This year, we had decided not to come to the US for Christmas, but hadn't really decided what we were going to do. Then our friends Helen and Daron from England decided to invite us to have Christmas with them!!!! They usually do a big Christmas with Daron's family, so they checked if it would be okay if we came, and Daron's parents enthusiastically invited us to come over. Woohoo!!! So our holiday plans were set.
We arrived on the night of Dec. 23rd, after a hellish traveling day. But we slept in the next morning and then had a blissfully relaxing 24th at home. In the evening Daron took us out to see the lights. Anyone who has spent a Christmas with knows that I am like a kid when I go out to see Christmas lights. I gasp, point and clap my hands. But Daron and Helen didn't know this. So, I think they were surprised at my reactions as they pointed out another beautiful light display.
The next morning we all got up around 9 and then to my chagrin they all acted like adults!!!! Fuddy duddying around getting ready for the trip to Daron's family's house, feeding the fish, making tea, cleaning house, showering...oh my gawd it went on FOREVER!!! Until finally I couldn't take it anymore!!! Helen was sitting down with her breakfast and I finally broke. "Pressies!!!!" I exclaimed. "When are we going to do pressies?!" Helen was a bit startled, and Dave burst out laughing. He was wondering how long I'd last. He told Helen that I had been so restrained, but it probably won't last much longer. So, Helen ate her breakfast as politely fast as she could and we all finally sat down in front of the tree.
After our morning Christmas festivities we packed up and headed over to Daron's family's house. We had an amazing time over there. We really did feel like part of the family. Maureen, Daron's mom is so cute. She's this round very maternal looking woman with short blonde hair and she looks so "soft" you just want to hug her all the time. She was wearing a very elegant green outfit for Christmas dinner and so she definitely looked like Mother Christmas. And you should have seen the spread she cooked up for dinner!!! It was incredible! There was turkey and cranberry sauce of course. But she started with a shrimp cocktail atop a salmon mouse. Then the turkey, but she also served Lamb with a delectable mint sauce, grilled sweet parsnips, mashed potatoes, red cabbage, brussel sprouts....the meal seemed to go on forever. She had marked each place setting with a little gift which was charming wrapped. And there was plenty of wine flowing.
Then came the gifts. Dave and I brought some of our own so that we wouldn't make everyone else feel bad that we didn't have anything, but to our surprise Maureen had put together two bulging stockings for us!!!! We felt like little kids pulling all those little goodies out of huge stockings. It was so thoughtful. After gifts, we had bread pudding with custard and cream. Mmmmmm.....a perfect end to a wonderful evening.
The next day Helen's Mom and Dad came to Helen's place and we spent the day with them. I had met Helen's mom before but never her Dad. Both her parents are real characters and had us laughing most of the day. They told us stories of their young adventurous days where they were going to take 5 years to travel around the world. THe were going to do most of their travelling on a motorcycle, but the trip got cut short when they had an accident on thier bike about a couple months into their trip, in the midwest of the US. They talked about it like it was nothing, just par for the course. But, sadly, they needed to end the trip and rethink things. Unfortunately the 5 year trip never happened, but they still had lots of adventures to share with us. Helen's Dad has this huge smile and laughs easily, and her Mom just jibes him lovingly constantly. It was very entertaining. And another great day.
I had worried a bit about how our Christmas would be this year without family. I really missed everyone at home deeply. But I think this Christmas I really learned that Christmas is more about sharing than anything else. And I was able to share with family and friends at home in little ways even from here. And it felt really good. And I also got to experience the way other families share and celebrate. What a wonderful way to end our year on this adventure of ours. It was a fabulous end to an amazing year!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Christmas Wonderland
Oh my gawd, I’m FREEZING!!! We just got home from visiting the Christmas markets in Alsace, and I got so chilled to the bone I’m still cold. It was so cold up there that people had all their dogs completely winterproofed. I saw one dog wearing a jacked made of suede with a wool fleece lining! That was on top of his natural long hair fur! That little guy was better dressed than me, and warmer too. I felt so completely unprepared. It’s weird too, because I was wearing more layers of really good “ski wear” on this trip than I wore when we went skiing in the Alpes last winter. But I didn’t freeze during that ski trip. I didn’t realize how cold I could get when it’s not even snowing.
Other than the freezing cold weather, it was actually really sunny and beautiful up in Alsace. The Alsace region has switched hands so many times between the French and the Germans that it has a distinctly Germanic feel to the French towns. The storybook towns boast quaint cobblestone streets lined with German stone timber houses. Each town has a river or two going through it so there are many beautiful bridges decorated with flowers overhanging the sides. On any regular day these towns are magically beautiful, so we were so excited to see them all decked out for Christmas.
And we weren’t disappointed. The towns had been decorated with all of their French and German finery and had a very old world feel to them all. There were lights everywhere. The streets were laced with lights from roof to roof, and there were often even “candle” chandeliers hanging from the strings of lights. All the buildings dripped with pine boughs, red bows, and oversized ornaments. Everywhere we turned it was a true feast for the eyes. Dave laughed often as he’d look at me and I’d be standing there wide-eyed with my mouth hanging open completely taken by another gorgeously decorated house.
