We were up this morning about 7:30 am to another very gray day. I know that living first in Southern California and then in Arizona, gray days are really fairly unusual; thankfully! We are really spoiled in that way, that’s for sure! Several years ago, we did a winter “museum trip” hitting museums throughout Europe – London, Oxford, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Bolzano, Innsbruck and Paris – and heard from people in Berlin that they hadn’t seen the sun in four (4) WEEKS! I’m beginning to feel that way in Lyon, and we’ve only been here five days! I should also mention that when we wake up – 7-7:30-ish, it’s still dark out – and by 4:15-4:30 in the afternoons, the sun is going down. So … our plan for today was to get up to the site of Lugdunum – where Lyon was founded by the Romans somewhere around 43 BC as the capital of Gaul. There are wonderful ruins of both an odeon and a theatre – theatre being larger, and hosting fun things like gladiator combat, etc. for over 10,000 people, and the odeon being the smaller site, still with amphitheatre seating, but only for about 3,000 people – more for poetry and recital spaces. There is also a fascinating museum there, built directly into the hillside across five different levels.
Reaching the site requires a funiculaire ride away from Fourviere Cathedral, and up yet another hillside. In fact, once you actually arrive at the ruins, which are quite spectacular, you are starting to climb – up – and up – and up… There were very few people at the site, but it appears to us that they are taking excellent care of the ruins and the grounds, as there were workmen in several places. One of the most interesting things about the museum is that - being built into the hillside - there are several areas of huge picture windows looking out at the site from inside the museum! The official Musee entrance is at the very top of the slope, and from there you are walking a large circular walkway down to the exit with the exhibits built out along the way. Very interesting layout and museum plan.
The museum begins actually at the Neolithic and works its way through the Bronze Age and then into the Iron Age, when we begin to pick up Roman works. As the capital of Gaul, Lugdunum became a very famous place, as it is where the Rhone and the Saone rivers meet, and provides an excellent river pathway from the interior of France through to the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, from very early times, grapes were very important in the making of wine – so add the French grapes to the ready supply of Italian grapes, and voila! You have extraordinary wine – and, more important to the Romans it seems, plenty of it!
The museum has basically been filled from Lyon-area archaeological ruins. These include, of course, those pieces excavated from the earth, but also, pieces recovered from both the Saone and Rhone Rivers, as well as emergency archaeology finds – that is, when an area is being prepared as a building site, and pieces are discovered, the emergency archaeologists are given a specific period of time in which to excavate and get everything they can out of the site before it is then turned back over to the builders. I’m not sure that being quick is the best way to deal with archeological ruins, but if it’s that or pavement over the top, then an emergency seems the only way to go. (As an example, there is an entire grouping of artifacts from an underground parking lot that was being built). There were not a lot of people in the museum, but you could hear the school kids coming from a mile away! Great echoes along the walkway heading down!
The museum also contained a really great collection of mosaics! Some were absolutely exquisite! I was thinking about the fact that when we got new floors in our bathroom at home, we were so happy to show them off! Can you imagine how a homeowner would feel if the contractor FINALLY finished up a very complicated mosaic – what you would have to show all your friends? Interesting! I’ve been thinking that I may actually send two blogs, one with nothing but photos and captions and the second with text…something to think about, as many times photos do tell such interesting stories!
From the bottom of the museum, we took the funiculaire back up to the very top of the hill, and the area of St. Just. There, we were able to get a #90 bus which took us back down the hill and to the Saone River. We were definitely in need of a few groceries, and the very first place we found – a lovely Franprix a couple of blocks across the river from our apartment was where we wanted to go. So … the #90 bus down the hillside, and transfer to a #31 which took us into town. Off at one stop and in just a few minutes, there we were! (May I say again how much I appreciate and wonder at R’s ability to read maps and put plans together?! He is truly extraordinary at it!).
They have some wonderful buildings here! Two buildings next to each other!
Entered into the grocery store, and found it interesting! Apparently, at the front of the grocery store, there are independent contractors working inside the market. Both the butcher and the fishmonger areas were closed – papers spread out over their displays – but our lovely cheese monger was there!! Yipee!! And, she remembered us! I had brought with me the cheese portion of our bill from our first visit, and she was able to give us more of the same cheeses – a hard cheese that looked like Comté but wasn’t, and a fabulous Roquefort. This time, however, we added a large serving of Chevelle des Canuts – the wonderful cheese that Robert had had yesterday as his finishing course! It was FABULOUS! (R has determined that he is definitely going to make that cheese when we get home!).
And, just for us to “try” she brought out her oldest Comté – aged 30 months – Oh boy! Yet another fabulous cheese! R and I both love cheeses aged so long that they have crystals in them. Every winter we order some very aged cheddar cheese from Vermont, just for that very reason! At any rate, let me only say that this is the first time we have ever spent 42€ on cheese! Second mortgage, anyone?!
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| Today's indoor picnic lunch! |
Back home with all our goodies, and long past time for lunch. We had thought of going out to dinner tonight, but after a very late (and large) lunch of bread and cheese and wine – well really, what more does anyone need?!
We’ll have to have a meal out tomorrow! We are planning on going to the Musee des Beaux Arts which isn’t too far from our place and has a truly stunning collection of ancient artifacts as well as a great collection of paintings! So – more culture tomorrow?!
Much love,
m
xxx
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