You're Where?!?

In conversations with friends and family, I learned that most had not heard of Metz (pronounced mess, like a teenager's bedroom), many picture the Mediterranean when I say it's in France, and only one has been here (he is in the army, and has been almost everywhere). Here is my quick primer on where I am, along with some of my first views of the area.

Porte Serpenoise

I love the grass growing on top!

The city of Metz is in the Moselle department of the Lorraine region (Metz is the the regional capital) in northern France. It is so far

north, it is almost in Germany. In fact, parts of Lorraine have passed back and forth between France and Germany in relatively recent history! After its early inhabitants, the Leuci and Mediomatrici (when Metz was known as Divodurum, meaning holy mount), Lorraine came under rule by the Romans, the Merovingiens, and Carolingians, before becoming a kingdom under rule of Lothar, an inheritance from his grandfather, Charlemagne. The region was named Lotharingia, which evolved into Lorraine. Wikipedia seems to have the most thorough entries in English about the local history, if anyone is interested in learning more:

- Metz on Wikipedia: en/wikipedia.org/wiki/Metz
- Metz on Eupedia: http://www.eupedia.com/france/metz.shtml

- Moselle: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moselle

- Lorraine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine_(province)

You can also learn more in general on the:

- Lorraine website: lorraine-france.com/

- Metz website: www.mairie-metz.fr/metz2/langues/english/index.php

The Moselle

10 minutes from my apartment

Metz is on the banks of the Moselle river, which flows through Germany before meandering down to France. I stand corrected -- the Moselle flows from France up to Germany, and then turns east... oops! There are vineyards up and down the Moselle in both countries, and the occasional barge, sport or pleasure boat can be seen on its waters. My trip to Germany last summer was also on the Moselle!

Quiche Lorraine is a specialty of the area. Suite 101 has a traditional recipe, as well a a little history. Potée, a soupy stew (or a stewy soup), is another area specialty. Try the aftouch-cuisine recipe. In the nearby town of Nancy, the Sisters of Les Dames du Saint Sacrement's convent created Macarons de Nancy, or Macarons des Soeurs, made from fine sugar, egg whites and ground almonds, and Jean-Frédéric Godefroy Lilich invented Bergamot candy.

Metz Gare

Wed 29 Apr 2009, 21:30-ish

I live near Metz gare (the train station), which was built in 1908, during one of the German occupations. I went out walking last night, and saw a really ugly blue chandelier in the window of an antique store a block from my studio. I was trying to take a photograph of it, when I heard a piano. I looked into the store, and at the rear, saw a man playing. I didn't want him to yell at me for eavesdropping and being a peeping Tom, so I popped my camera back into my pocket, and continued strolling. Okay, I admit he played quite well, and I did linger for a few minutes to listen, with camera in pocket!

As I came up to the train station, I noticed just how intensely, deeply blue and cloudy the sky was, and how beautiful the train station looked against such a dramatic backdrop! I was happy to have my camera with me ... and frustrated at not having either a tripod, or the skill to properly expose the photo. I propped my arms up on a low wall, fiddled with the settings to try and get a longer exposure time for better color saturation (which may or may not be the case with digital photography), and held as still as possible, but I have not really done this scene justice.

You can view more photos from yesterday in my picasa album...

A Cloudy Day in Metz