The Bureau: France’s Riveting Spy Drama

The Bureau (Le Bureau des Légendes) is a gripping French spy series created by Éric Rochant for Canal+. It follows the daily life and missions of agents in the DGSE—France’s equivalent of the CIA—headquartered in Paris’s 20th arrondissement. Remarkably, the series was produced with the cooperation of the DGSE itself, which even endorsed its portrayal of intelligence work. Critics agreed: The Bureau won Best TV Series from the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics.

The story begins with Guillaume “Malotru” Debailly (Mathieu Kassovitz), a French intelligence officer returning to Paris after six years undercover in Syria. Struggling to adjust to his old life, he discovers that his former lover Nadia (Zineb Triki) is now in Paris. Against all rules, he contacts her under his Damascus alias, Paul Lefebvre—setting in motion a double life that threatens both him and the DGSE.

The supporting cast is equally compelling. Jean-Pierre Darroussin plays Henri Duflot, the likable but self-conscious head of the clandestine service, whose garish neckties make him seem almost ordinary. Léa Drucker portrays a DGSE psychiatrist with top-secret clearance, while Sara Giraudeau shines as Marina Loiseau, a young and determined operative navigating the perilous world of undercover work.

The acting throughout is superb, and the espionage feels refreshingly authentic—far more grounded than most spy thrillers. Over five masterful seasons, The Bureau became one of the most riveting and realistic espionage dramas I’ve ever seen, on television or film.

The series concluded after five seasons and is available in the U.S. on Sundance Now, including through the Sundance Now channel on Amazon.

Father Pitt: A Public-Domain Photo Treasure of Pittsburgh

PPG Place, Pittsburgh – © David H. Enzel, 2022

If you’re interested in Pittsburgh, the blog Father Pitt offers a wide-ranging collection of photographs of my hometown.

The author remains anonymous, but the site is maintained with care and updated regularly. Each photo is accompanied by thoughtful descriptions, and the entire collection is released to the public domain under a CC0 dedication—making it both a visual resource and a gift to the community.

Planning a Trip to France? Start with the ‘Join Us in France’ Podcast

If you’re planning a trip to France—or simply want to deepen your understanding of French history and culture—the Join Us in France podcast is a superb resource.

Launched in 2014, the podcast was originally co-hosted by Elyse and Annie, two women who know France inside and out. Annie was born in France but has also lived in the United States, while Elyse grew up in New York yet speaks the language fluently and has an encyclopedic grasp of French culture and history. Ironically, Elyse, the American, often seems “more French” than Annie, who was born there. Due to time constraints, Elyse no longer appears regularly but still joins when she can.

The podcast shines in the way it makes France approachable for American listeners. I especially enjoyed episodes on driving in France, French cheese, and Le Marais in Paris. Another episode on modern and contemporary art in France introduced me to 18 museums across the country, many of which I hadn’t known before.

Each episode comes with detailed show notes—an invaluable aid for trip planning. Unlike the many resources that focus mainly on hotels and restaurants, this podcast helps you understand the soul of France.

For additional perspective, Annie and Elyse were also featured in Amateur Traveler episode 428 about Paris. Amateur Traveler is a podcast I listen to often, and it covers destinations around the world. But if your focus is France, Join Us in France is the podcast to follow.

111 Posts and Counting

© David H. Enzel, 2022

With this entry, my blog has reached 111 published posts. What began as a simple outlet for notes and photographs has become an archive of travels, reflections, and personal history.

Revisiting and revising older posts reminded me why I write: to capture impressions, preserve memory, and shape a space that feels my own. I also hope that something here may be of help or interest to others who wander through.

Thank you for reading — it means a great deal. With the archive refreshed, I’m looking forward to adding new stories.

Here’s to the next chapter.

From Synagogue to Frauenkirche: Nuremberg’s Church of Our Lady

Frauenkirche, Nuremberg – © David H. Enzel, 2024

The Frauenkirche (“Church of Our Lady”) stands on the eastern side of the main market in Nuremberg, Germany. An example of brick Gothic architecture, it was built between 1352 and 1362 on the initiative of Charles IV (1316–1378), Holy Roman Emperor.

