A Lovely Lyon Town

From Paris, I rode a four-hour train to lively city of Lyon. After checking in to my hostel that evening, I strolled through Old Lyon before deciding to try French Onion Soup for the first time in a small, yet crowded bistro. Usually, I only eat soup when I’m sick, but who could resist that delicious soup with a cheesy crouton crust? Even though I was stuffed, I also ordered tarte tatin for dessert because everyone deserves to live a little on vacation. The next morning I took a funicular to the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere. The church was as beautiful as the Notre Dame Cathedral, but in a more traditional and less gothic sense of the word. I also stopped by the Roman Theatres on my way back.  

Afterwards, I took the metro to the Musee des Beaux Arts, where I got a taste of Egyptian and Greek works from BC times along with more modern pieces by Matisse, Picasso, and Monet. Next, I rode a bus to the Parc de la Tete d’Or, whose giant lake with paddleboats reminded me a lot of Central Park. There was also a botanical garden and zoo, where I saw a lion, zebras, and more! Even though it was slightly chilly outside, there were still all these happy people at the park, either walking their dogs, jogging, or exploring the zoo too. Strangely, seeing them gave me an overwhelming sense of happiness and made me glad to be there. Later that night, I had dessert for dinner in a different, yet equally packed restaurant and their creme brûlée really hit the spot.

Sometimes, I forget that culture is just as much as the sights you see to the food you eat to the people you meet and so far this trip has aced all fronts. At the hostel, for instance, I made two new friends, Eileen from Hawaii and June from Taiwan. It’s nice to connect with people from all over the world, even if it is only for a brief period of time. It makes you realize that everyone can find similarities, like a shared love of travel, which makes me feel reinvigorated for all the amazing journeys ahead.