Lyon, France

I got into Lyon, visited the tourist office and found the hostel with the help of a man on the street, the bus-driver, and a random worker at the metro station who told me he would see me soon in Los Angeles. I told him to have a good day. The hostel was a great location. The first picture is the view out of my hostel window. The hostel was located a small hike up on the hill in Vieux Lyon, had granola for breakfast and clean rooms. I met some other Americans there from Washington, WSU, to be exact who graduated last year too. The Spanish expression is the world is a handkerchief, so it’s a small world. I visited the textile museum and the gentleman who sold me my ticket gave me a free ticket to the extra exhibits because I am a textile student. They were really great, one about gloves in the modern world and the other about modern and technological textiles in design and art. The museum gentleman was very kind and kind of cute, he gave me the tickets with a wink and explained to me in French that I could go to the exhibits. I half understood, but the body language helped. I think I enjoyed the exhibits all the much more because someone thought it important enough for me to go to them that he gave me a free ticket. I didn't realize he had given to them for me for free at first because it was all in French, but afterwards I wanted to thank him and he wasn't there. Thank you random French people!

I walked around a lot and enjoyed some shopping. I finally found a striped shirt. It isn’t navy and white, but black and white but still serves as a fabulous stereotypical French souvenir. I met some people at my hostel, rode around on public transport to see the city a bit, visited the House of the “Canuts” which I believe can be translated as silk-workers or silk-weavers. I had a tour of the jacquard loom and a short lecture about the silk-cultivation brought over by priests to Lyon, silk’s first birthplace in Europe, it was illegally imported from the East. The tour was all in French however, so I didn’t even understand anything about the worker’s revolution that I had gone on the tour to find out about. I bought a silk scarf that was actually made in France not in China, is that actually fitting?, and was given a silk cocoon as a souvenir for the tour. I had asked if the tour would be in English, because at the tourist office they had mentioned that it would be. I walked around, and did a lot of window-shopping. I bought some cheese at the market on the street that had mildew growing on it. The hostel receptionist said it was good to eat. The inside was good, but the skin was too strong and not very pleasing. Some “sympa” French girls that I talked to told me it was okay to eat the skin, but wouldn’t taste good. It was just best not too. Lyon in all was a pleasant place to visit and I had a great placed hostel. If anyone ever goes, I would recommend going on a traboules tour, a tour of alleys in-between buildings and in blocks, somewhat non-secretive secret corridors if you didn’t know to look for them. The tourist office had a map with red lines highlighting them, so I went in search of some myself. It was quite fun, but I didn’t find them all. Some of them you just kind of happen to come upon them if you follow the crowds though. I liked the people in Lyon too. It merits a day or two in a site-seeing tour. If you like museums there are plenty to see and they do have a museum-pass with a student discount.

The other photos are of one of the traboules, or alleyways, one of a poster in the Silk-Weavers' House, the higher Basilique in Old Lyon, and the Hotel de Ville. Lovely place with lots of photo opportunities.

Aix-les-Baines et beaucoup fromageries

After my long weekend in Switzerland I stopped by Aix-les-Baines in France on my way to Lyon. The first day I went to a French movie. I at least understood the storyline and picked up a few expressions. After the movie I went back to the hostel and talked to the receptionist about hiking nearby. I met my roommate, Nadage, who was “trés sympa” at my hostel. She chauffeured me on a tour of the region’s cheese-shops. We visited trois fromageries in one day and went for a short hike looking out over the Massif Central, I believe. Aix-les-Baines is the in Savoie region and there are some beautiful mountains as well as a gorgeous lake right there. I spent the day enjoying cheese and the sun and was speaking with Nadage in English and in French. I am sure I learned a lot of French that day and worked on my fluency. That sounds funny to say because I really just have a few months of French lessons, but have had some great tutors along the way. She was from Bretagne or Brittany and was in-town for an interview but had a free day in-between. She had to collect some good cheeses to bring home because she said that this region really had better cheese than Brittany so she was bringing some to her parents. She really was a sweetheart and I felt so fortunate to have met her. Nadage even drove me to the train station the next day before her interview, after an eventful night of the wind blowing open a window.

It was an ideal day visiting fromageries (cheese-shops), one even had a tour/museum on the cheese making process, and a hike in the mountains as well as a short walk through Aix-les-Baines. The hike was at the top of a skiing slope and there was a beautiful look-out point onto Aix-les-Baines below. At the hostel before leaving the next day I had a conversation with the director about my view of my country; he had asked. It was quite challenging in French to explain so that will be my French homework for the next week. They were really welcoming and fun people and if anyone is traveling in France, in that region, I would recommend the hostel. Hosteling International proved a more helpful company than Hostelworld.com because I couldn’t find anything in that region on Hostelworld and very few things even in Lyon. For Hosteling International, you have to initially buy a 15 euro membership card that lasts for a year, but I was very happy with the two hostels I stayed in. The maximum amount of people in one room was 6, at least in the two I stayed in. Breakfasts were included at both places and they both had a good atmosphere.