The church’s origins are bound up with tragedy. In 1349, during the Black Death, a violent pogrom led to the expulsion of Nuremberg’s Jewish community. Charles IV ordered the city’s synagogue demolished, and the Frauenkirche was built on its ruins as part of the newly created Hauptmarkt.

View of the bombed-out city of Nuremberg, 1945 – US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD

Yet within a few years, the city authorities, short of money, sought to attract Jews back. In 1351, Charles IV allowed their return under specific conditions, and by 1382 the Jewish community numbered more than 500, concentrated in the Judengasse (today’s Judenstrasse). More background can be found at the Jewish Virtual Library.

Centuries later, between the two world wars, Nuremberg became a stronghold of the Nazi Party. Julius Streicher (1885–1946) founded one of the first local branches there in 1922 and published the antisemitic weekly Der Stürmer. The city also hosted massive Nazi rallies, and its Jews lived under daily harassment and threat.

The Frauenkirche itself was nearly destroyed during the bombing of Nuremberg (see photo above) in World War II, leaving only its nave walls and façade. Restoration was completed in 1953, and today the church once again dominates the Hauptmarkt as both a historic monument and a reminder of the city’s layered past.

The Institut de France: Guardian of Knowledge and the Arts

Institut de France, Paris – © David H. Enzel, 2024

The Institut de France is a French learned society that brings together five académies, including the prestigious Académie Française, guardian of the French language. Founded in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention, it is housed on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Today, the Institut oversees nearly 1,000 foundations, along with museums and châteaux open to visitors. It also distributes prizes and grants—amounting to more than €27 million annually in 2017—most of them awarded on the recommendation of the académies.

Faithful to the mission set for it in 1795, the Institut and its five académies continue “to contribute, on a non-profit basis, to the progress and influence of letters, sciences, and the arts; to honor useful inventions and discoveries; to recognize distinguished artistic achievements; and to reward noble deeds and the steadfast practice of civic and social virtues.”

Dancing in the Heart of Paris: Place Colette

Dancing at Place Colette, Paris – © David H. Enzel, 2024

Tucked beside the Comédie-Française, Place Colette is more than just a Parisian square—it’s a stage where the city itself performs. Named in 1966 after the writer Colette (1873–1954), following a request by her daughter to then–Minister of Culture André Malraux, the square has since become a beloved gathering spot. On warm evenings, people often come here to dance in public, filling the air with music and movement. It’s a joy to witness, and a reminder of Paris’s enduring spirit of playfulness.

Suggestion: If you’re nearby, try this walking route that includes Place Colette, the Palais-Royal, and surrounding streets. It’s a beautiful way to experience Parisian history and atmosphere at a relaxed pace.

The Pegnitz River and Nuremberg’s Place in History

Pegnitz River flowing though Nuremberg – © David H. Enzel, 2024

The Pegnitz is a river in Franconia, in the German state of Bavaria. Its source is in the town of Pegnitz (population ~15,000), about 27 km south of Bayreuth. The river runs for about 113 km (70 mi) before meeting the Rednitz in Fürth to form the Regnitz. Along its course, it flows through Nuremberg (population ~545,000), the largest city in Franconia, the second-largest in Bavaria, and the 14th-largest in Germany.

Nuremberg is famous for its castle and extensive city walls, with their many towers—among the most impressive fortifications in Europe.

Nuremberg in the Nazi Era

From 1933 to 1945, Nuremberg held special significance for the Nazi regime. The city was chosen as the site of massive Nazi Party rallies, staged in 1927, 1929, and annually from 1933 to 1938. These events were designed as propaganda spectacles.

  • The 1934 rally was filmed by Leni Riefenstahl, resulting in the propaganda film Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will).
  • At the 1935 rally, Hitler convened the Reichstag in Nuremberg to pass the Nuremberg Laws, which stripped Jews and other so-called “non-Aryans” of German citizenship.

After the collapse of Nazi Germany, Nuremberg again became a focal point of world history. Between 1945 and 1946, the surviving top Nazi leaders were tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Military Tribunal. The proceedings took place in Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice. (The cross visible today in the courtroom was added later by the postwar German government and was not present during the trials.)

Courtroom 600, Nuremberg Palace of Justice, Nuremberg Germany – © David H. Enzel, 2024

Honduras: Resilience and Natural Beauty Amid Challenges

Ponant’s Dumont-d’Urville is a beautiful way to travel in French style. We spent much of our cruise exploring Honduras and the rest in Belize.

Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa, home to about 1.6 million of the country’s 9.5 million people. Slightly larger than Tennessee, Honduras is unique in Central America for having two major urban centers: Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula.

Guanaja, Honduras – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world’s highest murder rates. More than half the population lives in poverty, with rural and indigenous communities particularly affected. Per capita GDP was about $5,600 (2021 est.), and nearly half the population lives below the poverty line. Honduras is also a major transshipment point for cocaine bound for the United States.

Although primary school enrollment is near 100%, the quality of education is low, with high dropout and grade repetition rates and weak accountability.

15-Year Old Dancer, Cayos Cochinos, Honduras – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and has held regular elections since 1838. During the 1980s, the United States established a strong military presence in the country to support operations in neighboring El Salvador and Nicaragua, while developing strategic infrastructure.

The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. While the economy has slowly rebounded, setbacks from COVID-19 and severe storms in 2020–21 remain.

Despite these hardships, Honduras offers extraordinary natural beauty.

Guanaja, Honduras – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Guanaja, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras, lies about 70 km off the north coast and 12 km from Roatán. Most of its 10,000 residents live on a nearby cay called Bonacca, often referred to as the Venice of Honduras for its waterways.

The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, on the Atlantic coast, is a protected area home to manatees, monkeys, and countless bird species. Its mangrove canals, fed by the Cuero and Salado rivers, create a rich brackish habitat where freshwater meets the sea.

Cayos Cochinos, Honduras – © David H. Enzel, 2023

The Cayos Cochinos (or Cochinos Cays) consist of two small islands and 13 coral cays northeast of La Ceiba. Although small in population (108 residents as of 2001), the islands form part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the world’s second-largest barrier reef. With no roads, cars, or bikes, Cayos Cochinos remains a pristine marine reserve managed by the Honduras Coral Reef Foundation.

You can see more photos of Honduras here.

Sources: CIA World Factbook | Wikipedia | Honduras Official Tourism Site | Audley Travel

Belize: Natural Beauty with a Note of Caution

Placencia, Belize – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Belize borders the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico. With about 400,000 residents, it is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. Roughly 60,000 people live in Belize City, the country’s economic center and main port. It is a frequent stop for cruise ships, though not without risk.

Belize is larger than El Salvador and about the size of Massachusetts. Slightly more than half the population lives in rural areas. English is the official language—Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America—but Kriol and Spanish are also widely spoken.

The Belize dollar (BZ$) is pegged to the U.S. dollar at BZ$2 = US$1, making conversion simple. U.S. dollars are accepted almost everywhere, but visitors often receive change in Belize dollars, which may be less convenient on short stays.

A former British colony once known as British Honduras, Belize gained independence in 1981 and is now a member of the Commonwealth, retaining King Charles III as head of state. After Hurricane Hattie devastated Belize City in 1961, the capital was moved inland to Belmopan, today the smallest capital city in the continental Americas.

Brown Pelican, Half Moon Caye, Belize – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Over sixty percent of Belize remains covered in forest. Tourism is a cornerstone of the economy, drawing travelers to the Belize Barrier Reef, more than 450 offshore cayes, wildlife reserves, Maya sites, and opportunities for diving, snorkeling, hiking, and birdwatching.

The United States established diplomatic relations in 1981, and today about 160,000 Belizeans live in the U.S.—the largest community outside Belize.

Yet safety is a serious concern. According to the U.S. Department of State, violent crime—including sexual assault, armed robbery, and murder—is common, even in tourist areas during daylight. Gang violence is widespread, police resources are limited, and many crimes remain unsolved. Visitors are advised to avoid the south side of Belize City.

Half Moon Caye, Belize – © David H. Enzel, 2023

I used to think that if a cruise ship docked somewhere, the port must be safe. I no longer believe that. When I landed in Belize City before joining a cruise, I quickly understood why the warnings are taken seriously. Belize City is best avoided if possible—there are far more beautiful and welcoming places to see.

On the cruise ship, though, and while exploring Belize’s waters and islands by zodiac and on foot, I felt safe and captivated by the natural beauty. The country’s reefs, cayes, and wildlife are unforgettable.

Sources: U.S. Department of State | CIA World Fact Book | World Population Review | Travel Belize | Wikipedia