Hello November! So many momentous occasions recently, most importantly of course Atlas's 4th birthday. Oh yes, and this recent election everyone's been talking about...

We took a trip to Brittany for a few days, this time wanting to stay closer to Cancale, which is where some of the world's best oysters are produced, rather than the beautiful but overrun Mont St Michel. Unfortunately Atlas decided to get sick the morning of our departure from Paris, and was pretty miserable for a lot of the time there. Still, we managed a few dozen oysters and other great seafood, filled up on wonderful Breton pastries, cookies, and caramels, and did some more exploring of the old walled city of St Malo.

In other news, Adham took a day-long work trip in late October to Provins, a superbly preserved medieval city to the east of Paris to speak to about 75 high school students about the US electoral process, and the views of the candidates on the major issues. It's hard enough explaining the Electoral College in English, but try it in French some time! It worked out well though, and the students were really curious about why the system is the way it is in the U.S. So why do we still have an Electoral College?

The boys loved Halloween. Atlas was a witch and Tasman was a magician, with the help of an old silk top hat we found at the great Porte de Vanves flea market here in town. The Embassy threw a trick or treat party for the kids, and Adham was one of the guides who took groups of them around to the various offices who were participating - dressed up as King Tut, no less. One of our best investments in Dhaka was having a bunch of costumes made up.

In other events of the recent past, Adham attended a ceremony where Dennis Hopper was given an awardby the French government for his lifetime contribution to motion picture arts. He got to chat with him and his wife a bit, and foun d him to be a very nice guy, in contrast to the often psychotic characters he often portrays in films.

Tasman and Atlas also both had firsts, when Tasman went to his first Cub Scout camping trip with Adham, an overnight trip to the French scouting center just outside of Paris. He really enjoyed it and is now committed to participating in more activities with his Tiger cub cohorts. As for Atlas, he decided he wanted to visit the Catacombs of Paris, so he and dad went down the long spiral staircase one day for an absolutely fascinating visit to the underground city of the dead. It's hard to believe that the remains of so many thousands of people are right there under the city streets, arranged so neatly in chamber after chamber.

Need proof? Look no further...