Geneva, Switzerland

We got into Geneva after a late night and then got to Nicole’s house. I got up the next day and poorly communicated with the Madame that Nicole lives with. We spoke French and English and she told Nicole later that I was from Canada. I thought I had said I was from the U.S. near Canada. That was the start of my French, but by the end of the week I was doing better. I saw the U.N. in Geneva and embarrassing was given money by an older man, when I just meant to ask for change, not to be given money. I almost started crying because I thought it was so nice and I was having a hard time communicating. It was kind of funny. I was at the bus stop and didn’t have change to buy a day ticket, so I thought I would get on and buy one after getting change but there was a ticket control right there, so I tried to ask him if I could buy a ticket from him and he just told me that it wasn’t a good excuse to not have change to not buy a ticket. So then I went to a museum that was closed and then to a pastry shop to ask for change and finally got change, but then went back to the machine and didn’t have the right change and I didn’t want to pay ten francs for a seven franc day ticket. So then I asked a man who got off the bus if he had change and he asked me in English what I needed. I signed and said, “Oh good, you speak English” and then he just gave me money and hurried off. I think I was stunned for a moment and then he was gone. I didn’t need two dollars I just needed change, but I was so thankful for that man’s kind act. So after that I visited the U.N. and enjoyed a quick tour. The Human Rights Delegation was meeting the day I visited and there was a demonstration in the U.N. plaza about the Islamic Republic of Iran. I met up with Nicole afterwards and we visited the cathedral and the world’s longest bench. Nicole is an inspiration, a grad student on a Rotary scholarship with a variety of activities. I enjoyed some interesting discussion with her on some international issues and also just girl-topics about life. We played knee-size checkers, which I think they call tic-tac or tric-trac, in the park with all the male senior-citizens. We went second-hand thrift store shopping, which was fun after not seeing any in Spain for ages.
Geneva is quite expensive despite the dollar and franc being relatively equivalent, but we went ice-skating for two francs a person, and it was Fauston’s treat. He is fun and charming close friend of Nicole’s.
We also went for a lake cruise which was quite economical because we took the water taxi and could use a bus ticket. We made raclette (I can’t remember the spelling) but it is a cheese you melt over potatoes and it was quite delicious as well.

I of course got a fair amount of chocolate tasting. I will further the Swiss stereotype of fabulous chocolate and announce on my blog that it is some of the best.
Overall, Geneva was a bit expensive so far as food is concerned, but there were ways to entertain ourselves economically and it was refreshing to be in such a big, international and excited place.
Thank you Nicole for such a wonderful long weekend!

A Swiss Alps weekend

Switzerland was fabulous. Nicole met me in Geneva after my night train from Hendaye or the Spanish-French border and we headed up to Lausanne and visited the Olympic Museum for Vancouvers inauguration. We met some used-ski equipment artists, practiced bob-sledding, bizarrely some some local art from the Vancouver region (being on the other side of the world and seeing things from home at a museum felt ironic for me), and got pins for our curling competition with some young children. After a picnic in Lausanne we headed up to meet Desiree in Evionnaz, which was a small town in the Swiss Alps. We couch-surfed their attic which was adorable and had the most lovely Swiss dinner of fondue and good bread. Nicole worked hard on her bread brading skills thanks to M. Lauper who was a character and shared his antique car collection with us. It made me miss home. Desiree, Nicole and I went "sledging" or sledding the next day on a seven kilometer sledge run. We rode the ski-lift up the mountain and enjoyed a scenic 7 km run down. I ran into the side netting on several curves and entertained some onlookers but mostly it was incredible scenery that sledging allows for better than skiing, at least with my level of skiing and always falling. We were really warmly welcomed by Desiree and her family and felt so fortunate for the authentic experience in the Swiss mountains for a weekend. After sledging, Nicole and I stopped by the spa, or thermal baths, before going back to Geneva. It just so happened to be Valentine's day and you might imagine the spa was packed full of couples. It was a lovely spa though and are favorite place was the female turkish bath, which was an herbal hot steam room. After spa-ing, we put back on all our luggage and hauled a half an hour to the train station. It was entertaining.
The second picture above was the view from the bathroom on the top of the mountains. We took the MontBlanc express from Martigny up the mountain but I can't remember the name of the slope. It was great.
Also it was Carnaval weekend. While Nicole and I were waiting to take the bus to the baths from the train station, some men came and asked her something. She said, "Pardon?" and then he threw confetti in her face. We both ended up covered in confetti that we even brought some with us (even after being at the spa) to Geneva.

Plus du Paris

These are some more pics from Paris.

Above, see a sleeper couchette train. I shared a compartment with all women which was fortunate. It wasn't a bad experience. I only woke up a few times rolling to the edge on a stop. I had a few dreams that I was talking to the people in my cabin and then I woke up very confused thinking that we had to move at the next train station, but everyone was sleeping.

