IL Postcard

Food, festivities, and a home in the Spanish sun

Date: 12/18/2006

Dear Reader,

In the run-up to Christmas I find London stressful and utterly commercial (I’ve seen our infamous plum pudding for sale as early as October), yet in France it feels somehow more manageable, a more social event on a human scale. Even here, in the chic capital, there’s room for personal initiative—the entrance to my métro station at Jourdain has been totally gift-wrapped in gold, with flashing lights to boot, all thanks to the nearby pâtisserie and hairdressers. Some of my neighbors have decorated their apartment doors with wreaths of pine and holly, and the streets are all a-sparkle. Both Christmas and the New Year have réveillon (or midnight supper) status, involving lengthy gourmet meals—the first with closest family, the second usually at friends’ homes or out in a restaurant (where prices soar for this special date), so the main commercial interest is in the food section, and the clot hing department—black dresses in various shapes and styles being de rigueur to see out the old year and ring in the new.

In the Europe office, my colleague Maria will be returning to the States to spend the festive season with her family, and I’ll be joining my parents in rural Portugal—and keeping my fingers crossed for al fresco lunch weather. So we’ll be skipping next week’s broadcast—hope you can wait ’til the New Year for more of The European. I reckon it’ll be worth the wait: In 2007 we’ll be visiting Eastern Europe and dipping into the edges of Russia, trying out restaurants on mountain tops (and more accessible locations), and covering paperwork issues in France, house hunting in Spain, as well as driving in manual in a strange country... And I’ll tell you how my parents are doing with their residency papers.

In this bumper issue, we head for warmer climes on the coast of Spain… Steenie Harvey risks more than a fine for an overdue library book in Estonia, and my colleagues Maria and Lynn check out some traditional seasonal markets for last minute gifts. Plus you get to find out the other reasons why I live in the north-east district of Paris (last week’s photo was one clue…).

So warm yourself by the fire with the latest reports from The European.

All best wishes for the end-of-year festivities!

Leigh Fergus
Editor, The European

P.S. For more news and views about Europe, keep an eye on our Europe website at www.internationalliving.com/europe

P.P.S. If you have any comments or queries, please send them to theeuropean@internationalliving.com

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Tartu: Jailed for non-return of a library book

by Steenie Harvey

Did you know...? • Tartu county is getting a name for itself as Estonia’s medical center. An increasing number of medicine-related firms have set up offices in the region and the university clinics here are among the largest research and health care institutions in the country. • Domestic tourists visit Tartu for the willow-banked river Emajõgi, which has been the inspiration for many a poem. • Pre-Christian Estonians were a blood-thirsty lot, appeasing their gods with sacrifices: You can still see one of their sacrificial stones—a massive boulder—on the north side of the cathedral. (The original settlement of Tartu dates back to 600 A.D.) These days, however, the sacrifice is a paper one as students burn their lecture notes here after their exams.

Tartu, Estonia’s second city, has around 100,000 inhabitants—and a fifth of them are students. With a venerable history as a student town, its university was founded in 1632 by Sweden’s King Gustav Adolf. Nowadays things aren’t so tough for the country’s budding doctors, lawyers, and philosophers, but 19th-century authorities knew exactly what to do with unruly students: jail them in the university attic!

Crime? roistering with students
The confinement period depended on the crime committed: disturbance in a theater could result in anything from a sentence of one to eight days; failure to return library books meant two days; smoking in the university buildings was two to three days. And insulting a lady carried a four-day sentence. Cursing? As the sentence could be anything up to three weeks, I guess it depended on how foul-mouthed the student was. Other really heinous crimes were deceiving a shopkeeper or dueling; each carried a three-week sentence. In 1819, the Estonian poet K.J. Peterson spent time in the lock-up for “aimless wandering in the streets after dark.” But it wasn’t only youngsters who got into trouble. In 1837, the director of the university’s art museum spent time in the lock-up for roistering with students.

Originally there were five lock-ups, but four were destroyed by fire last century. If you’re willing to climb four flights of very steep stairs, you can still visit the remaining one. Go into the university’s main entrance on Ulikooli St, head for the art museum, and ask the custodian there to let you in.

Graffiti and girlfriends
For a small payment of 5 kroons ($0.40), a student guide will take you to see what previous students endured: a hard-looking bed… a desk and chair… a pitcher and bowl for washing. And that was about it in the cell. To pass the time, some young prisoners covered the walls of their cells with graffiti––pictures of devils, skeletons, cats, and owls. This is not to say that every student was bored witless. Apparently, wealthier bad boys bribed the guards into letting their girlfriends visit.

