Question: What the hell is Quenelle?

Answer: I have no clue. 

It's the local specialty and I have eaten it, and I'm still not 100% sure what it is. If you see it on the menu it is described as a 'dumpling' made with some kind of meat and served with some kind of sauce. The most common version is pike with Nantua or crayfish sauce, but there are many different kinds.  I believe the options are endless but they aren't like any kind of 'dumpling' I've ever seen or eaten.  

For our first time we went to the Cafe du Soleil, considered to be the best in town. Will opted for their scallop version and I went for the chicken with shallots. They arrived in the kind of single serving dish you'd get lasagna in, except half again as large. In the center is a large beautiful mass of flaky pastry surrounded by creamy gravy. We were lucky that we had overheard someone say soufflé so we were somewhat prepared, because although it looks a lot like a chicken pot pie, there are no chunks of meat, vegetables, there is no crunch of crust, or really anything, to chew. It is all butter, cream, eggs and pastry and I guess(?) pureed meat, served with a side of white rice.  I know I may not be painting these the best light but they really are delicious and I can see why they're on every menu.

There are lots of things on menus that are pretty different from home. I know what you're thinking--'Duh, Libby! Of course it's different!' I'm glad it's different, that was really part of the point of this whole trip, but food can be tricky to navigate sometimes. I can generally figure out most things but it's kind of like a sushi menu, if there's no description and you've never had it before, you don't really know what you're going to get. Tablier de Sapeur for instance, another Lyonnais specialty. Literal translation is 'sappers apron,' but on a menu it means breaded tripe cut in a triangle. Cervelle de canut? Brains of silk workers. Menu translation means cottage cheese with herbs. Andouille? I know that one. It's a delicious spicy sausage used in cajun/creole cuisine. Wrong and I made this particular mistake. It's actually tripe sausage. It's not bad, but when you're expecting one thing and end up with something really different, it can be less than pleasant.

One of our favorite Lyonnais specialties is their praline. It's shockingly pink, very sugary and baked into all kinds of treats. Praline tarts are on nearly every dessert menu, but you can also find praline brioche, praline cookies, praline covered almonds and our favorite which is layers of flakey pastry dough layered with praline and powdered sugar. Amazing!! We have a favorite boulangerie that we get this particular treat from, but every window is filled with the bright pink goodies and many of the stands at the morning market as well.

Praline goodness!

The morning market is also a favorite. It's on the riverbank every day until 1pm and stretches for about 2 blocks on a regular day, on the weekend it can reach for 4+. It is packed with vendors selling meat, flowers, fruits, veggies, fresh pasta, fish, bread, cheese, prepared foods--you name it. If you find one you like, you back to them again and again or you just look for the stand with the longest line. That usually means they have the best stuff or they take the time to make sure you get just what you want. There are grocery stores here where you can get everything you need in one stop, but it's so much more fun to go to the market and getting everything separately. Plus, it's almost always cheaper. I bought 5 large red bell peppers the other day and it cost me 2 bucks. Can't do that at the local store (or farmer's market) in Winchester! A few other things you don't see? Chickens with their heads still on, whole skinned rabbits, or little containers with sheep's brains.

You also never really see anyone wearing rubber gloves. Up until this trip I've been kind of a fanatic about cleanliness, especially in regards to meat and dairy products. I'm the kind of person who looks at the sell by, best by and use by dates and follows them (even though I know they're kind of bogus). Here the rules and regulations we've become so accustomed to as Americans feel too prohibitive and somewhat ridiculous.  The other day, I watched the butcher handle the chicken I'd ordered bare-handed. He also handled the money I gave him and the change I was given without so much as a rinse and I didn't even flinch. The guy at the (fantastic) empanada stand tears open the baggie of chile sauce with his teeth. In the states, they'd be shut down, fined or both. Here it's just they way it works and you don't think about it too much. 

I now leave my eggs on the counter, and in fact avoided buying refrigerated eggs at a store because I assumed it meant they weren't any good.  We bought sausages the other day and they too have remained on the counter until we start slicing them. For the most part we use our senses to determine freshness.  Though I have to admit, that senses fail me when it comes to the cheeses. To me, it's almost all stinky. I'm working on it, but am coming to the conclusion that I might just be a hard cheese kind of girl.

