the gold dome of Napoleon's tomb. 

Mona

The Louvre. I had heard stories about this place since I was a kid. I had heard it's so big you can get lost for days. I had heard the lines to get in are massive. I heard you can't take it all in. So I did some research.

First, as big as this place is, King Louis XIV thought it was too small. Despite being the largest palace in Europe, he felt cramped. So he began work on the great palace of Versailles. As you walk around the grounds outside you can see why the people finally had enough and rebelled. Not only is it massive, it's extremely ornate. Huge statues, decorations inlaid with gold, all right in the middle of town. Not only was the king rich, he rubbed his wealth in the people's faces.

First, we read to avoid the main entrance, the one by I.M. Pei's glass pyramid. Everyone goes that way. So we purchased timed tickets in advance for a 9:00 am slot when the museum opens. We also had read to use the Pont des Lions entrance. This entrance is only about 200 yards away from the main entrance. It's between two massive lion statues so you can't miss it. We got to the entrance about 8:55 am and there was only one other couple in line. I thought maybe we had come to the wrong place.

 But promptly at 9:00 am the security guard moved the rope and let us through...just us and the other couple. There was no one else in line behind us. We walked straight through security, got our tickets scanned and were in. No wait. But we could see the massive line, moving slowly through corralled gates by the big glass pyramid. All it took was five minutes of googling to find an alternative entrance.

We had also downloaded the Louvre's official app. The app has a GPS feature which allows you to type in a work of art and it will guide you straight there. We already had the Mona Lisa dialed in and we quickly followed the blue line on my phone screen. We fast-walked down one big corridor then turned left and into her room. We really wanted to beat the crowds.

And there she was. And the room was nearly empty. There was only like six or seven people there when usually there are hundreds. We had an unobstructed view of Mona. No jostling, no pushing and it was very quiet as everyone looked at her in awe.

I immediately appreciated the hype. Many who see the actual Mona Lisa say they are disappointed, mainly because the painting is smaller than they expected...but I already knew that she would be small. Plus, usually you are fighting crowds for a view. And we had the room to ourselves and a few other quiet souls. 

See, here's the deal...all those prints, postcards, umbrellas, photos in books, none of them can truly capture the essence of this painting. She seems to float in front of the background. Her eyes follow you around the room. The background seems alive with a translucent mist. It is a spectacular painting, especially when you're not fighting for position with hundreds of other admirers. 

 That's me...with Mona Lisa looking over my shoulder. And she truly seemed to be looking over my shoulder. She seemed to follow me with her eyes wherever I went and we had room to roam to look at her at every angle. But not for long. People soon began streaming in and we left her to look at the other majestic works of art all around. When we passed by that same room an hour or so later it was crammed with people and selfie-sticks. She was definitely worth getting to early. 

 So what else to say about The Louvre. You could spend days there. No way you can see everything in one day. We had made a list of some must-see works and used the Louvre App to find them. Some of those works included the Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, Delacroix's Liberty Leads the People and The Coronation of Napoleon. We saw sculptures by Michelangelo. We focused mainly on the great paintings and sculptures. We didn't spend as much time in the rooms of Egyptian antiquities or treasures from the Americas. We enjoyed every minute of it.

So, go early. Go through a side entrance. Make a plan. It was definitely worth it. If I lived in Paris I would meander more and go for days.