It snowed

It snowed last night so we awoke to a white city.I love the snow so it was so cool. However we had a walking talking organised and wasn't sure if it was going to be on so we gave him a ring and yes. So off to breakfast and then to meet this person. As part of the tourist office they have what they call city greeters. These are people who volunteer their time and take visitors around and show them their city. You tell them what you are interested in and they pair you up with someone.

This is such an awesome concept and now that we have done the tour I think it even more so.

We met Jean Pierre at the statue of someone in the middle of the city. He was an older gentleman that is retired and twice a week will show people his city. He spoke english and he was awesome. I mean it is hard not to love a place when it is covered in snow. It snowed on an off for the day which had me smiling all of the day because of it.

He took us all over the city, explaining things, using public transport and we would ask him questions about the city, about life, about everything. It was such a great way to do a tour. We eventually ended up in the area where he lives which is the silk workers hill. This were he grew up, he came from a poor family, his father died in the war and his mother had to look after three children by herself. She was able to send him off to study to become a mechanical engineer and she is still alive today at 101.

We went to his local bar (coffee shop and yes it sells wine etc). This he says is where him and his friends catch up for a chat, to read the paper or just hang out. It is not about drinking but just hanging out. It was great, just this corner little place. We had several wines and some snacks and then continued on. We caught public transport or walked throughout the city. He pointed out the posh areas now and things like back then and even now it wasn't about showing how much money you had. Your house from the outside looked plain but inside it was a different matter. This was for the tax man, didn't want to show how much money you had.

We ended up spending about 4 hours with Jean-Pierre and it was so much fun. We now have a love for Lyon. Still not on my top cities but I would say come here and find your own Lyon.

We found a nice restaurant for lunch today and the meal was great. We had this sausage thing cooked in sweet bread loaf. It is weird but really yummy.

Canard for main course and a lovely glass of red wine. Off home after this for an afternoon nap. I mean what else ya gonna do when you have walked the city, had several glasses of wine and it is cold. Go home and sleep. So nap time so warm.

Tonight we caught public transport back up to the top of the hill to look at the view and back down for dinner at our favourite pizza place.

Now it is home to write this and watch some tv. The only problem with having a nap at 4.30 in the afternoon.




Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon, France

Lovely Lyon

I am going to have trouble when I have to get up early and go anywhere. We get up most mornings around 9.30 and then depending on what we have to do (eat, wash, phone someone) we leave anywhere between 10:30 to 11. Today was later. Brett had spent the night researching and we had a restaurant to go to in the old area. He also had two others just in case this one was closed. 1 tram and 1 subway and a 10 min walk and we arrived.

Lunch was lovely, but still not the best meal we have had.

Lunch was a surprise as we had 3 courses, 2 coffees and 1 bottle of house wine and when we went to pay it was 30.50 euro. We walked out and stood out the front for a while and discussed whether to leave it or go back in. We went back in. During lunch there had been some americans near us so as we walked back in and they were leaving I asked them and they had paid the same. So this place was not only good but really cheap. It sort of makes you go that is cool and the rest of the afternoon was good from there.

Lyon is famous for their silk. One of the hills is where all of the silk makers worked and lived. Their apartments were especially made as they had to be high enough for the weavers to fit into the houses. So that is where we were headed after lunch. I had heard of one of the few silk places that still are the original and open to the public but it was closed till 2:30pm so off following the tourist trail and how much fun was that. There are these tiles and arrows with different colours etc and I am sure they all mean something different but at this point I don't now what I will have to investigate. The tunnels and walk ways we have been told saved many lives during the war because they are hard to find and confusing unless you are a local, and the resistance used these passageways during the war to escape capture and when they wanted to meet secretly they used them to get somewhere.


When you get to the top the views are great and it is like a whole different place, well I guess it is. Once you get the top (out of breath as it is all up hill and many stairs) you then make your way down. Here are some photos from the trip down.












Back down and off the silk place. They let us take some photos.

They still the painting ad colouring by hand. I wish I had more money as some of these silks were beautiful and would be beautiful to wear and hang on the wall.






Off to stroll the streets and slowly walk home. More shopping. When you are somewhere for some time you have more time to look at shops. Bretty got this awesome jacket, he is going to look like he is from europe now and it was half price, gotta love sale time.

Off to George's for a relax and drink before getting home to relax and then head back out for pizza and some wine.

So Lyon today showed us she is more than just what we have seen. I know how profound does that sound. Off to have a bath and get ready for bed.

Here is a photo of george's before the rush.



Look at all those tables just waiting for people.

Tomorrow is tour day again. No snow today, maybe tomorrow.


Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon, France

Washing day

Well it is Sunday again and the strange phenomena of nothing being open, so off the bakery for more French we can't understand but fantastic food. I am sure she is having a great time laughing at us. The problem is they have fantastic food and I swear every time we go in, there is nobody and then all of a sudden there are like 10 people behind us looking at us going hurry up you stupid foreigners.

Today they were only opened for a few hours and they must be getting rid of stuff so we didn't have the normal choice, thank god. I had this sugar coated bread, had to try it and it was nice but way to much sugar.

Next stop washing. Look forward to having a washing machine at our disposal again in Italy but it is always fun going to wash. No socks etc. Now we have all clean clothes again. We got the evil eye from one of the other people waiting for washing machines because we used the wrong size washer.

It tried to snow today and we think tomorrow there will be more. So walking around the streets it is cold and deserted. Finally found lunch, still looking for the best food. I had a lovely lunch and Brett well he keeps picking boring stuff as that is what their local food is. Pork knuckle (who would have thought pigs had knuckles) and sauerkraut.