A few pictures from the market. Not surprising the fruit and veggie vendors are ok with you taking photos, the cheese and meat folks are less willing, so I don't have nearly as many pictures as I'd like!

Last night was one of 'those' nights.

Disco Ball above Fourvière.

You know the kind I'm talking about. It holds so much promise and then things go downhill and you're pretty sure the whole night is a waste.

On Monday, when the girls' asked what was for dinner, Will and I joked that we were abandoning them and going out for dinner on our own. To our amazement they were completely OK with that idea.  I should mention here that Will and I haven't been out on our own, just the two of us, since before we left Virginia--unless you count running to pick up groceries or other mundane errands. In London the girls weren't quite comfortable being left alone for an evening and I didn't really think we'd get to that point in Lyon either, but we did. Hallelujah! So it was decided that we'd go out, sans children, on Tuesday. Yay!

We went through our day as usual. There was 'school,' the daily run down to the laundromat to dry some laundry and another jaunt off to the market to pick up some random item--jam or milk or toilet paper. In the afternoon, I ran off for a haircut, another first since leaving VA, and much needed. The hairdresser spoke little English and my French is pretty bad, but we made it through. This could have been a disaster, but it worked out wonderfully and I walked home feeling pretty damn happy,  a little bit like I belong here in Lyon, and excited for night out.

I should have known better because that's when things started to falter.  The girls started to bicker. Will had some projects that he needed to work on and Julia started to not feel well. None of this was boding well. The little things started to add up. The question was asked 'are you still going out tonight?' The answer was 'I don't know.' Moods started to darken.  If the girls couldn't along while we were home, how could we expect them to not burn the house down if we went out?

At 7pm, the girls are fighting, Will's working, I'm trying to decide if I'm going to force the issue of going out. At 7:30 Will is still working and the girls are hungry and anxious to make the Kraft Mac and Cheese microwave cup things that we happened to find at a little shop the day before (along with Hot Tamales  and Swiss Miss--don't judge, sometimes you just need American junk food).  I told them to go ahead. Five minutes later, our flat is filled with smoke and the smell of very burnt pasta. Turns out someone forgot to add the water and we're throwing open windows, turning on fans and trying not to choke. At this point I am sure that I will be eating scrambled eggs for dinner and turning in early. But kids can surprise you and they start urging us to head out.

At 8:10 we walked out the door. At 8:30 we found a restaurant and were probably seated around 9. We ended up having a lovely dinner (there is a whole post about food in the works, btw), followed by a lovely dessert. Julia had asked us not to be gone more than 3 hours, a not unreasonable request for a 10 year old, living in a city where she knows no one so at 11pm Will and I headed across the bridge towards home. I looked up. 'Magnifque!!!' I squeaked (according to Will anyway). He  looked at me like I was crazy and then looked up--is that...? Could that be? What the….?

Yes. That really is a big-ass disco ball held aloft by a crane. And that big-ass disco ball is right above the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière--the beautiful church on the hill above our neighborhood and one of the most famous Lyonnais landmarks. Right there, shining bright and spinning--a disco ball ready for the Festival of Lights that is happening this weekend.  We started chatting and became a little giddy thinking about the weekend ahead of us. 

We walked in the door and told the girls about the disco ball. Of course they wanted to go see. Who wouldn't--and really? Why not?  Sure it's 11pm, it's technically a school night, they're in their pj's and supposed to be in bed. And it's friggin' cold outside! So of course we went. The girls ran out on the bridge and danced around watching the lights shining on that giant disco ball and in those 10 minutes it became one of those moments that made any of the homesickness, worries and stress of this adventure, so totally worth it. It became one of 'those' nights.

As they say here in Lyon, Bon Soirée! (Have a good evening!)

A little less light,  but a little more in focus.

There is so much Lyon to talk about.

The view from Croix-Rousse. Fourvière and La Tour Metallique are on the hillside

Seriously.  We've been here a little over two weeks. We're settling in, learning about Lyon, the Lyonnaise way and all the really wonderful things this little city* has to offer.