A picture of when we first arrived. Even without the lights it's so charming!
One of the decked out houses...
Although the decorations were magnificent, the real draw for us to go to Alsace were the Christmas markets we had heard so much about. We have a friend who lives in Germany and she told us that she always goes up to Strasbourg, Alsace, to shop at the Christmas markets. As the holidays approached, I did some research on the best Christmas markets in the world, and found that Germany actually won as far as having the biggest and oldest Christmas markets in the world. But, Strasbourg has the oldest Christmas market in France. It’s huge and very charming because of the mix of German and French influences. We debated flying to Stutgartt Germany to see the oldest market in the world, and then decided to go to Alsace instead. As we read about the Strasbourg maket, we also saw pictures of the Colmar ones, so we decided to go to both towns.
And in the evenings just felt like it was a Christmas wonderland.
Before we went to Alsace, we did visit our very own Christmas market in Lyon. It is actually very large and very cute, in compared to the markets in the US. But, it wasn’t what we expected. It was very commercial, with lots of “stuff” vendors, just like what you would expect in our part of the world. The Alsacian markets were much closer to what we were hoping to see. The vendors were mostly selling goods that were home-made. There were handknit scarves and hats, hand chisselled wooden boxes and carvings, hand painted pictures and picture frames. There were turned wood toys, adorable marionettes, and more different kinds of soaps, candles, and jewelry than you could imagine. But my favorite things of all, were all the home-cooked products. From liqueurs to gingerbread houses to red candy covered apples. I just couldn’t believe that there was all these fresh breads, fresh cookies, and unbelievable edible delights everywhere I turned. I kept spinning around to look at yet another colorful display of clear wrapped goodies.
Gingerbread hearts....
and good old-fashioned Christmas treats.
And with all that temptation, we couldn’t not eat! We found ourselves constantly picking up another little taste of this or that. On each street corner you’d see a little “train” with someone selling roasted chestnuts and the smell would waft past you as you walked by. Then you’d hear some sweet ladies voice “singing” vin chaud, chocolat chaud! Mulled wine, hot chocolate. We were so cold that we always had a glass of one or the other of these in our hands to keep us warm. And as we strolled around sipping our warm tasty drinks we’d pick up little somethings to complement them such as breaded pretzels,, chocolate dipped churos, gingerbread cookies, or my absolute favorite, chocolate covered fruit kabobs! I’m not kidding! They would cover pieces of pear, strawberry, kiwi, banana, etc with chocolate, dark, white, or milk, and then skewer them. So, you’d be walking along with a hot drink in one hand, turning your head sideways, holding a stick up to your face, trying to bite off a piece of chocolate covered fruit from your skewer while not spilling your drink. Dave and I were both so absorbed in this eating frenzie, we forgot to take pictures of each other looking like crazy kids. Oh, but you should have tasted these. The pears were so insanely juicy. And the strawberries! Oh my, how did they get such sweet strawberries this time of year?
Our very first exposure to the Colmar market on our first night.
This was the entrance to the huge Strasbourg market.
The booths at the markets were so quaint and well done.
By the end of our first night at Colmar, Dave and I decided that this was the place to be on the cold winter nights before Noel. In a magical storybook town, walking amongst the gorgeous lights, drinking mulled wine or hot chocolate, eating homemade tasty treats, and then slipping into a hot bubble bath afterwards to warm up our chilled bodies. The next several days and nights were more of the same. Colmar was a smaller town, so it was more quaint. But Strasboug had a reputation to uphold so they had huge markets and decorated magnificently. This weekend alone, will make this a forever in our minds…a Christmas to remember.
Other than the freezing cold weather, it was actually really sunny and beautiful up in Alsace. The Alsace region has switched hands so many times between the French and the Germans that it has a distinctly Germanic feel to the French towns. The storybook towns boast quaint cobblestone streets lined with German stone timber houses. Each town has a river or two going through it so there are many beautiful bridges decorated with flowers overhanging the sides. On any regular day these towns are magically beautiful, so we were so excited to see them all decked out for Christmas.
And we weren’t disappointed. The towns had been decorated with all of their French and German finery and had a very old world feel to them all. There were lights everywhere. The streets were laced with lights from roof to roof, and there were often even “candle” chandeliers hanging from the strings of lights. All the buildings dripped with pine boughs, red bows, and oversized ornaments. Everywhere we turned it was a true feast for the eyes. Dave laughed often as he’d look at me and I’d be standing there wide-eyed with my mouth hanging open completely taken by another gorgeously decorated house.
A picture of when we first arrived. Even without the lights it's so charming!
One of the decked out houses...
