dimanche 7 juin 2009
Last weekend, we spent a great 2.5 days in Lyon.
We took the TGV from Marseille to Lyon- unlike our trip to Rome via Nice in December 2008, this time the train "actually existed" so we didn't have to squeeze onto another bursting to the seams TGV.
Except that this time the ventilation system was bad, and it smelled rather like the bathroom.
Smell of toilet+extreme hunger+1.5 hour trip= Not Good

We arrived in Lyon at around 10 and walked to our hotel, which I found for a decant price on the internet, and it was located between the train station and the centre ville. We checked in, unpacked, and headed out to find food.
Lyon, for all that it claims to be the gastronomic capital of The Entire World, is extremely hard to find food in, especially at off hours.

We walked to the Place Bellecour where a Lyonnais boulles tournament was being held. Apparently, this is similar to pietanque, except that they are allowed to take running starts before throwing their balls. Anyway, off to do more important things, like eat.

We found a restaurant near the square, and it was probably the best place we ate our entire trip.

After a leisurely lunch, we wandered up to the old Roman amphiteater ruins, and went into the museum. I don't know, I think we are rather burnt out on Old Roman Stuff- Arles, Nimes, Rome, Pont du Gard, I think there is only so much old Roman sarcophagus carvings that a person can take in one lifetime.
Also, it probably didn't help that there was a crazy woman with a violin wandering around the museum, playing (not too well) her violin AT the statues and saying "Atmosphere!" (moves on to next Old Roman Thing and plucks at her violin) "Atmostphere!"

We tried to move away from her, but she kept following us around the museum. I looked around for the candid camera or guards or something, but nope.

Next we went to the humongo basilica overlooking Lyon.


If there was one way to guarantee that a church would be having a service, it was for us to want to visit it. I swear, every single church we went in, they were in the middle of a service. I guess it didn't help that it was Pentecost weekend, but still. We could have decided to go visit a church at 4 am on Monday morning and it would be full of people.


We then wandered through Vieux Lyon and found a lively area with many different restaurants. It was okay, but we were rather beat. Dragged ourselves back across the two rivers and fell asleep around 9:30.

2 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

I've always wanted to see Lyon. What kind of lunch did you have?

Starman a dit…

I loved L'Entrecôte (just a little way up rue de la République from Place Bellecour). Of course, I've loved every L'Entrecôte in which I've ever eaten. We did eat at Paul Bocuse once. It was very expensive and not much better than any other restaurant. You're right about finding a resto after 21h00.

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