So, where do I start? With the fact that the city was founded over 2000 years ago and in its heyday was 2nd only to Rome in importance?  The two Roman amphitheatres, basically still intact, are used even now for concerts, theatre and other performances during the warmer months. Nearby is the Gallo-Roman Museum in all its modern concrete glory, all 5 of it's artifact filled stories set into the hillside and underground so as not obstruct the view. The only thing you can really see of it are the two large windows, like eyes, peeking out of the ground.

Will. Spotted in his natural habitat--a theatre.

Maybe we talk about Lyon's history as a major hub on the silk road.  Jacquard invented a loom here that uses punch cards to determine the pattern or program, much like the precursor to the computer. The jacquard loom is still in use here and many places you can see watch Canuts (silk weavers) use it to produce their products.

The Lyonnais are gearing up for their Fêtes de Lumières (Festival of Lights) on December 8th. It is considered one of the largest annual festivals in the world behind Carnival in Rio and Oktoberfest in Munich. (I'm sure Apple Blossom is a close 4th--I feel so at home!)  There will be fantastic light displays all over town and a huge Ferris wheel has suddenly appeared in one of the major squares.  And like Apple Blossom, there are last minute repairs being done to streets and sidewalks.

Lyon is considered one of, if not, the gastronomical capital, of the world. More Michelin starred restaurants per square mile than anywhere else, plus it has 2 other specifically Lyonnais organizations for rating restaurants, Les Toques Blanches and Les Bouchons Lyonnais, some restaurants might have designations by one, two, or all three organizations.  Bouchons are typical local bistro/cafes and some of the requirements are: traditional homemade cuisine (and lots of it), somewhat kitschy decor, a larger than life proprietor and plenty of Côtes de Rhône or Beaujolais.

I might mention 'traboules'--the secret passageways that helped Medieval people move quickly through town and later were imperative to the Resistance during the Nazi occupation of WWII and 'miraboules' secret doors that lead to a lovely courtyard. Every traboule and miraboule is technically private property, but if you happen to live off of one these, the city will pay for the maintenance if you will put up with the visitors.  There are several that are well known and easy to find, others you might discover by chance. In order to be considered a miraboule, the courtyard must contain a well, a spiral staircase, a cross window and galleries with vaulted ceilings.

There are plenty of famous people tied to Lyon, in fact there is a 'painted wall' with the most famous of the famous, it includes: The Lumière brothers, inventors of 'cinema,' several of the first movies were filmed on their property here; Louis Pasteur was a professor here while working on pasteurisation and developed the method, still currently used for sorting silkworms; Victor Hugo; Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Le Petit Prince/Pilot); André-Marie Ampère (responsible for measuring electrical current); the very famous chef, Paul Bocuse and 2 different Roman Emperors:  Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus (10BC-54AD) and Caracalla (186-217AD).

Cathedral St Jean in foreground with Fourviere above

There's also some pretty phenomenal architecture though I guess that's to be expected when you have a thousands year old history. As you move through the city you can see the various stages and ages from Roman to Medieval to Renaissance, Victorian, Modern, and really Modern. Where we live is Vieux Lyon, part of the walled Medieval city. Above us is the relatively new La Basillique Fourvière (1860's) and La Tour Metallique (a mini-Eiffel Tower, 1893) and around the corner is Cathédral St Jean (ca. 11-16th centuries). The building our flat is in was built in the late 1600's. The further east and south you go the more modern the buildings. At the bottom of the Presqu'île where the Rhône and the Saône meet you have some of the most modern buildings I've ever seen--bright orange or green cubes, or black with orange frogs on the balcony. This is also where the Confluence museum is. A building 13 years in the making. It looks a little like an alien spaceship and supposedly will have it's grand opening next month. We walked down to it--if it actually opens in a month it'll be a friggin' miracle.

'Our' stairs

The city also has a thing for stairs. They are everywhere and some sets are massive. We live at 3 Montée du Changé, if you turn left out of our building you will climb up 132 stairs. A little way down the road is another set of 212. Pretty much if you see 'montée,' you will get from one road to another, but you will climb, and then climb even more.  Probably a good thing given the amount of food you eat here on a daily basis. Not very many overweight people here. Just Will and the other tourists. (He told me to write that, by the way!)

The 212 stairs next to Villa Florentine

It doesn't look that risky...