Although the decorations were magnificent, the real draw for us to go to Alsace were the Christmas markets we had heard so much about. We have a friend who lives in Germany and she told us that she always goes up to Strasbourg, Alsace, to shop at the Christmas markets. As the holidays approached, I did some research on the best Christmas markets in the world, and found that Germany actually won as far as having the biggest and oldest Christmas markets in the world. But, Strasbourg has the oldest Christmas market in France. It’s huge and very charming because of the mix of German and French influences. We debated flying to Stutgartt Germany to see the oldest market in the world, and then decided to go to Alsace instead. As we read about the Strasbourg maket, we also saw pictures of the Colmar ones, so we decided to go to both towns.
And in the evenings just felt like it was a Christmas wonderland.
Before we went to Alsace, we did visit our very own Christmas market in Lyon. It is actually very large and very cute, in compared to the markets in the US. But, it wasn’t what we expected. It was very commercial, with lots of “stuff” vendors, just like what you would expect in our part of the world. The Alsacian markets were much closer to what we were hoping to see. The vendors were mostly selling goods that were home-made. There were handknit scarves and hats, hand chisselled wooden boxes and carvings, hand painted pictures and picture frames. There were turned wood toys, adorable marionettes, and more different kinds of soaps, candles, and jewelry than you could imagine. But my favorite things of all, were all the home-cooked products. From liqueurs to gingerbread houses to red candy covered apples. I just couldn’t believe that there was all these fresh breads, fresh cookies, and unbelievable edible delights everywhere I turned. I kept spinning around to look at yet another colorful display of clear wrapped goodies.
Gingerbread hearts....
and good old-fashioned Christmas treats.
And with all that temptation, we couldn’t not eat! We found ourselves constantly picking up another little taste of this or that. On each street corner you’d see a little “train” with someone selling roasted chestnuts and the smell would waft past you as you walked by. Then you’d hear some sweet ladies voice “singing” vin chaud, chocolat chaud! Mulled wine, hot chocolate. We were so cold that we always had a glass of one or the other of these in our hands to keep us warm. And as we strolled around sipping our warm tasty drinks we’d pick up little somethings to complement them such as breaded pretzels,, chocolate dipped churos, gingerbread cookies, or my absolute favorite, chocolate covered fruit kabobs! I’m not kidding! They would cover pieces of pear, strawberry, kiwi, banana, etc with chocolate, dark, white, or milk, and then skewer them. So, you’d be walking along with a hot drink in one hand, turning your head sideways, holding a stick up to your face, trying to bite off a piece of chocolate covered fruit from your skewer while not spilling your drink. Dave and I were both so absorbed in this eating frenzie, we forgot to take pictures of each other looking like crazy kids. Oh, but you should have tasted these. The pears were so insanely juicy. And the strawberries! Oh my, how did they get such sweet strawberries this time of year?
Our very first exposure to the Colmar market on our first night.
This was the entrance to the huge Strasbourg market.
The booths at the markets were so quaint and well done.
By the end of our first night at Colmar, Dave and I decided that this was the place to be on the cold winter nights before Noel. In a magical storybook town, walking amongst the gorgeous lights, drinking mulled wine or hot chocolate, eating homemade tasty treats, and then slipping into a hot bubble bath afterwards to warm up our chilled bodies. The next several days and nights were more of the same. Colmar was a smaller town, so it was more quaint. But Strasboug had a reputation to uphold so they had huge markets and decorated magnificently. This weekend alone, will make this a forever in our minds…a Christmas to remember.
Monday, December 17, 2007
D's Birthday and Fete des Lumieres
The weekend started with a bang. Dave’s 40th birthday was approaching and we were so far from all his family and friends that I had to work hard to figure out how to make it special. Fortunately, it worked out to be easy. First, I invited some friends to a birthday dinner on Dave’s b-day, but found out they couldn’t make it because Jimmy, the male half of the couple I invited, was turning 30 on Dec. 10th and was celebrating on the 11th, which was Dave’s birthday. So, I decided to hold a joint birthday party for the 2 big 10 birthdays on Friday. Entertaining here in France is always an adventure for me, especially when I want to cook Indian food, because the grocery shopping is so challenging. To get the Indian spices, I have to go to this little whole in the wall spice shop that makes you feel like you are walking into a seer’s den. You walk in and it’s crowded with spices and rice and flour and you can barely walk around. The whole place dark and full of the smell and smoke of incense, and the owner is a wrinkled old Indian man who is so hunched over you expect to see him staring into a crystal ball and asking you what you want to know about your future. Their selection of spices is fabulous, but it’s a trip to get there, and I have to admit I am always just a little uncomfortable walking in there to do my shopping.
Then, after getting the spices, I have to go to the boucherie to get fresh meat, and I usually try to go to the morning market to try to get fresh veggies. Anyways, I spent the day traveling from place to place to get everything fresh, and arrived home at 4:30 to start my cooking.