Reflecting Estonia’s history of conquest by neighboring countries (and its status as a Hanseatic trading nation), many of the graffiti inscriptions are in German. In the early 19th century, when the country was claimed by Czarist Russia, Tartu had the distinction of being the only German-language University in the Russian Empire. It wasn’t until 1919 that it became an Estonian-language institution.

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Costa Blanca, A Place to call Home

by Silvia Keller

Who hasn’t dreamed of living in a villa or apartment overlooking the ocean? You might think that to live in such places, especially in Europe, you’d need to be a millionaire. If you still think this way, you probably haven’t visited Spain’s Costa Blanca (White Coast). On the end of the Iberian Peninsula in the province of Alicante, this is a land of unique light and color bathed by the Mediterranean, its name taken from the miles of beautiful sandy beaches that stretch from the cosmopolitan town of Denia in the north to Torrevieja in the south.

The region offers something for everyone: a paradise for golfers and gourmets, sun-worshipers and serious party people, families, and couples. With over 320 days of sunshine in the year and an average temperature of 72° F, the World Health Organization has declared it as having one of the healthiest climates in the world. The Costa Blanca is now one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan locations, visited by foreigners who have come here for vacation—and decided to settle permanently.

With its two international airports, train stations, and well-maintained roads, travel to and around the Costa Blanca is simplicity itself. Among the most popular destinations are the towns of Benidorm, Calpe, Denia, Moraira, and Javea, on a highly developed coastline. But you’ll also find quiet residential areas with villas, chalets, bungalows, and apartments on the coast, as well as acres of unspoiled countryside with views of the mountains, old Moorish or Roman ruins, and some of the best golf courses in Spain.

Depending on location, an apartment can cost you from between 85,000 euro ($108,000) and 158,000 euro ($200,000). A two- or three-bedroom detached villa with private swimming pool and sea views can start at 235,000 euro ($300,000). Best of all, these properties can be built according to your specifications and most prices include perks such as major appliances, special wooden doors, quality tiling throughout, and more. So, you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford one of these homes––you just need to dream like one!

P.S.Interested in property on the Costa Blanca?
One developer for Cumbre Del Sol is Grupo VAPF, (Cristian Botella), S.A. Avda. Pai Valencia 22, 03720 Benissa (Alicante), Spain,; tel. +34 (0)96573-4017; website: www.vapf.com
N.X Properties also covers the Costa Blanca: Avda.Aguilera 38, Entlo. B, C.P. 03007 Alicante, Spain; tel. +34(0)96592-5654 / +34(0)65155-4346; email: servicios@nxpromociones.com; website: www.nxinmobiliaria.com/

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The Tastes of Tuscany (Part One)

by Elise Warner

The December air is crisp and the moon is full, lighting our way between the fields to a family-owned farmhouse in Monte Carlo, near Pistoia.

Elena, an effervescent blonde, welcomes us to dinner at the Podere Villa Fredda. We’re seated at long picnic tables in a well-heated tent and Elena talks about Tuscan food, wine, and Pisa—a rival since a war fought in 1003. Most of all, Elena talks about Tuscan olive oil: cold-pressed olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil, olive oil soap and lotion, and olive oil for cooking, baking, and dipping. “Olive oil,” she tells us, “will keep you young, beautiful; much better than a plastic surgeon.”

Ribollita: Bread and Vegetable Soup Serves six: 2 cups wet cannellini (white beans) 2 cups wet borlotti (pinto beans) half a Savoy cabbage 1 sprig thyme 1 leek 1 lb Swiss chard 3 ripe tomatoes 1 onion 2 carrots 2 potatoes, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic 2 stalks celery whole wheat bread salt, pepper extra-virgin olive oil 1. Soak the beans overnight and rinse thoroughly, then cook in six cups of water. 2. Strain ¾ of the beans through a sieve, put back in the cooking water. Save the remaining beans. 3. Sauté the finely chopped onion and a clove of garlic in 8 tablespoons of oil in a large pot. When golden, add the sliced celery, carrot, and leek. 4. Sauté and then add the chopped tomatoes, Swiss chard, cabbage, potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper. 5. Pour in the liquid from the beans and cook slowly for one hour. If necessary, add a little warm water. Add the beans after 45 minutes. 6. Place slices of bread in the bottom of the soup bowls and cover the bread with half the soup. Cover with a second layer of bread and the rest of the soup. 7. Let the soup stand for a moment before serving. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and thinly sliced onions may be added according to taste. Enjoy!

