Beginnings: Life in France

I'm still enjoying the French culture, especially when I have time to cook
because it's amazing what you can find at the grocery stores here (and what
you can't- baking soda for example). We live in the Alsace region which is
especially noted for its wines and more german cuisine. There are several
vinyards withing 30 or so km of the city. It's harvest time now, so we're
planning on taking a trip to the area called the Route du Vin soon, it's
supposed to be gorgeous.

I don't think I could ask for a better set-up for traveling. I'm centrally
located in France, so I can go travel on the weekends, then come home, sleep
in my own bed, do something academically stimulating for a week, and travel
some place new again on the weekend if I so desire. Awesome.