Our guests arrived at 7:00pm, and fortunately loved the dinner. They are French, so I was really concerned that they wouldn’t like the spicy food. The French palette is not used to spicy food, and our friend’s daughter Melody, who is 4, was going to be there too. Well, little Melody kept humming and saying mmmmmmmmmm, and her Mom Cathy was beginning to feel insulted. “She never hums when she eats my cooking!” she exclaimed. And the birthday boys stayed quiet the whole dinner so they could concentrate on their eating. Woohoo!!! Success! You know you did okay when everyone goes quiet so that they can eat. :D
Dave, Jimmy, Melody, Cathy, and Cathy’s delightful Mom, after the boys blew out the candles on their cake.
After that we went for a walk to see the lights of the Fete des Lumieres. Dave was so excited that this holiday was happening on his birthday weekend. Five million people descend upon Lyon each year for this festival, and it really livened things up so Dave felt very festive. He kept going “Hey! Look at that! Monica come here!” and he’d make me stand still so he could use my head as a tripod for his camera so he could catch the lights on (digital) “film.” At one point Cathy started tickling me under my chin every time Dave was trying to take a picture so that I’d move. I made a huge effort to stay still but just couldn’t do it. So, then Dave started using his own head as his tripod. It was the funniest site. I’d turn around to see where he’d gone and he’d be standing on some bollard, grinning like a mad scientist with his camera on his head taking a picture. It kept us all laughing hysterically all evening.
Here was one of the pictures Dave got of the lampshade people. And yes, these lamps were all lit up.
The next morning our friends from England, Helen and Daron arrived. We walked around the Marche Noel (Christmas market) and then headed up to the regular weekend markets on the river. Helen really enjoyed the artwork and I loved all the artistic jewelry. After that we stopped for a cup of coffee and when we were walking out to leave we saw some guys handing out some paper lanterns. Our guys of course had to get some, but us girls were a bit skeptical. But the lantern people insisted we take 4, so we took them, posed for some pictures, and then nearly threw them out. Instead, we thought we’d enjoy them for a little while and decide what to do with them later.
Daron and Dave laughing after I told them to “look at each other lovingly.” They both wanted to be very clear that they don’t do “that sorta thing.”
Every time Dave looks at this picture he says “hey, that guy is looking at my wife’s pretty bouncy lanterns!” Everywhere we went people kept asking us where they could get lanterns of their own.
Do you remember the story about Rita’s turkey for Thanksgiving? The one that she needed to special order and cost $150?! Well, on our way home we walked by the same butcher who provided that turkey, and guess what we saw? A whole rack of Christmas turkeys hanging in front! And let’s just say, they definitely weren’t $150! But look at how they are displayed.
They still have their heads and tail feathers on!!!! I wasn’t sure whether to laugh of groan.
At about 6:00pm we headed for dinner. I had called and visited about 10 restaurants to try to get reservations so we could celebrate Dave’s birthday on Sat. night with Helen and Daron, but nobody was taking reservations that night because of the festival. They all told me to come between 7 and 8pm, and we should be just fine. Well, I figured they were telling everyone that, so I suggested we go at 6pm. It’s an ungodly hour to eat according to the French, so I thought it might be a good time for us. We decided to try the oldest Brasserie in Lyon, Brasserie Georges, which has 120 tables, great staff, traditional food, and a very old world feel to it. It’s actually a brew pub and many of it’s artwork, last updated in the 1920’s, are dedicated to the reconciliation between the gods of wine and beer.
We got seated immediately and the boys ordered very manly maas’s of beer and platters of meat and sauerkraut (choucroute).
Then Dave’s birthday cake, a huge Baked Alaska complete with sparklers on top, made it’s way across the crowded restaurant.
And our waiters, to Dave’s surprise and glee, sang happy birthday in English! I love those guys!
Saturday night was supposed to be the big night of the Fete des Lumieres, so after a quick stop at home, we headed out into the crowds to see as many lights as we could. We decided to light up our lanterns and take them with us, which turned out to be the best idea ever. The crowds were so thick, you could barely move and we’d all get sorta pushed around and get separated. So, we all just kept looking for the lanterns and that’s how we managed to stay together. Thank goodness we didn’t throw those things away.
Daron, Helen, and me sporting our festival lanterns. Dave asked “Monica, would you like a picture of all those hanging Lyonaise balls?” I giggled, “Yes Sir! I’m very much enjoying admiring them!” ;) So we decided to pose with those beautiful hanging Lyonaise balls.
The lights that night were amazing. I’d never seen anything like them. Lyon certainly knows how to do it all up. But then, of course they do. They’ve been doing this every December 8th for over a century! As we walked home absolutely exhausted, the last display we saw was my favorite one.
It was just so odd with the sorta space ship looking thing across the river, and then that flower ball thing and the fountain, and then these eerie flowers being planted by these slow moving ghost-like figures. I’m not sure why I liked this one so much, but it just had so much going on. The contrast between everything just seemed to stimulate my imagination. And I wasn’t the only one. Daron asked what the heck that flower ball was. We couldn’t answer so he pondered out loud “it’s kind of like the opposite of a Death Star. Hmmmmmmm……… I know!!! It’s a Love Star!” Yes! Yes!! We all agreed. It’s a Love Star.