Bread is placed on the table; Pane casalingo Toscano (Tuscan housewife’s bread) has holes inside the size of a bull’s eye. The bread becomes hard after a day and is used in mouth-watering recipes such as ribollita (bread and vegetable soup—see the recipe in the box above) menestrone di pane, and pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup).

Did you know...? Tuscan bread is made with white flour and no salt. This practice dates back to medieval times when the Papal States levied a tax on the salt trade and the city-states of Tuscany rebelled. Tuscan bakers still bake their bread without salt because Tuscans now prefer the taste.

“ Buona Fortuna!”
Bottles of wine are opened–Chianti and Vernaccia (pale yellow with a refreshing, dry taste, produced and sold locally, and exported to Europe). “ Salute!” “ Buona Fortuna!” we toast. Plates of crostino (toasted rounds of bread), glistening with olive oil and slivers of garlic, disappear quickly, followed by salad with locally grown olives. Homemade pasta is served and a country ragu (meat sauce made with sweet Italian tomatoes), but I dig into a pomarola of sweet Tuscany tomatoes.

Heaping platters
For the main course come heaping platters of barbecued meat and frittata con zucchini. Vin Santo (the wine of Saints) follows, made from ripe, white grapes left to dry for nearly four months then pressed and poured into chestnut barrels for fermentation; Amber in color, its scent is that of dried figs and candied fruit. Cantucci, a twice-baked biscuit also called biscotti, accompanies the Vin Santo; the crunchy, almond or hazelnut-flecked biscuit is traditionally dunked into the wine. The music invites us to dance, and we feel virtuous; the dancing will burn off the calories we’ve just added.

P.S. Read our next issue to get more of a taste of Tuscany...

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Vin chaud, pretzels, and gingerbread

by Maria Savage

I can’t imagine what Strasbourg offers during the other 11 months of the year but December is definitely taken care of—the Christmas markets here are second to none. Starting with intricate light displays, brass bands on every square,and the winter chill, Strasbourg does Christmas like nowhere else.

Carnivore-friendly Vegetarians be warned. The only thing on the menu for you will likely be a plate of french fries, plain potatoes, or pasta—the Alsace is a serious meat-eating region.

Last weekend I caught an early train from Paris’ Gare de l’est and was sipping vin chaud (mulled wine) by noon, followed by my first traditional Alsace-style lunch: a hearty meal of Baeckoffe, consisting of stewed meats, potatoes, and spices, accompanied with a glass or two of dry Muscat—just what you need before an afternoon of Christmas shopping.

The markets
And what choice there is for shopping. Every square in town has been converted into an open-air market, the two stars being Christkindels Märik and the Cathedral market—where you can also admire Strasbourg cathedral, one of Europe’s most beautiful examples of gothic architecture.

My favorite, the Christkindels Märik (in the intro photo) , was where I picked out some gingerbread figures for my Christmas tree, bought my grandma a hand-painted porcelain ornament of a nativity scene, sourced a liter of Alsatian Christmas beer for my brother, and found a locally-made casserole dish for my mom. Other attractions included a special book market, an area devoted to Romanian goods, and a charity market where I sipped more vin chaud (for a good cause!).

Dining out
If you’re still hungry after cheese and bacon-covered pretzels, crêpes, and pain d’epices (gingerbread) then head to La Petite France, a picturesque island of half-timbered houses in the south of the city, for dinner. But for any weekend in December a reservation is advisable, otherwise, like me you’ll be dining at a very late hour. I eventually found a delightful brasserie where I tucked into coq au Reisling with a side of fresh-made spaetzle (local pasta) which certainly outdid the Baeckoffe.

Staying longer
If you’re thinking that all this sounds too good to fit into one weekend, remember that although you’re four hours from Paris, it’s only a two-hour train ride to the lively city of Munich. You can rent a beautiful three-bedroom apartment in the center of Strasbourg for 700 euros a month—to enjoy this astonishingly flowery city in summer, for example. And real-estate prices are very reasonable: With traditional, half-timbered, five-roomed houses and backyard going for 259,000 euros, you might even want to make Strasbourg your European base...

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No Escaping the Glühwein…

by Lynn Mulvihill

While my IL colleague Maria Savage was lapping up the festivities in Strasbourg’s Christmas Market, I flew into the heart of Germany to experience the traditional Weihnachtsmarkt in Frankfurt am Main.

The hub of all festive activity is Römerberg, the central square in Frankfurt’s Old Town. Once you surface from the underground stop here, there’s no fear of missing the market: Stalls start immediately at the station. Follow them along and you’ll reach the main square, which is totally consumed by the festive stalls, carousels, and a 100-foot Christmas tree.

