Bonjoir!

I have arrived safely in Toulouse, France. I am here for some business meetings, so I don't expect to be able to take a lot of "tourist" photos, but I will share what I take. Click the picture to the right to see all of the photos in this set in our family album, as I update it this week.

In terms of news, the flights through Chicago and Germany were uneventful. Watchedseveral movies including:

• The Queen (Helen Mirren was fantastic and can someone tell me my the Queen of England must carry a purse in her own home?)
• The Woody Allen film "Scoop" (who can resist Scarlett Johanasson and Hugh Jackman?)
• "Step Up" (predictable bad-boy-meets-ballerina-falls-in-love-wins-dance-competition plot, although the principal of the school of the arts was played by an actress I like, Rachel Griffiths, who plays "Sarah" on the TV show Brothers and Sisters).

Arriving in Toulouse, with my colleague early enough in the day, we braved the cold (burr!) and explored the old part of the city, with it's brick capitol building, St. Sernin Basillica (named after the first bishop of Toulouse, martyred in 250 for refusing to bow to a Roman god, by being dragged through the city by a bull), and a museum of Roman antiquities from the region. Toulouse is the location of the 2nd largest University in the country. I imagine this place is hopping in the Spring, but with the weather below freezing it was fairly quiet today. Got to sneak in a nap before dinner and I am hoping that doesn't mess me up much in the meetings tomorrow.

Today, I really appreciated all of my electronics. My iPod on the flight. My new Panasonic Lumix camera (thanks, Tony) which fit easily in my pocket, my Blackberry that did not miss a beat as I moved from country to country (thanks, Tara), and my Flickr/Blogger accounts that allow me to give everyone an update on trip and sights seen. I am reminded how technology does make the world a smaller place!