Robyn arrives in Lyon

When Robyn flew out, I watched her little plane move across the computer screen. I had a flight tracker watching Robyn's flight from Denver to Toronto.  There she had a 5 hour layover before heading to Paris.  That's what you get when trying to use frequent flyer miles to get to Europe in the high season.

Once in Pairs, she needed to take a train to Lyon.  That meant another 2 hour wait and then a two hour train ride.  I was content to see that she was heading in the right direction.

I went to the farmers market the morning she arrived to pick out some flowers.  Got three bunches, two for the apartment and one to give her when she got off the train.

Robyn arrived with no problems.  She got some sleep on the plane, so she was ready to go see Lyon.  The best remedy for jet-lag is sun and exercise.  Luckily that day was sunny.  I took her all around the city.  Took the metro up to the scenic overlook at Fourviere and then we walked through the Roman ruins.  From there we strolled hand-in-hand down through the park below Fourviere and into the old town with very narrow cobble-stoned streets and saw the old churches St Jean and St George.  We kept on walking across the Saone and down to the confluence of the two rivers (the Saone and the Rhone) where we ate a late lunch. We ordered a couple of milkshakes and a single meal to split between us, just like we do in Boulder.  I felt whole again.

On Monday we got up late and went out to lunch and walked through the park and the botanical gardens.  It was a short day because we had tickets to the opera that night.  Capriccio by Strauss is a long two and half hour opera with no intermission.  I did not know about the lack of intermission when I bought the tickets.  They only tell you after they have the money.

It was very interesting.  The opera contains an opera within it.  It is a contest between the words and the music.  A young woman is courted by two suitors, one a musician, the other a writer.  In the end she must pick one, but knows that the blending of both is required to create music.  Our seats where in the first balcony, but almost directly across from the performers because the stage within the stage was raised.  Overall we enjoyed the music and singing, but the singing was in German and the subtitles provided were in French, meaning I could only follow the emotions of the performers to understand the meanings.  Still, I was able to understand where the jokes were and laugh at the appropriate times.  Strange how they can convey that information without language, only movements and tone.

The next day I needed to work on my paper.  Robyn helped out by editing my writing to make it proper English.  She also went to the store to find some supplies for our impending trip.  I felt bad that I was cooped up all day writing, but it was due by midnight.  I made a pasta dinner while she finished the editing.  I did submit it, but I wish I could have had a few more days to rewrite sections.

On Wednesday we toured the rest of Lyon, visiting the shopping areas with the butchers, the bakers, and the cheese makers. Don't know where the candlestick makers were.

Then we repacked for an early departure for the airport.  Our flight was at 8:20 the next morning.  I originally scheduled a 10 am flight, but the departure time kept getting earlier.  We were finally going on a vacation where I would not take my computer and work..  I wonder if I will get withdrawal symptoms?