Oh Lyon, you feel like a big city - and indeed you should. But luckily, we are by the old City Center. The cneter is located in the confluence of the Soane River and the Rhone River. The center is not an island, but a peninsula, with lovely bridges to and fro, up and down, both sides of the center.
Some are foot bridges and some are road bridges, but all are lovely with suspension and arches and some supporting Neptune and his bride (Charles says it is cheating to look up his wife's name) statutes. We cross over the Cours de Roosevelt Bridge to the center city and walk several miles - I am sure it is that long- to Bellecour Plaza or Place as they say locally. There we gatheredthe information from the Tourista Info center and headed to the Vieux Lyon. Saint Jean and Notre Dame de Fourvier. It is everything it says, but first the metro...
We climbed through the stairs and escalators, steep as Washington DC and then hit the Metro Station. Three very authoritative, yet totally ignorant personalities take charge. Amazingly, we end up on the right rail to the top of Saint Jean - we tour ta small Cathedral of Saint Irene ( a man btw). He is still entombed there and the Church has survived since 710 ans according to the plaques.
This is NOT where we thought we were going. Vistas were vast and all city encompassing hills steep, but a neighborhood of school and home is not where we thought were headed - this is not tourist fare.
Back on the metro - thank goodness for unlimited fare, we head to Vieux Lyon and had salad and quiche. - and wine and bierre of course! The tourist info place nearby, I popped in while waiting on food and gathered the correct directions to the cathedral and Vieux Lyon proper. Lovely, but now setting sun and whipping winds have made is a place to visit briefly.
Too cold and we rush to go inside the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere.
Being raised Catholic, I cannot bring myself to take photos inside of a cathedral - signs tell you not to and God is watching. Part of me looks and admires the great talent and the wealth of the Catholic Church and the business sense that the Bishops had to build the empire. And the other half of me knows that it is built on the backs of those slightly above slaves, clearly - the masons worked themselves to death for the church.
The gold and ornaments of the Church would feed many and warm many houses and yet, we sacrifice that as the art and the expression and the offering of hope is too overwhelming to melt down. It is if the amount of life given, must be honored by keeping the life of the art and the sanctuary.
Back on the funicular, our little tram up and down the hill, we head home to our apartment. Patrick is ready to be finished with travel. We are in lyon for only four nights and three days. For Charles and Patrick, it is about how long since they left USA. For me, it is how short till we return.
Tomorrow, my cooking class!
Some are foot bridges and some are road bridges, but all are lovely with suspension and arches and some supporting Neptune and his bride (Charles says it is cheating to look up his wife's name) statutes. We cross over the Cours de Roosevelt Bridge to the center city and walk several miles - I am sure it is that long- to Bellecour Plaza or Place as they say locally. There we gatheredthe information from the Tourista Info center and headed to the Vieux Lyon. Saint Jean and Notre Dame de Fourvier. It is everything it says, but first the metro...
We climbed through the stairs and escalators, steep as Washington DC and then hit the Metro Station. Three very authoritative, yet totally ignorant personalities take charge. Amazingly, we end up on the right rail to the top of Saint Jean - we tour ta small Cathedral of Saint Irene ( a man btw). He is still entombed there and the Church has survived since 710 ans according to the plaques.
This is NOT where we thought we were going. Vistas were vast and all city encompassing hills steep, but a neighborhood of school and home is not where we thought were headed - this is not tourist fare.Back on the metro - thank goodness for unlimited fare, we head to Vieux Lyon and had salad and quiche. - and wine and bierre of course! The tourist info place nearby, I popped in while waiting on food and gathered the correct directions to the cathedral and Vieux Lyon proper. Lovely, but now setting sun and whipping winds have made is a place to visit briefly.
Too cold and we rush to go inside the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere.
Being raised Catholic, I cannot bring myself to take photos inside of a cathedral - signs tell you not to and God is watching. Part of me looks and admires the great talent and the wealth of the Catholic Church and the business sense that the Bishops had to build the empire. And the other half of me knows that it is built on the backs of those slightly above slaves, clearly - the masons worked themselves to death for the church.
The gold and ornaments of the Church would feed many and warm many houses and yet, we sacrifice that as the art and the expression and the offering of hope is too overwhelming to melt down. It is if the amount of life given, must be honored by keeping the life of the art and the sanctuary.
Back on the funicular, our little tram up and down the hill, we head home to our apartment. Patrick is ready to be finished with travel. We are in lyon for only four nights and three days. For Charles and Patrick, it is about how long since they left USA. For me, it is how short till we return.
Tomorrow, my cooking class!
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