Deux jours a Paris.

I missed the Opera Garnier's hours.

I walked past Lavoisier's tomb without seeing it.

I remembered the Cafe des Deux Moulins as the Cafe des Trois Moulins. So I overlooked it.

I couldn't find Fourier's grave on the map. I didn't see a photo booth in the metro at Montmartre.

I don't know if I've ever been in love.

But I have seen Paris.

Quote of the day

"You should not leave Europe without seeing Paris." - Claudius, my European Issues teacher.

Fahrenheit 451

Today in my comparative media class, we watched Fahrenheit 451, the 1960s movie based on the dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury of the same title. In the book and movie, firemen burn books instead of putting out fires. The title refers to the temperature at which paper burns.

This sounds silly, maybe, but every time the firemen set fire to a pile of books, I could feel the beginnings of tears. It was a hard movie for me to watch.


I am positive I was the only one in the class who felt that way. I'm not sure if I was crying because I was making a comparison between the movie and how society actually is, or if I simply hated to see someone burn a book. I think the former.

Ray Bradbury and the filmmakers were commenting on the value of the printed word (books) in our society, and suggesting what might happen if it was (they were) to become devalued. I'm not saying everyone has to cry during the movie, but what if there is something more sinister than burning books?

What about ignoring them? How many books have you read this week? This month? This year? Ignoring literature, rather than burning it, is a much easier, less drastic and just as effective measure to achieve what Bradbury and the film showed.

I couldn't tell you how many books I've read. I don't think I could not read, even if I wanted to. I'm not saying this because it makes me feel smug. When I read, I enter a world where no one can follow me, alone. I still don't think I've read enough to be a good writer.

The book, like the movie, is inherently unrealistic. Can you imagine a functioning, modern, electronic society without the printed word? How would one read a menu, or know how to get somewhere on a map? In the movie, Montag, the main character, is shown reading a newspaper containing only images. Also, why do the characters still know how to read if books are forbidden?

Montag's wife Linda, and many people in the society seem to have lost their capacity to feel and to remember their pasts.

Save our society. Save yourself. Read a book today. (Or just watch the movie version.)

It's still too cold for gelato in February

But I had to have the chocolate hazelnut flavor anyway.


I could not leave Valentine's Day uncelebrated. This is my first quasi-non single Valentine's Day. So, why was I consoling myself with gelato?

Because, ironically, an ocean separates me and my valentine. I shot this couple looking out at the Mediterranean Sea after carnivale in Viareggio. Not bad, eh?


We amused ourselves by writing things in the sand. This is what I wrote.


This means: "I love you." It is reserved for spouses, usually, because it connotes eternal love.

Here is Ryan, a guy in the group, writing a message for Kyleigh, one of my appartmentmates and his girlfriend of five years.


On Saturday, I had walked by myself around Florence. There are quite a few messages of love to be found, maybe meant for those who are alone this Valentine's Day. These were all found fairly near my apartment.


"Hello my love"





"TVB" stands for "Ti voglio bene," which also means "I love you," but is reserved for family members, close friends and your boyfriend/girlfriend.

I walked to the Ponte Vecchio. A bridge has stood there since the time of the Romans, where the Arno river is at its narrowest point.


On the wall where the bridge meets land, many had inscribed messages of love.


In the middle of the bridge, there are always couples admiring the view from the statue of Benvuto Cellini.




When I first visited the Ponte, I noticed that the gate surrounding the statue was covered with hundreds of locks -- symbolizing declarations of eternal love, and presumably marriage. Among the messages and among the locks, I tried to find my own name. I could not. The city has since removed all of them, and placed this sign:


What does that mean for the symbolism?

My mommy sent me a postcard. Why haven't you?

Look how this girl is tragically staring at this sinking ship. Maybe her boyfriend is on it? Mom bought this postcard at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. She cheated and put it in an envelope, maybe because it needed three Canadian dollars in stamps. I'm hoping it's cheaper from the U.S. I need to figure out how much it costs to send one back to Canada. It costs me 85 euro cents to send something to the U.S. Anyway, here's what she wrote:



This is how I asked in Italian for ten stamps to America: Vorrei dieci francoboli per Stati Uniti. Aren't ya proud of me?

Special Valentine's Day post to come tomorrow. I'm headed to the Carnivale at Viareggio. Hope all of your festi di San Valentino are wonderful.

We are president with you.

We watched this in European Issues. I think it was part of Silvio Berlusconi's most recent reelection campaign. For your viewing pleasure.

How to avoid homesickness

Don't watch this Death Cab music video from New Moon. Don't let the lyrics: "Everything, everything ends," remind you that you probably won't be coming home.

Don't recognize the Italian road signs. Don't think of the Palazzo Vecchio when you see that crazy clocktower. So I read the movie wasn't actually filmed in Volterra, but we still want to go, just for kicks. And once and for all, I'm fairly certain we won't find a festival honoring vampires.

I'm afraid those Twilight producers must be doing something right because this video made me tear up.



Instead, listen to this American Life. Guaranteed to raise the IQ, not lower it. Thanks to my friend Jonathan, who did the D.C. program with me, for the suggestion. From now on, consider me a fan of Ira Glass' soothing voice.