On the right, from the inside of the Musee Carnavalet. It was warm, smelled of sweet wood, and was crowded with furniture and things. Sadly it was partly closing because I got in a little late, but enjoyed browsing a few of the rooms.

The others are all taken in Montmarte. I am not sure on that spelling... But this is where Emilie was filmed.

The video below is taken by the Louvre. I wished Alli and Mary could see it, so I took a small video. The quality isn't great, but here's an idea.

Une semaine en Paris Avec Louis

I had a lovely little week in Paris for my first week of vacation in February. Louis was a very generous host and helpful translator again. He helped me with my French and writing postcards, giving me metro advice and cheese lessons, on how to order at the cute street marche from the healthy and strong cheese ladies. Louis adviced me to follow the old ladies, because they knew which cheese stand was the best and I should buy from the same. This proved very helpful. I bought some Cantal, St. Nectaire, une petite Chevre and some carrots at another stand. I walked up and down the market and at all four cheese places there was only customers at the one with the line of older ladies waiting. I believe the prices were the best too, from what I had seen.

I saw the perfume museum, the Fragonard Parfumerie, and did a lot of walking and window-shopping my first day. Louis had to do some studying but was very helpful with instructions and telling me where to go and how to go, etc.

I enjoyed some delicious cheeses and quiches and Louis’ excellent glublieglooba. I am writing that phonetically because I am not sure how it is spelled.

It was a little refreshing to be in Paris with so many things to see and do and French words to learn. I did buy a French dictionary and have gotten good use out of it already. It is crazy how many people live in certain spaces. There were also a lot of homeless and kooky people, although I saw a group of homeless people in Éibar too when I arrived after being in Paris.

In Paris, Louis took me to the Musee d’ Orsay and we saw some Monet, Van Gogh, and other noteworthy artists. Monet’s four paintings of the cathedral in Rouen was one of my favorite walls in the museum.

I also saw Christian Boltanski’s current work in the Grand Palais, which made me feel consumptive and materialistic. I don’t know if that was his intention, but I believe if I understood the artist’s statement correctly that he wanted to create a space that people would feel relieved to leave. I did read this in English, not in French, as in French I would definitely not have understood the meaning. He had piles of clothes laid out on the floor and a mountain of clothing articles in one nook. Heartbeats with white noise boomed over the PA system. The Grand Palais was a beautiful building and I didn’t find the artwork unsettling just felt quite reflective.

Louis and I saw the Maison Europeenne de La Photographie, Ville de Paris, or European House of Photography, with an exhibition on Africa and a few weird contemporary art photo works, but a great collection of Elliott Erwitt’s "Peronsal Best". Look him up. He has some great pieces from the US and all over the world, some funny historical, social or cultural comments.

I also went to the Musee de Carnavalet, Galerie des Gobelins, La Collection des Tapisseries de Louis XIV (large tapestries from Louis XIV-incredible), Montemarte (where Emilie was filmed), Les Halles, and walked around the Louvre, Notre Dame, Theatre Rond du Pont, Elyse Des Champs… I am sure I have left out some details, but a week in Paris, or a second one, is to be experienced first hand.

For an expedia.com traveler ratings, on the hotel:

*Excellent atmosphere with a fabulous music collection

*Good thought-provoking conversation

*Wonderful entertainment, French aid/tutoring, and tourist help.

*Well-planned and diverse excursions with great flexibility on schedule.

*Excellent chef with a wonderful tea selection and delicious baguette choices!

C’est tres bon, Louis.

I think that is five stars Louis.

Also, of my delicious cheeses, I brought back some Camembert, a funny sort of souvenir, but it stank on the train. It stank through the two paper bags I had placed it in and through my duffle bag. It stank onto my sleeping bag, which is airing out in the hall and served as a demented air freshener on the metro/train ride home. When I got off the train at the Spanish/French border, I thought the woman in front of me smelled really weird, well it proved just to be the front end of my bag, leaking a warm cheese smell. People would get onto the car that I was on, sniff, look in my direction and head towards the other side of the car. The only man who sat near me looked to be homeless and I could smell him over the cheese. I was somewhat thankful for the one stopover that he was on the train though. I think at least two people got up and moved seats to another car of the train while I was on. I almost started laughing because it was so awkward, but nearly two hours of people getting on, sniffing, and avoiding my corner left me feeling a little sheepish. Finally in the last twenty minutes, some boys sat across the aisle from me. I could mostly understand their hushed conversation, maybe they weren’t sure if I was a foreigner, but almost at the end of my ride, one of them tried to open the window and said to the other, “If you really want to move, we can.” So I said, in Spanish, “The smell is a cheese. It is in my bag. I brought it as a souvenir. Sorry it stinks, but I am getting off on the next stop, so it will end soon.” To which, the one asked the other, “Where is it from?” and I said, “It is a cheese, a French cheese. I brought it as a souvenir, but I am getting off on the next stop. So sorry about the smell. Sorry” and just sort of shrugged, but had a hard time not laughing…