The French seem to not be at all risk adverse. Kids are on scooters everywhere and none of them are wearing helmets or any kind of padding, just like our childhood.  You can sit on a ledge (no railings in sight) 1 1/2 stories up and no one will even blink.

…until you look at it from this angle!

*Technically, it's the 2nd largest in France, but it doesn't feel that way.

Bruges, Paris, Bayeux. A traveling kind of week.

Belfort (The Belfry). 366 steps to the top, and yes we did climb them.

We had quite a lot of fun traveling around. Bruges is a wonderful little city and well worth a visit if ever given the opportunity. Along with the towering cathedral and belfry, there are cobblestone streets filled with chocolate shops and canals to float down.  We thoroughly enjoyed our few days here and especially appreciated the little bits of whimsy we came across. In the square behind our hotel there was  a courtyard with several stores and random pieces of what appears to be sculpture. It turned out be playground equipment and, not the least bit surprising, we visited it at least once a day.

Sint Salvatorskathedral--Almost as tall as Belfort

On the canals

This dog is here all day long watching the canal boats and snoozing.

I friggin' love this picture. 

We spent a lot of time on this thing, trying not to fall on our butts.  We failed. Often.

   

And this thing.  Dare you to walk a straight line after a ride.

From Bruges we went to Paris and checked into our hotel, which was about a 10 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower.  It was on the top of 'to do' list but we had neglected to buy advance tickets to the top, that means you can A: stand in a really, really, really long line or B: wait in a short line, hoof it up the 700 steps to the 2nd floor, then buy an extra ticket to the stop.  We chose B and really? it wasn't so bad.    We got our supplemental tickets and headed to the top. The girls were pretty ecstatic. We hit Notre Dame, a river cruise, the Louvre, 'Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, rode the Metro and walked a ton. We did not go to the Catacombs, but not for lack of trying. We went there. We got in the line that had reached all the way around the block back to the front door. Found out it would be at least 3 hours in line. Got out of line. 

All in all, we enjoyed Paris but, and this may be sacrilege, we didn't love Paris. Maybe we weren't there long enough, or in the right neighborhood. Perhaps we spent more time doing what we were 'supposed' to do, and less than what we wanted to, but it just didn't seem to have the same allure as some of the other places we've been.

No, I'm not wearing a feather, nor is my brain exploding out of my head. Just part of the structure. You can relax.

As close as we got...

How we spent Halloween.

On the morning of Nov 1st.,  we picked up our rental car and quickly discovered that even though we got upgraded to a BMW station wagon, it still was not big enough for 4 people and almost 4 months worth of crap. Once we managed to cram everything and everybody into the car we set headed to Bayeux.  Bayeux is prime location to visit the beaches of Normandy, specifically Omaha Beach and the  American Cemetery/Memorial. It is hard to believe that a place so beautiful has such a harrowing history. 

 

Bayeux is lovely and quaint and has it's own Notre Dame, which might have been even more impressive than the one in Paris. The Bayeux Tapestry was also an interesting and unexpected highlight, depicting the rise of William the Conqueror, I only regret that we couldn't take some photos. We'll let you borrow the book!

Notre de Dame du Bayeux

How can you resist a gargoyle?

Nous sommes arrivés à Lyon...

et il est trés beau!! (We have arrived in Lyon and it is very beautiful).

Getting here was no easy feat, though. We had one week between the end of our London lease and the start of our Lyon lease so we decided we would travel around a bit. The train system makes that pretty easy and inexpensive. We chose to go to Bruges, Bel., Paris, and then check out the beaches of Normandy. On Sunday the 26th, we gathered all our crap (3 large duffels, 1 small small duffel, 3 small suitcases, 3 backpacks and 2 purses ) and awkwardly set off. 

For the record, before we even left Winchester, I felt we were taking way too much stuff. After traveling around for a week, having to haul all those damn bags, and cramming them into our rental car, it became even more evident, and this is after we sent home 2 small suitcases with our friends the Vaughter's when they visited.  This past week, at almost every stop along the way, we have thrown out clothes that were starting to show wear, tossed shoes that were falling apart (or in some cases, smelled really bad) and abandoned anything we no longer wanted.  Some things, worth keeping, but not being used were boxed up and shipped home to try and lighten our load.  It didn't really help. We still looked ridiculous lugging all those bags.  Luckily for us we always had a hotel room big enough that the extra baggage wasn't a problem. Unluckily for us, not every place had a lift and we had to lug stuff up stairs.