Here’s the same scene the next morning as we walked by it. Now we can’t ever look at that flower ball without thinking “it’s a Love Star!” What a happy thought.
Helen and Daron left that afternoon, but it had been a wonderful weekend. I’m so very glad we were in Lyon to celebrate that weekend. And now….we can focus on Christmas! Next stop: Les Marches Noels du France!
Then, after getting the spices, I have to go to the boucherie to get fresh meat, and I usually try to go to the morning market to try to get fresh veggies. Anyways, I spent the day traveling from place to place to get everything fresh, and arrived home at 4:30 to start my cooking.
Our guests arrived at 7:00pm, and fortunately loved the dinner. They are French, so I was really concerned that they wouldn’t like the spicy food. The French palette is not used to spicy food, and our friend’s daughter Melody, who is 4, was going to be there too. Well, little Melody kept humming and saying mmmmmmmmmm, and her Mom Cathy was beginning to feel insulted. “She never hums when she eats my cooking!” she exclaimed. And the birthday boys stayed quiet the whole dinner so they could concentrate on their eating. Woohoo!!! Success! You know you did okay when everyone goes quiet so that they can eat. :D
Dave, Jimmy, Melody, Cathy, and Cathy’s delightful Mom, after the boys blew out the candles on their cake.
After that we went for a walk to see the lights of the Fete des Lumieres. Dave was so excited that this holiday was happening on his birthday weekend. Five million people descend upon Lyon each year for this festival, and it really livened things up so Dave felt very festive. He kept going “Hey! Look at that! Monica come here!” and he’d make me stand still so he could use my head as a tripod for his camera so he could catch the lights on (digital) “film.” At one point Cathy started tickling me under my chin every time Dave was trying to take a picture so that I’d move. I made a huge effort to stay still but just couldn’t do it. So, then Dave started using his own head as his tripod. It was the funniest site. I’d turn around to see where he’d gone and he’d be standing on some bollard, grinning like a mad scientist with his camera on his head taking a picture. It kept us all laughing hysterically all evening.
Here was one of the pictures Dave got of the lampshade people. And yes, these lamps were all lit up.
The next morning our friends from England, Helen and Daron arrived. We walked around the Marche Noel (Christmas market) and then headed up to the regular weekend markets on the river. Helen really enjoyed the artwork and I loved all the artistic jewelry. After that we stopped for a cup of coffee and when we were walking out to leave we saw some guys handing out some paper lanterns. Our guys of course had to get some, but us girls were a bit skeptical. But the lantern people insisted we take 4, so we took them, posed for some pictures, and then nearly threw them out. Instead, we thought we’d enjoy them for a little while and decide what to do with them later.
Daron and Dave laughing after I told them to “look at each other lovingly.” They both wanted to be very clear that they don’t do “that sorta thing.”
Every time Dave looks at this picture he says “hey, that guy is looking at my wife’s pretty bouncy lanterns!” Everywhere we went people kept asking us where they could get lanterns of their own.
Do you remember the story about Rita’s turkey for Thanksgiving? The one that she needed to special order and cost $150?! Well, on our way home we walked by the same butcher who provided that turkey, and guess what we saw? A whole rack of Christmas turkeys hanging in front! And let’s just say, they definitely weren’t $150! But look at how they are displayed.
They still have their heads and tail feathers on!!!! I wasn’t sure whether to laugh of groan.
At about 6:00pm we headed for dinner. I had called and visited about 10 restaurants to try to get reservations so we could celebrate Dave’s birthday on Sat. night with Helen and Daron, but nobody was taking reservations that night because of the festival. They all told me to come between 7 and 8pm, and we should be just fine. Well, I figured they were telling everyone that, so I suggested we go at 6pm. It’s an ungodly hour to eat according to the French, so I thought it might be a good time for us. We decided to try the oldest Brasserie in Lyon, Brasserie Georges, which has 120 tables, great staff, traditional food, and a very old world feel to it. It’s actually a brew pub and many of it’s artwork, last updated in the 1920’s, are dedicated to the reconciliation between the gods of wine and beer.
We got seated immediately and the boys ordered very manly maas’s of beer and platters of meat and sauerkraut (choucroute).
Then Dave’s birthday cake, a huge Baked Alaska complete with sparklers on top, made it’s way across the crowded restaurant.
And our waiters, to Dave’s surprise and glee, sang happy birthday in English! I love those guys!
Saturday night was supposed to be the big night of the Fete des Lumieres, so after a quick stop at home, we headed out into the crowds to see as many lights as we could. We decided to light up our lanterns and take them with us, which turned out to be the best idea ever. The crowds were so thick, you could barely move and we’d all get sorta pushed around and get separated. So, we all just kept looking for the lanterns and that’s how we managed to stay together. Thank goodness we didn’t throw those things away.
