Ma vie a Lyon!
Madam and monsieur I hear, wherever I step my feet in the town of culture and great cuisine.
Delicacy and elegance is everywhere in the air!
The gentile french style is unique- we must admit and accept it!
Coming to the soft and quite talking french people straight from the opposite part of the World-from the loud, cheerfull and expressing people of Ellada(Greece) I am quite lost.
Straight from a tiny little island of Cyclades,from the Paradise, where I got so much used to the simplicity of life, expressing all my feelings aloud with gestures, here I feel to be ’frozen’.
A place, where despite the rush of a big city, all seems to be so quiet and soft.
Me, with wide open eyes and even wider heart, I am eager to observe, to explore and to learn more and more about a different culture and custom, yet from the South of France- Rhone Alp region.
You, who know me might know, thats my real life-TRAVELLING and for those, who doesnt,let me introduce myself as much as I can here!:
You, who decides to read my lines, you enter to the World of a hungarian born girl, who with her mind, heart, spirit and mentality belongs rather amongs the greeks: with their joy of life, love, dance and songs ..and with
THE PHILOSOPHY AND DEEP KNOWLEDGE of Greek, she feels home there, with them.
However, summer has ended months ago and as there are still months ahead to the new season, before feeling again the touching, soft and warm sunrays of the mediterranean, I jump into a new setting- to survive the winter time.
As such, I have decided to taste the cheese and wine of the country of J’ean D’Arc?! and to learn the language of the diplomacy-once never know).
To make it more joyful and fun, I have thought to make this ’journey’ together with you all.
Its easy. Thanks to the 21. Century aid, through the internet and facebook we are all joined!
So? Ready?
Lets start our journey then!
DAY 1. SIGHTSEEING
After long, dark days of winter waking up with the 1st sunshine, I believe the hearts and minds of people open more.
Mine for sure.)
Getting a newly fixed bike from my lovely friend Piere, nothing could really kept me away from jumping on it and going to explore the town.
Interesting as it is, next to the tram line is a bike route, which makes your journey easy and safe to do.
As such, you can go from South to the North, from East to the West of the town.
Peace, quitness, slowness and harmony, which can be felt here is nothing that usually goes hand in hand with a big town life.
Not here!!
Reaching Gare Part Dieu big railway station and metro line, you can start your sightseeing.
As I love history and originality of the past, I quickly move straight from the modern part to the old town, called Vieux Lyon.
Passing the rush of the modern city I see the following:
-handsome elegant men in a half sportive and half elegant style, with the unforgettable beret on their head of course.
-elegant women sitting in the cafes, which are all over around, as in tiny, little narrow and curving streets as well in the huge squares.
-parfum in the air and at least 20 kinds and sorts of different cheese in the window of tiny, little typical delicate shops next to all sorts of salamis, which make you feel, as you have never eaten before.
You feel an instant desire to jump from the bike, run straight away to the first such place and without even asking for help, just impatiently grabing the first cheese coming to your way!
After that, you feel satisfied to continue your day).
Well, that’s just the beginning of our journey).
Anyway, we cant stop here, as I am too curious and eager to walk in the street of Saint Jean in the old town.
Passing the wide streets specially designed to the cyclists, crossing one of the many bridges, finally I arrive to the place, where with a smile on my face I can walk back into the ‘past’.
Here time stops!
Walking in the cobble streets, seeing high buildings with blinds and tiny, sweet little shops offering the so typical and special lyonesse marionettes as well as the delicates mentioned before I feel content.
next questions arrising in my mind is: where should I stop for for a chocolate chaud ( hot chocolate)?!))?
Oh, its drives me crazy).
In this part of the town, ladies and men, couples and students hand in hand and kissing each other are really enjoying the peace of the past times.
The romantic France!
I adjust to this peace easily, (its not difficult after the island pace).
I sit and pray in a church, where at that same moment is a funeral with a strangely cheerful music.
Having a cake after and wandering the narrow streets I realize, the sunshine is gone.
Time to go home!
In the rush hours on the streets, while daydreaming, I could have easily been hit by a car, but that’s not the case here.
Forget the stress and crazy, rude people of any other big city.
Here, behind the window of an elegant black car a handsome Frenchman with a smile on his face lets the ‘island girl’ LIVE-
to continue her way to enjoy life and to ‘hug the World’, so to share it with all, she loves so much.
Almost reaching my temporary home of my friend, I realize, how peacefully people can live, while going to and from work not only by cars, trams and metro but by bikes too.
This simple transport, which can be grabbed at any point in the town, a few coins of euro either in front of a bank or at the tram station, makes not only your transfer from one place to other easy and practical but makes you healthy too.
In a healthy body is a healthy mind!
Sport seems to be part of the everyday life here.
Getting closer and closer home I feel happy, fresh, joyful and relaxed.
I think of you who are reading my lines now and I truly hope that through your virtual journey, you can feel and see what I did. As you were there with me every second of it and thanks to you, I enjoyed it much more.
Hope you loved it too!
to be continued…
With love,
let the sun always shine in our heart!!
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