Meeting Dylan in Lyon for the new adventure
Trip Start
Jul 01, 2006
1
50
116
Trip End
Ongoing
Lyon,
France
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Dylan was still 'lost' When I was slowly preparing to leave Lausanne. I sent a note to Frank saying to take relais as I wont be on the net to reassure or eventually be contacted and I kept preparing slowly as the day advance faster than I saw.
The temperature was again so sunny over the Leman Lake that it was going to be another great hot autumn day in the Alps. As said day was advancing and before I was ready to open the door and leave Pascal's flat, Dylan rang me that he was arrived in Lyon... mmm and I was still in Lausanne I said, try to access the net and I'm leaving now.
Then I had a reason to hurry up
Dylan in Lyon
. Did so, left a note to Pascal as my stay there was so great and relaxing. I had another view on Lausanne and some moment I could feel home and be lay-back: wonderful.Hop I was out in town walking in direction of the highway onedring how long it would take to reach itand to get a lift. After some 30 minutes walk in the sun, I was at the entrance of the highway direction Geneva. I waited and waited until a taxi driver stopped, finally not so long after I have started. It was a woman who just finished a ride in the area and was driving back to Geneva, her base and she could offer to take me for a part of the way.
She did so especially as she also had a son sometimes travelling and about my ages and felt gfreat with the idea of helping... she also talked a lot which was wuite funny and probably typical for a taxi driver :)
Finally, I got out at the only service station area between Lausanne and Geneva to raise my chance of not being stuck. It paid well. I asked someone on a french car and first he was reluctant saying that he wasn't heading to France now. He finally came back to me afterwhil to say that according to the hour of this late afternoon he might as well drive back home and he could take me over to France
Dylan on the Roman Amphitheater
.He left me in Annemasse; where the highway begin and I simply needed to wait for the right ride. It happened on Renault5 guy who was driving all the way back to Lyon and taking me over as long as I didnt care the slow ride of his old care... of course not!
The landscape of the French part of the Alps went on, riding on the viaduc highway attached on the slopes of the mountains like a bridge. I was finally left at a metro station where I learned that the public station were on strike (pretty common in France) and that there was less employee; anyhow, while I was looking at the map to know where to go, an employee came to me to provide information and even made me pass for free at the metro gate... all so fast and sudden that I was surprised and didn't understand at the moment but only later.
I went directly downtown to look for my big fluffy Australian friend (hc: lasersurge) and walked up the hill to the youth hostel in case he would have passed there, eh no... As I got a email from Lucie (hc: lucied) that she was leaving around 19h, I hurried to get to her place and at least left my bag.
Dylan on the Roman Amphitheater Poying
I arrived at her place which is a real student commune alike; pretty funny and I learned that Dylan was arriving as well. So I jumped at the door when it bell and hurried to meet him. We relaxed shortly and went out to walk in town by nightfall and eventually meet some people that Dylan knew and met on his trip in Iceland.
We had a great evening with the 2 french men and 2 french girls and walked around in town, up to Fourvières to have a view over Lyon by night and also for a drink. Having plenty of fun and having Dylan playing his flute all night everywhere.
We got really threated with some local speciality (chocolate and sweet stuff), they were really great and it was hell of a pleasant and great night. It was warm and clear and we stayed out until nearly midnight before we head back to Lucie. Having our special moment when we walked in front of a party house and someone came after us saying eh eh! Where the hell are you going, you run away? euuumm!
We prepared to sleep in bed and shortly one of Lucie flat mate girl came in the room so we chat a little with her with some translation needed.. and hop a sleep in a big bed!
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October 13
We woke up slowly by mid-morning and agreed to leave our bags at Lucie while we could go enjoy some adventure in the city before leaving to the middle of France in Auvergne
Footsteps of Cathedrale St-Jean
.Our walk went just as it come and started well, having a blind man 'showing us' the way in town from the bridge and eventually the spot to HH out of Lyon... Which was astonishing and a nice conversation. We enjoyed our great yellow bread bought at the turkish open air market and helped someone repairing his bicycle. We were useful!
It was a great smily time, the weather was grey but still warm. Everyone was positive around and ready to help and on good mood as it seemed. It was an amazing time and I still loved Lyon...
Still loved that wonderful city cause I also have another reason to; 7 years ago in September 1999 I met the loved of my life in that red tiled roof city. I spent the wonderful following years until the end of 2004 with her and she took my heart away. I had a strong connection and heavy memories with the city.
We walked everywhere we had been in 1999; the main Square at the Statue of Louis XIV; up to the Cathedrale St-Jean and then even more up to sit at the Youth Hostel and enjoy the view on the city from there. Talking with Dylan and on my case telling all the stories and having some more memories coming back in mind
Footsteps of Louis XIV Square
.Then the last place we went, that was strongly connected and that I wanted Dylan to see as well, was the Roman Theater... we sat there and test them. Dylan played some Poi and we encountered another Australian Couple passing by.
On the way back we took the Funiculaire down and talked with an aged Dutch Couple, who were amazed to meet a Canadian and an Australian speaking Dutch in Lyon and they gave us some strong wishes for our future... Dylan was so long in Europe by the way that his shoes went off... That was a good one!
We hurried back to Lucie to get our things and then tried to find a hitch-hiking spot out of town. The first one was bad so we walked somewhere else but the day was advancing and dusk as well.
At this street light I started asking directly the people on the cars and after many negative answers and some pretty weird dumb ones, Christian took us over all the way direction Auvergne... The following was a great moment to be!!
