Lyon

We finally made it into Lyon - what should have been about a four hour trip (airport wait included) took us most of the day. First of all our plane was delayed prior to take-off because of 'technical difficulties'. Then in the air as we were approaching Lyon we were diverted to Geneva because of 'technical difficulties' again - this time the runway had to be cleared for emergency vehicles to await the arrival of a flight prior to ours. Technical difficulties with the other plane. And so on to Geneva for refueling and where we had to wait on board while the Lyon situation was remedied. On arrival at Lyon we took the number 46 bus to Vaulx-en-Velin, then Metro A to Hotel de Ville and then the wrong subway exit and a long walk the wrong way only to have to retrace steps and set out again from the Metro exit. A frappucino at Starbucks helped ease the sweat and frustration of the afternoon heat. But we made it.

The Saone at dusk

And what another lovely part of France. It seems like Paris has emptied out as the Parisiens take their vacances outside of Paris. Every street corner in the older part of the city is brimming with customers every night - the bars and restaurants doing great business.

Our first day we explored the older cobbled streets of Ville Vieux on the Saone, across the river from where our hotel was in Terreaux, Presque-Isle. An early morning visit to Cathedrale St Jean, the site of the first Bishopry, and then a steep climb folllowing the path of the city's councillors who go to the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere every December 8, following a promise made in 1643 to make an annual pilgrimage thanking Mary for sparing Lyon the Plague. This basilica and the [side] Virgin Mary's Chapel was where the idea of the Marist Order [Society of Mary] was proposed by Fr Jean-Claude Colin, Fr Marcellin Champagnat - and others who wanted to form the new order of religious with the aim of taking Christianity to those who had not yet encountered it.

St Mary's Chapel at Notre Dame de Fourviere, Lyon

Lunch in the Roman ruins was followed by a long afternoon in the Gadagne Museum and its history of Lyon. A fascinating afternoon, which was followed by Mass at St Paul's then dinner and bed. At last.

The next day we walked for over 15kms - along the banks of the Rhone, scouting out the Part-Dieu station and from there to the Parc de la Tete d'Or, where we spent an interesting part of the day at the free zoo.The open green spaces are one of the key tenets of Lyon Council policy and there were hundreds of people spread through out the park - in the zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Lake or just passing through as a place to exercise. Seemed a bit of a stretch watching two guys trying to impress with their physical ability - one doing crunches the other trying to hold the 'bridge'.

The Rhone - the working river that helps form Presque d'Isle

The last part of the afternoon was spent walking back down the Rhone and crossing back to Presque Isle and Place de la Republique, Place Bellecour and then crossing the Saone back into the old town to visit St George Church. A last walk along the cobbled streets of the old town brought us out again at St Jean and the Roman ruins alongside which contained the remains of two early Christian churches dating back to 150AD. Wandering further we happened upon [as we so often seem to do] the Palais de Justice which replaced the old Palais destroyed by fire in 1972.

Cathedral of St Jean [foreground], Notre Dame de Fourgieres [top] and Eiffel Tower [right]

And basically, that is Lyon for us. Tomorrow we will head to the Part-Dieu via Metro Lines A and B [that's the plan anyway!] to catch the train to Mannheim and then on to Munich. All going well.