Musée Archéologique

Suddenly, I have the urge to write today. By now, I have been in Grenoble for exactly three weeks. I have done so many things here on the daily basis that once I lost the tract of my writing, it became impossible to catch up. And it really takes an effort for me to reinitiate the writing. I need to start from somewhere, like, today.

Now I am sitting sur la Place Notre-Dame, just outside my apartment. Il fait couvert maintenant. I am sitting outside a café at the square. Facing me is the center of the square, with a beautiful fountain commemorating the historical event in 14 June, 1788, when the parliament in Grenoble organized a meeting in which they decided to defy the heavy taxation from Louis XVI (that is 13 months before the prise de Bastille, the proud of the city). Farther in the distance are the mountains. Here in Grenoble it is hard to avoid mountains in the horizon; they surround the city and is part of the city. In fact, this is one of my favorites in Grenoble. Looking at mountains has become a routine meditation for me.

And of course, there is French, both for the language and for the people. I think I am improving, but I want to improve more. Perhaps “resolution” is a good word to convey my experience here. My understanding of French culture and French people is a bit fuzzy due to the language barrier. I can get the gist of things, but often lose subtleties. Sometimes this is frustrating, and exhausting. An interesting experience nonetheless, the experience of being lost. Right now, I am sitting at this lovely café, surrounding by the French, and their language. Par mal?!

It just started to rain. The patisserie across the road lights up its windows. The rain, the bread, and the joyful conversation flowing in the air. C’est la vie française.  

As I said, I have done so many cultural activities that to give a superficial survey of all is meaningless. Perhaps they will be permeated in my future entries. But at the moment, let me tell you my excursion early today at the musée archéologique. The museum is on the other side of the river, not very far away from where I live. It is a small museum, but I like the design quite a lot. In a sense, it epitomizes the city, with a long history and vibrant modern life. (The rain is hardening, and the view of mountains is lost in mist.) The museum was built on an archeological site that can be traced back to the time of antiquity. It was a burial site for the city since the 4^th century, and later when the region was Christianized churches were built upon it. Archeologists found at least 1500 tombs here, from the 4^th century to the 18^th century, and with the technology of “bioarchéologie,” it becomes a valuable place to study the evolution of the society and human health in the region. The heart of the museum is a huge pit where human remains are displayed. A machine projects the lights of five colors onto the pit, demonstrating the architecture of five renovation/rebuilding of the site in the past two millenniums. A nice combination of old archeological finds and new technologies. And there is music as well in the background, a sort of solemn religious tones that make visitors to contemplate death and eternity.

And there is the story of Saint Laurent, to which the current church is dedicated. Living in the 3^rd century, he was one of the martyrs who defended Christianity. The Roman emperor tortured him by putting him on a grill and let the fire burn him slowly until he died. Later he became a saint, and Christians in Middle Ages prayed to him to cure their burns and skin illnesses. A very interesting connection to my subject.

Well, at the moment let me stop here. I will not overwhelm myself by writing too much at a time, since that only intimidates a future writing. Perhaps “peu en peu” is better. Just like this beautiful fountain in front of me: let the water flow more slowing and continuously.

The rain just stopped. The air feels fresh and cool. It is about the time that people here begin their night life, and there are so many things in summer for them to do, and for myself as well!