Day 11: Lyon Deux

Knowing that we would want more time to share the magic of Lyon with our children, we made sure to schedule another full day there. 

In the morning, both Jason and I headed out for a run.  The rivers are so picturesque!  I would have explored a bit more, but I needed to get back to switch the laundry at the laundromat.  After heading back to the apartment, I realized that I'd left my phone by the washer.  I hurried back down the block and got there just as the cleaning lady was heading out.  She'd found my phone and safely locked it in a back room, but it would have been a huge hassle to recover it.  I'm grateful for yet another tender mercy that helped our trip run smoothly.

With clothes freshly laundered, our first order of business was to find a pharmacy.

I'd promised to buy some itch cream for all the mosquito bites.

Then the entire family walked over to the Parc de la Tete d'Or.  We think Grandpa Charles would have enjoyed the flowers.

We were extra impressed by this caretaker trimming the flower beds with scissors, all while horizontally suspended from a ladder, so as to not squish the plants.

Next up, the turtles!  These creatures are one of the few things that Brooklyn clearly remembers from her first time in Lyon.

I'm not sure if I can see much of a difference between the turtles above and these turtles from twelve years ago.  They still love to sun themselves on the logs, occasionally knocking each other off as they jockey for the best position.

The carousel hasn't changed much either, although our children certainly have.  We couldn't entice any of them to go for a spin.  And to think, that used to be the consummate reward.

Okay, perhaps not.  Gaufres were the ultimate treat.

Some things really haven't changed.  A sugary delight at any age.

Truth to be told, I loved my goat cheese, arugula, honey and walnut sandwich even more.  I'm drooling at the memory.  

For me, one of the biggest surprises of the park was the development of the zoo.  It's grown tremendously!

Still free, the zoo has also become much more interactive.  Our kids loved swinging their way in to see the monkeys.

Climbing through the jungle.

After the zoo we walked and walked our way over to the rose gardens, near the Cite International.  I'd forgotten how enormous the Parc.

After giving it some good thought, Jason concluded that we were all worn out and ought to catch a bus to carry us to the next destination.

Once in town, Talia found her dream store (and left with a couple skeins of yarn.)
 

Next, we headed over to the Ile Barbe, nestled right in the middle of the Saone.

From there it was time to climb the Croix Rousse.

This traboule is pretty unique with its giant staircase.

A plaque memorializes the many silk workers who fought for better wages and working contitions.

Recreating this family photo.  Only problem is that the vegetation has grown up so much that you can't see the Fourviere any more.  That, and we are missing our grandparents.

The kids thought the painted murals were pretty fantastic.  Next best thing to actual windows.

We took the subway over to Place Bellecour but were underwhelmed.  We'd forgotten that while it may be one of Europe's largest open squares, there's not much there, especially since they took down the giant ferris wheel.  We enjoyed the open air vibe at Perrache much more.

After another long day of sightseeing, we were all pretty exhausted.  I frankly wanted to skip dinner and head straight to bed but fortunately Jason found us a fun German restaurant where we could relax.  Peruvian in Italy, German in France...we seem to have culinary issues.

The next morning it was time to pack up and bid farewell to our little apartment.  

Our trip to Lyon wouldn't be complete without a visit to the outdoor market.

With a bag full of fresh fruits and veggies, it was time to bid adieu to this city we love, or with a little luck, au revoir.