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
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