Walk back home in cold and try and find something to eat and a nice relaxing afternoon in watching tv while Brett researches more food places. He thinks he has found a place for tomorrow.

Tomorrow off to find the silk traders and their passage ways etc. we have another tour booked for Tuesday. This is a free tour by tourist office but by volunteers who love their city and want to show people around. That should be fun.

Nothing much else to report here in Lyon.

Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon, France

Hidden passageways

Bonjour from France. The days are ticking by and I think Lyon heard that well we didn't think it was the bestest place we had been. We awoke this morning to find the sun shining (i know, it is so rare over here).

We have found a bakery around the corner, we have know idea what she says to us everyday but omg the good is fab. I wish I could import these bakery's over to Stafford. MMM on second thoughts maybe not, doesn't help with weight loss. So after 5euro breakfast - me a chocolate cake thing that had warm melty chocolate in the middle (indicated by the madame by pointing at the middle and blowing on it and saying chaud) and bretts, toasted cheese and jamon sandwich. Yum yum.

We had a tour organised for 2.30 so it was a stroll around the city and because the weather was so great a trip up to the peak, where surprise surprise there is a church built, on a funicular. Brett says Mt Cootha should have one of these.




There is a lovely big church on top (what a surprise). Sorry no photo of church but definitely of the view.










Now there are two ways down, the way we came up or walk down the many many many stairs. There are several ways to walk down, so maybe we should go back up and walk down again. Here are some of the stairs and Brett right at the bottom of the picture.



For those that can't find him, here is a better shot.




He is smiling as he knows my love of stairs. There were way to many to count and by the end of it our legs were like jelly. Glad we didn't choose to walk up it, I think I would have died of heart attack.

So far the food, apart from first day has been disappointing. We seemed to have lost our food mojo. We keep picking places that well are average. Brett feels like it will be tomorrow that we find a really good place. Remember it is Sunday tomorrow and most things are closed. However apparently it is chinese new year and there is a festival somewhere, might have to go find it.

The tour was great, it gave us a different view of the city. There is an old part of the city which we toured today. It was so much fun. They have these tunnels (not underground though) that go from one street to another. They are privately owned. It was a way to save space and generally they are owned by the building apartment owners. some are opened up so that tourist can look at them. You can't really tell where they as they just look like a door. You open and walk in and then walk you way through their courtyards to the other street.

They are called traboules, here is some information. They are so fascinating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traboule

here is a link to some photos.
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=lyon+traboules&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zFkkT-XtBqOk0QX0qrnOCg&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=672

As part of the tour we stopped in at a church that has an astronomical clock. It is very unique.










Here is some information I found out about the clock.
http://www.worldtempus.com/en/encyclopedia/index-encyclopedia/the-history-of-watch-making/first-watch-makers/the-astronomical-clock-of-the-primatiale-de-lyon/

Overall we had a lovely day in Lyon. Still looking for the great food. We still have quite a few days to find it.

Hope all is going well back in Australia.

Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon France

Part 2 - Food

Ok, I am tied and it is 11pm at night. I spent most of my energy on the Part 1. So here are some photo of what the food is like. We did nothing but walk around the city, looking for food. Tomorrow we look at the old part of town with a guided tour.

Dedicated to Julie may she always cook well.



















Like Harrods I don't get the Macaroon thing. I tried some of these and Brett says they are really good but to me they are ok. I will keep looking for the perfect dessert. We have found a bakery around the corner and I think that i where we will continue to get breakfast. The food photos are from Les Halles. The famous food markets in Lyon.






PS the guys finally made it out today. The city uses a Lion as their tourist symbol.




Hooter by himself.





All the guys together.




If you look closely all of them are looking at me. It was freaking me out.

Once last photo, we came across an exercise park and this old guy was having a go while his wife watched. He looked to be over 70.



Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon, France

Part 1 - Urban design

Nat this one is for you. We are in Lyon, and in the middle on an island surrounded by two rivers. At the bottom end of where we are staying they are revamping the area. Nat you so need to travel. This area is amazing. We walked around and they are building and have built all of these funky apartments. Now the colours and textures don't come out as much as when you look at them, but it makes what we do in australia seem so boring. So Part 1 of this blog is dedicated to my wonderful friend Nat and Urban design. We hope you enjoy.




This is going to be a shopping centre when it is finished. We didn't realise that opposite this at the front are all the apartments you will see shorty. We found this building this morning and the apartments this afternoon.







This is the top of the building above, it seems to really work.













This one looks like they haven't finished but brett tells me that is the design.




I am sorry but the colours didn't come through. These are a lovely green colour.




This one is silver. I tried to do a close up later but the design comes through but not really the colour.











This one is concrete and then has the timber windows. it really works well in the area. The whole area is a mix of colours, textures and styles with a garden in the middle and then on the otherside where the shopping centre is a water feature for sailing or other water sports.















Check out the one in the background. This is a royal blue.




One of the apartments has this as a wall.












This one is a lovely dark brown. Check out the top floor.




This is made of stone I think and is black with orange trimming.



This building is a grey colour but have a closer look and see how they use the panels.


















We got inside one of the areas that was locked off, the colour of the walls are like a laminate I have seen. It is brown with flecks sort of with these features with trees in them.




This building is silver and shiny but has a funny twist. Hope it comes through ok.





It is such a shame that I couldn't capture the colours they way they really were. It made such an impact on both of us and also in the surrounding area.



Love Monique, Brett, Marty, Kiwi and Hooter

Location:Lyon, France