Brooke+I


 * William Bixby, 2010**

May 4th (Tuesday) Lille, France

We started at the Lille Flandres train station this A.M. at 9 and went through the town and city of Lille. I thought Lille was a beautiful place. There were so many people there. Lille has about 1,020,000 population. It was spring and 65*F with only a slight breeze. It was also very sunny. All around I saw open air sculpures, mostly of people. I suppose they were very famous people. There was also a cultural event going on with millions of visitors. The city was disignated European capital of culture and Lille was transformed into an art space. 21.7% of the city is appartments and studio flats. There are two university schools, most likely very expensive by the looks of them.

The town houses are still a little similar. They are made out of red or brown brick or stone. These houses are in the town center and are usually good for first investment and for families or couples. I still think the houses are ugly.

Bixby, William (2010) May 5th (Wenesday) Arras, France

Arras has a 47,052 population. I walked around for hours obseving everything. The Cathedral of Amiens was so beautiful. It's the tallest Gothic church and largest cathedral in France. The face of the Cathedral is pierced by 3 portals decorated with sculptures of bibical figures and saints. This is a catholic place. Arras is famous across the world for it's two amazing squares, built in a Spanish bareque stlye. From the XI century, they were the center of commence. They are spread over 17,000 square meters of historical paving stones. 155 facades make up the squares date from the XVII and XVIII century. The houses were almost completly destroted, but they have been fixed and replaced with brick and stone. Befor the war, they were made out of wood. Today There was a Vimy Memorial. This memorial is just north of the town honouring the major World War 1 battle, Vimy Ridge. This marks the 1st time Canada fielded an entire army of her own.

The last place I went to was Verdon Gorges. Verdon Gorges is the 2nd largest canyon. It is 20 kilometers in length and more than 700 meters deep. It has a startling turquois-green color.
 * __Verdon Gorges__**




 * __One of the Famous squares__**