lyon included in this trip as a stopover to paris
main attraction being summer nights - a music festival
a 3 stage journey ex montreux - fast train, bus, regional train
all the fast trains to lyon booked out due to a public holiday there
so quite late by the time we get to lyon and then take on the local metro
after depositing all but basics in a 24 hour locker - good move
get out at gare de vaisse and a local bus along the soane river
oops - overshoot - so a bit of a hike back to the hotel
check in and unload more gear in our very nice room
get directions back to the city and back on the bus
10 minutes later we are riverside in a busy cafe
beautiful sunny day and locals enjoying their day off
the cafe seems under-staffed so a long wait for our late lunch
but no worries - we are looking directly up hill to the cathedral
and agreeing - lyon seems tres cool - so far - not much time left though
so we're off - a wandering we shall go heading to tourist information
an office in the main square of lyon - that a red dust/gravel centre
contrasting with the greenery of the hills, blue sky and white/grey buildings
we defy experience again and board the top deck of the ho-ho bus
take an hour long journey around the city and nearby hills
and with the english audio guide quickly learn a lot
there's a suburb called confluence - where 2 rivers meet
the soane and the rhone both run through lyon and converge
it so happens said music festival is based there so next stop
we walk/tram to that part of the city, gather info and wander again
the suburb previously in neglect and home to warehouses, etc
but now urban developers have taken hold and it is being resurrected
some incredible architecture - large buildings of bold colours and designs
the music festival in full swing so electronica music booming
sun out, groups of people walking, picnicing, drinking, etc
a real party atmosphere on a huge scale as we walk about
we arrive at the point of confluence for the 2 rivers
understated in itself except for a new construction
musee de confluence - part ufo, part ship, part insect
a massive structure of very random shapes and materials
some architect has free licence to create a bizarre building
it sure is a statement and says a lot about lyon itself
respecting it's past history but wanting to create a modern legacy
time will tell of course but mental note to return to confluence one day
for today though we enter another very impressive looking building
a huge girder and glass roof stradling 3 levels of shops, etc
the top floor a range of restaurants under the open roof
there's a very good jazz trio pumping out a great sound
dinner taken out on the deck of a seafood restaurant
the best escargots ever tasted i am advised
then a packed tram back to the city proper
the place is jumping - people everywhere
we enjoy the atmosphere for an hour or so
then re-enter the metro system and head home
sitting at the front of a driverless metro train
quite surreal as we go through darkened tunnels and stations
emerge on the other side of the soane and walk along it to home
oh yes - lyon - what a great discovery - back we will come
more days/weeks definitely required here...