Daron, Helen, and me sporting our festival lanterns. Dave asked “Monica, would you like a picture of all those hanging Lyonaise balls?” I giggled, “Yes Sir! I’m very much enjoying admiring them!” ;) So we decided to pose with those beautiful hanging Lyonaise balls.The lights that night were amazing. I’d never seen anything like them. Lyon certainly knows how to do it all up. But then, of course they do. They’ve been doing this every December 8th for over a century! As we walked home absolutely exhausted, the last display we saw was my favorite one.
It was just so odd with the sorta space ship looking thing across the river, and then that flower ball thing and the fountain, and then these eerie flowers being planted by these slow moving ghost-like figures. I’m not sure why I liked this one so much, but it just had so much going on. The contrast between everything just seemed to stimulate my imagination. And I wasn’t the only one. Daron asked what the heck that flower ball was. We couldn’t answer so he pondered out loud “it’s kind of like the opposite of a Death Star. Hmmmmmmm……… I know!!! It’s a Love Star!” Yes! Yes!! We all agreed. It’s a Love Star.
Here’s the same scene the next morning as we walked by it. Now we can’t ever look at that flower ball without thinking “it’s a Love Star!” What a happy thought.
Helen and Daron left that afternoon, but it had been a wonderful weekend. I’m so very glad we were in Lyon to celebrate that weekend. And now….we can focus on Christmas! Next stop: Les Marches Noels du France!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Party Cancelled
Hello there Everyone!
Thanks so much to those of you that joined in the virtual e-mail box party for Daves birthday. He says he couldn't have asked for a better 40th. He felt very loved. Unfortunately, we've had some complications regarding the 40th birthday party that I had planned on Feb. 1st, so I think I will need to just cancel that party. So, take that event off your calendar. I'm posting this here because I had kinda mentioned the party in passing to a lot of our friends and family, but hadn't yet mentioned it to everyone, so I'm not sure who to e-mail the cancellation notice to. So, if I post it here I am hoping everyone will see it.
Thanks so much to those of you that joined in the virtual e-mail box party for Daves birthday. He says he couldn't have asked for a better 40th. He felt very loved. Unfortunately, we've had some complications regarding the 40th birthday party that I had planned on Feb. 1st, so I think I will need to just cancel that party. So, take that event off your calendar. I'm posting this here because I had kinda mentioned the party in passing to a lot of our friends and family, but hadn't yet mentioned it to everyone, so I'm not sure who to e-mail the cancellation notice to. So, if I post it here I am hoping everyone will see it.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Birthday Weekend in Lights
You know it's not often that a whole city puts on a light show for your birthday, but it is extra special when your friends from England come over for the weekend too. Monica had already been going crazy trying to find a place to reserve for my birthday dinner, but nobody was taking reservations, instead they recommended we come by to eat at the (ungodly early to the French) hour of 6 or 7pm. This was just a hint at the crowds that were to come.
We picked up a couple of free lanterns at lunchtime and nearly tossed them away, but what the heck... Let's do things like the Lyonnais. They've been giving these out all over Lyon. All I can say is THANK GOD we took them. The candles burned all night, and the sleeve kept them from going out, but best of all we could find each other in the crowds later that night.
By 5pm Saturday it was already dark and the crowds were already the largest we'd ever seen - even including the Rugby World Cup games in Lyon. We decided to eat at the La Brasserie Georges as a safe bet. This place is absolutely huge - 120 bustling tables serving up hearty Alpine fare since 1836. They have a couple Guinness World records too. Already it had a line out the door, but not too long. Here you can see us and our very French waiter with very European glasses (dorky red frames).
For dessert we had the foresight to order their famous "Norwegian Omelet" which you must order at the beginning of your meal. What is that you ask? I'll bet you think it's something with egg and lox huh? No, it's called Baked Alaska in the United States. And it arrived with a sparkler and singing waiters who attempted "Happy Birthday" in English! Monica pulled off another one. Nobody else got that treatment. As we left the restaurant in high spirits we saw the current line to get in. It was huge! We estimated 200 people at least.
Well if you weren't that organized, every street corner had some kind of hot food or drink stand. Here's a guy cooking tartiflette (potatoes, bacon, and cheese) and yes, the pan is that big.
As we headed back towards the city center the crowds got thicker. Louis XIV in Bellecour was now all lit up and sporting some neon inside his new snow globe. (You can see the Ferris wheel as a reflection). Bellecour is practically soviet in scale, so it did a good job at handling the masses, but we as headed north towards the Newton's Cradle (that's what Daron told me the desk toy is called), we saw just how many people had decided to visit this weekend.
The crowd was really thick! And, guess what? We were the ONLY people with candle lanterns. Turns out they were really well engineered too. Super light, and easy to hold over our heads, soon everyone was asking us where we got ours - even offering to buy them off us. No way! These were worth their weight in gold. Actually a lot more than their weight.
From here on we progressed slowly but surely north to the Newton's Cradle. I could say it worked exactly like the small version... and from the pictures you couldn't tell, but actually it was more like an extremely slow motion version of the desk toy. Except here the globes changed colors and sent pulses of light back and forth.