Where to stay For our one-night stay in Frankfurt, we found the Hotel Excelsior, right opposite Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof (south exit), convenient. From here, Römerberg is but two stops away on the underground and the airport is about a 15-minute train ride. We paid just 65 euro ($86) for a double room, including breakfast, free mini-bar, and all-day access to coffee, cakes, and fruit in the cozy lobby. We found the best rate through www.hotels.com

Traditional decorations and the odd surprise
Among the staple stands of brightly-painted handmade wooden toys, traditional Christmas tree decorations, cookie cutters, and woollen gloves and hats, you’ll find the odd surprise. My favorites were a stand selling bonsai trees and plants and another showcasing the most intricate doll’s house furniture and accessories I’d ever seen—from miniature dining sets to musical instruments to workshop tools.

Never more than 10 feet from Glühwein...
With almost every other stand selling local fare you can’t possibly go hungry here. Alongside the stands selling crepes, waffles, and every kind of Wurst, look out for Frankfurt specialities such as Brenten (almond cookies), Bethmännchen (marzipan cookies), and Quetschenmännchen (edible figures made of prunes). And, there’s no escaping the Glühwein (mulled wine) … Wherever you are in the market, you won’t be more than 10 feet from a stand serving up the hot stuff. Liter-bottles can be bought for as little as $2.50.

Missing...
But there are some things you won’t find at Frankfurt’s Christmas Market…

• Elbow room. We hit the market at 2 p.m. and the serious shoppers were already out in force. By 6 o’clock, you couldn’t move freely. It was as though Frankfurt’s entire population had spilled out for the evening (to drink their share of Glühwein) and you literally had to fight your way through to get up close to any of the stalls. If you like your space, go early to avoid the crowds. (The markets open at 10 a.m.)
• Disposable cups. At any stand here, your Glühwein will be served in a ceramic mug (usually with a Christmas design). You pay for the cup as well as the drink…so it’s yours to keep should you wish. If you’d rather not keep the cup, you can return it to the counter and be reimbursed (the charge for the mug is usually around 2 euro).
• Consistent pricing. Yes, the market is huge…but walk around for long enough and you’ll begin to see some repetition in the product line. Nothing here seems expensive, but I was glad I resisted buying the first wooden spinning top that caught my eye—priced at 20 euro. I later picked up its identical twin for just 5 euro.

I wouldn’t come here if I was looking for big gifts, but Frankfurt’s Weihnachtsmarkt is a great place to pick up stocking-fillers, watch the crowds, and get into the Christmas spirit. And the setting is stunning: though most of the fairy-tale buildings here in the old town were destroyed during World War II, Frankfurters have done an impeccable restoration job.

Frankfurt’s Christmas Market runs until Dec. 21—Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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Twenty Reasons I Love Paris' 20th arrondissement
(Part 2)
by Leigh Fergus

1. One of the best butcher’s shops in Paris, Le Lann, 242 bis rue des Pyrénées.
2. There are regular “happenings,” whether for the equivalent of Paris garage sales but on the streets, summer parties with live bands, or fund-raising bric-à-brac events.
3. The friendliest bus line, the 26, goes through this arrondissement.
4. The avant-garde Théatre de la Colline at Gambetta regularly puts on pioneering plays, website: www.colline.fr .
5. There are rarely any traffic wardens.
6. The refreshing mint tea at Le Soleil—and its generous terrace— 14 boulevard de Ménilmontant (did you guess? I'm afraid I don’t drink coffee).
7. The best fireman’s ball in Paris is held here at Pelleport, 47 rue Fargeau, for the July 14 celebrations: expect to see the fittest young men (and women) in uniform, dance to the latest tubes (hits), and champagne. And the money raised goes to a good cause.
8. It’s easy to avoid cars in this pedestrian friendly district, plus there are more than 40 public gardens.

   

9. There are lively local café-cabarets with shows and music every night of the week, for example at les 3 Arts, on rue des Rigoles, les 3 Chapeaux on rue des Cascades, le Vieux Belleville, la Flèche d’Or…
10. It’s relatively cheap to buy or rent property here! (Average price per square meter in the Saint Fargeau sector is 4,000 euro, or $5,340, to buy, and small studios can be rented for between 400 and 650 euro per month, or $535-$865.)

Property agentsin the 20th
Agence Century 21 Pyrénées , 343 rue des Pyrénées, 75020 Paris; tel. +33(0)1-4033-3200; e-mail: agencedespyrenees@century21france.fr
SGIV , 117 avenue Gambetta, 75020 Paris; tel. +33(0)1-4030-0745 e-mail: vente@sgiv.fr website: www.sgiv.fr

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