By the time we reached Lyon, we were sick of living out of suitcases, sick of everything we owned, maybe a little sick of each other and, as it turns out in Julia's case, just plain sick. We got checked into our flat (it's lovely), moved all our stuff inside (2 narrow spiral flights up, no lift) and went to return our rental car. When we got back, we discovered that the heater/boiler had stopped working, decided that nothing could be done that night and we'd figure it out in the morning, then tucked the girls into bed.  That's when Jules began throwing up. Bedding, pjs, loveys, Will, floor--it pretty much all got hit. 

Did I mention that the non-functioning heater/boiler also controls the hot water? In the best of circumstances cleaning up a vomit covered child is no fun, trying to do it without any hot water and only one small washing machine and no dryer is definitely not the best of circumstances, though there is something to be said for having an electric tea kettle. We basically spent our first day in Lyon in a laundromat. No kidding.

We have managed to recover from that little setback and have managed to start exploring Lyon.  Our flat is right in the middle of the Vieux Lyon (Old/Historic Lyon) and so far, it's absolutely beautiful. Pretty much everything we had hoped for, and maybe more. Today we went up to the Basilica de Fourvière. It's pretty much the most beautiful church I have ever seen. That might be because, by the time we'd climbed up the hillside, we were just happy to have a chance to rest or possibly because it's friggin' gorgeous. No pictures this time, but there will be some soon.

Cheers/Santé, 

Libby

Aack!!

We arrived in London exactly 2 months ago today.  We arrived exhausted and unable to check into our flat.  We spent several hours roaming the streets of London, in the rain, feeling frustrated and completely unsure of everything.

In two months we've gotten used to our lives overseas and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our lease is up tomorrow and we start the next half of our adventure. It is almost impossible to believe that it is passing this quickly.  Tomorrow, we head to Bruges, Belgium. We will be there for 3 nights, then Paris for 3 nights, 1 night in Bayeux exploring the DDay beaches, then driving to Lyon where we will reside from Nov 2 - Dec 29th.

We've spent the past two days packing up all our crap (we've accumulated a fair amount) and putting the flat back in it's original configuration.  I believe that all four of us are in agreement that, if we hadn't already paid for our flat in Lyon, we'd stay in London for another 2 months. We've really liked it that much. However the next week, and the next 2 months are likely to be just as enjoyable. Or at least as much of an adventure.

In the past 10 days we've tried to pack in all of the various things that we hadn't managed to see yet. Time in Cambridge (a wonderful bicycle and punting tour), a few days in the Cotswalds and Stratford-Upon-Avon, and the Chislehurst Caves (totally cool--started by the Druids and used during WWII for up to 15, 000 people as shelter from the Blitz).  We've also managed to pack in a few more shows, Matilda (really fun), Much Ado About Nothing (aka Love's Labours Won, a surprise hit with the kids), Charles III (a fun show about Prince Charles becoming king--totally pissed me off!) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (cancelled after the interlude b/c they couldn't raise the 'iron curtain' and we had to get a refund).

We've said goodbye to the London City Voices Choir, to the friends we've made (Iain/Clare and Andrea) the friends we know (Clay Sublett) and Engin from the little coffee shop down the road. It's a little sad, a little nerve-wracking and a lot exciting.

Picture time.

King's College at Cambridge. We saw Evensong here.

Cambridge is kind of pretty...

And the girls aren't too bad either.

Creepy Grasshopper clock in Cambridge!

When it chimes, it sound like chains falling in a coffin!

Our local coffee shop

Mezze pastrie table. 

The Ingham's with our friend Engin.

Appolini. Pastry goodness filled with chocolate or lemon cream.

We came here every morning...

and were sad when they were closed on the weekends.

This place was cool. Chalk and flint mines started several hundred years ago and then used as shelter during the blitz.  Up to 15k people lived in this maze of tunnels for 1p/day or 6p/week. It was really cool but also a very scary reminder of what people went through not that long ago.