Overall, the festival looked like a chance for the art community to do some fun projects with city money. Some were a success - like the synchronized light cubes along the Rhône. The giant cubes are actually industrial chemical containers and the money went into the cabling and computerized colored lights. You could walk among them and at night it attracted fire dancers and fire breathers. But another one looked they blew their budget on giant wood projection towers and sound system... but hardly any light? What happened there?
You know, you can't miss with fog, lasers, moody sound, and reflecting glass. Place Terreaux had a huge crowd just camped out in the large plaza.
Returning to Bellecour our last visit was the illuminated flower field. For days people in white suits with white skull caps very slowly (for artistic effect I suppose) planted glowing bottle-flowers on long stems in the lawn by the Saône and sometimes plucked a dead one. By Saturday, the field was really getting full.
We were exhausted, but at least we live in Bellecour so we could just walk in the door and collapse. The weather had held up most of the night, but it started to drizzle at the end making our paper lanterns look as tired as we were. But we all had had a delightful time.
We picked up a couple of free lanterns at lunchtime and nearly tossed them away, but what the heck... Let's do things like the Lyonnais. They've been giving these out all over Lyon. All I can say is THANK GOD we took them. The candles burned all night, and the sleeve kept them from going out, but best of all we could find each other in the crowds later that night.
By 5pm Saturday it was already dark and the crowds were already the largest we'd ever seen - even including the Rugby World Cup games in Lyon. We decided to eat at the La Brasserie Georges as a safe bet. This place is absolutely huge - 120 bustling tables serving up hearty Alpine fare since 1836. They have a couple Guinness World records too. Already it had a line out the door, but not too long. Here you can see us and our very French waiter with very European glasses (dorky red frames).
For dessert we had the foresight to order their famous "Norwegian Omelet" which you must order at the beginning of your meal. What is that you ask? I'll bet you think it's something with egg and lox huh? No, it's called Baked Alaska in the United States. And it arrived with a sparkler and singing waiters who attempted "Happy Birthday" in English! Monica pulled off another one. Nobody else got that treatment. As we left the restaurant in high spirits we saw the current line to get in. It was huge! We estimated 200 people at least.
Well if you weren't that organized, every street corner had some kind of hot food or drink stand. Here's a guy cooking tartiflette (potatoes, bacon, and cheese) and yes, the pan is that big.
As we headed back towards the city center the crowds got thicker. Louis XIV in Bellecour was now all lit up and sporting some neon inside his new snow globe. (You can see the Ferris wheel as a reflection). Bellecour is practically soviet in scale, so it did a good job at handling the masses, but we as headed north towards the Newton's Cradle (that's what Daron told me the desk toy is called), we saw just how many people had decided to visit this weekend.
The crowd was really thick! And, guess what? We were the ONLY people with candle lanterns. Turns out they were really well engineered too. Super light, and easy to hold over our heads, soon everyone was asking us where we got ours - even offering to buy them off us. No way! These were worth their weight in gold. Actually a lot more than their weight.
From here on we progressed slowly but surely north to the Newton's Cradle. I could say it worked exactly like the small version... and from the pictures you couldn't tell, but actually it was more like an extremely slow motion version of the desk toy. Except here the globes changed colors and sent pulses of light back and forth.
Overall, the festival looked like a chance for the art community to do some fun projects with city money. Some were a success - like the synchronized light cubes along the Rhône. The giant cubes are actually industrial chemical containers and the money went into the cabling and computerized colored lights. You could walk among them and at night it attracted fire dancers and fire breathers. But another one looked they blew their budget on giant wood projection towers and sound system... but hardly any light? What happened there?
You know, you can't miss with fog, lasers, moody sound, and reflecting glass. Place Terreaux had a huge crowd just camped out in the large plaza.
Returning to Bellecour our last visit was the illuminated flower field. For days people in white suits with white skull caps very slowly (for artistic effect I suppose) planted glowing bottle-flowers on long stems in the lawn by the Saône and sometimes plucked a dead one. By Saturday, the field was really getting full.
We were exhausted, but at least we live in Bellecour so we could just walk in the door and collapse. The weather had held up most of the night, but it started to drizzle at the end making our paper lanterns look as tired as we were. But we all had had a delightful time.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Lyon gets ready for Festival of Lights
One of things we most wanted to see once we heard about it was the Lyon Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumières). The way it was explained to me, every December 8, all the people of Lyon light candles and set them in their windows or outside their doors and it just lights up all of Lyon. Then everyone walks around and looks at all the lights! Wait a second, you light candles all over your house... then leave and walk around? I guess the firemen must be extra busy! Maybe this sounds like a good idea after all that Beaujolais Nouveau...
Well last year it was just awful weather, plus I also read there has been a metro strike 2 years in a row on December 8. A perfect time to remind people why automated trains are taking over. This year looks like it will be a winner though - plus we're right in the center of Lyon so we don't need any transit. Ha ha!
