Blog Abroad

Wednesday January 7, two men broke into the office of the magazine Charlie Hebdo(which is somehow ligned with Muslims, but I haven't figured that out yet) and shot the workers (the staff, the desk attendant) then shot an injured Muslim officer during their escape.

Thursday January 8, a third gunman associated in the Charlie Hebdo shooting shot two pedestrians and a police officer. The shooter, a female, fled France.

Friday January 9, the two initial shooters held hostages in a printing firm. Most hostages were shot, some officers were injured and the two men were killed.

The same day, a fourth gunman took a kosher supermarket hostage as ransom for the two initial shooters (who had not yet been caught). Four hostages were killed as well as the shooter.

All in all, there were 17 people killed, several more wounded, and all of France was in heart ache. That Sunday there were rallies all over the country and more abroad in support of everybody's equality regardless of race, religion, career, etc.

This story is based on a BBC article, I have heard several other stories as well, but the main plot is the same.

Barcelona is in the North-Eastern region of Spain called Catalunya.

Catalunya, much like Quebec, has a significant population who want to secede from Spain.

The Barcelona World Race started Dec 31 and will finish in April: it's a sailing race around the globe!

Barcelona was founded by the Romans in the Middle Ages.

Aix is pronounced like the letter X.

Aix-en-Provence is in the south-eastern France, founded in 122 BC.

Aix is a University city, hosting Aix-Marseille University.

The desert cookies Calissons d'Aix originate here.

The inhabitants of Aix are called Aixois.

Average temperatures in Aix range from 41°F in January to 72°F in July.

On average, Aix gets 300 days of sunshine a year.

In the spring, a powerful wind storm called the Mistral blows through southern France.

A theory spread by one group claims that a UFO landed here in 1981. (Highly unlikely)

Cabra is the Spanish word for goat.

Cabra is located in southern Spain, founded in the 200s BC.

Also, the town is so small that nobody cares enough about it for me to find facts for you!