The city decorations are immense and have been going on for a while now. It's just amazing how many details there are. Even the lights in the metros have been changed to purple. The streetlights are red or blue. Every street has strings of lights hung across it. Trees are filled with blinking decorations. And then, there are the giant civic installations...
OK, I'm going to have to post a follow-up to this with some pictures because you wouldn't believe me. The giant statue of Louis XIV in Bellecour - is being turned into a humongous snow globe. In Cordelier, there now hang 5 giant lit globes that look suspiciously like one of those "perpetual motion" desk toys. In fact, I can see the hinges where the outer globe's beams attach to the super structure.
And in Bellecour, something we didn't know could disappear (but did) has returned. The gi-normous Ferris wheel. We saw this we when first arrived last January and it was so big we just assumed it must be permanent. Then one day in April it vanished! We hadn't even ridden on it! Now it is back and just as huge and permanent looking as before.
Anyway, you can just imagine how exciting it is to see all the preparation going on. Monica is constantly bouncing up and down.
Oh, and Eloïse insisted I snap this picture. I think this will have to become my new place or worship. The temple of cheese!
We'll talk to you later!
Well last year it was just awful weather, plus I also read there has been a metro strike 2 years in a row on December 8. A perfect time to remind people why automated trains are taking over. This year looks like it will be a winner though - plus we're right in the center of Lyon so we don't need any transit. Ha ha!
The city decorations are immense and have been going on for a while now. It's just amazing how many details there are. Even the lights in the metros have been changed to purple. The streetlights are red or blue. Every street has strings of lights hung across it. Trees are filled with blinking decorations. And then, there are the giant civic installations...
OK, I'm going to have to post a follow-up to this with some pictures because you wouldn't believe me. The giant statue of Louis XIV in Bellecour - is being turned into a humongous snow globe. In Cordelier, there now hang 5 giant lit globes that look suspiciously like one of those "perpetual motion" desk toys. In fact, I can see the hinges where the outer globe's beams attach to the super structure.
And in Bellecour, something we didn't know could disappear (but did) has returned. The gi-normous Ferris wheel. We saw this we when first arrived last January and it was so big we just assumed it must be permanent. Then one day in April it vanished! We hadn't even ridden on it! Now it is back and just as huge and permanent looking as before.
Anyway, you can just imagine how exciting it is to see all the preparation going on. Monica is constantly bouncing up and down.
Oh, and Eloïse insisted I snap this picture. I think this will have to become my new place or worship. The temple of cheese!
We'll talk to you later!
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Say it isn't true!
A French friend of mine was in town today and so we had a "shop till you drop" kinda day. We walked everywhere and were having a great day. And then, as we turned a corner in front of the opera house, it happened. I spotted a Starbucks!!! "OMG, this can't be happening," I gasped. "Lyon had stayed so pure for so long!"
Every city in the world that Dave and I have been to in the last 3 years has had a Starbuck in it. We were distressed about that. They were even in places that are known for making some of the best coffee in the world, like Italy, Switzerland, and big cities in France. But in Lyon, where the little cafes thrive, and the coffee is so good, we hadn't seen one. We rejoiced in that. We were so proud of the Lyonaisse for resisting. But now....Oh my....now! It's like they gave in.
The Starbucks is right outside a very big metro stop in one of the busiest parts of town. My friend, when she saw my dismay started to theorize on the capitulation of the Lyonaisse. "Well," she said, "in most French cafes you can't get coffee to go. They only allow you to drink it there. At Starbucks you can jump off the metro, get your coffee, and head to work."
"But it's a flippin' Saturday!" I nearly screamed. "They have plenty of time to get yummy French coffee! Why is there a cue around the block to get bad American coffee?! "
She rubbed my back soothingly as if to calm an upset child. We walked away from the offensive street corner quickly and she remained quiet as I took deep breaths and regained my composure. Forget Pinkie and the Brain. Starbucks is taking over the world!
Every city in the world that Dave and I have been to in the last 3 years has had a Starbuck in it. We were distressed about that. They were even in places that are known for making some of the best coffee in the world, like Italy, Switzerland, and big cities in France. But in Lyon, where the little cafes thrive, and the coffee is so good, we hadn't seen one. We rejoiced in that. We were so proud of the Lyonaisse for resisting. But now....Oh my....now! It's like they gave in.
The Starbucks is right outside a very big metro stop in one of the busiest parts of town. My friend, when she saw my dismay started to theorize on the capitulation of the Lyonaisse. "Well," she said, "in most French cafes you can't get coffee to go. They only allow you to drink it there. At Starbucks you can jump off the metro, get your coffee, and head to work."
"But it's a flippin' Saturday!" I nearly screamed. "They have plenty of time to get yummy French coffee! Why is there a cue around the block to get bad American coffee?! "
She rubbed my back soothingly as if to calm an upset child. We walked away from the offensive street corner quickly and she remained quiet as I took deep breaths and regained my composure. Forget Pinkie and the Brain. Starbucks is taking over the world!
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