Today Betty and I do some souvenir shopping in Vieux Lyon... after visiting our favorite breakfast place in Saint Georges, of course. We circle around Saint Jean at least twice, while Betty chooses the perfect gifts for her friends at home. The heat outside is intense today, and my shoes are shot, so we decide to see Vaise by boat instead of by foot... then replace my shoes. Total randonnée today: approx 6 km.
After satisfying Betty's shopping needs, we head down Quai Romain Rolland past the very thought-provoking statue "The Weight of Oneself" at the Palais de Justice, which is part of the same Rives de Saone art project as the Tadashi Kawamata project I mentioned seeing earlier. We then cross the Passerelle du Palais de Justice bridge to Presqu'ile. Looking back towards Vieux Lyon, the Basilique de Fourvière and the mini-Eiffel Tower are shown to their advantage.
On the other side of the Passerelle du Palais de Justice, we buy our ticket for the Lyon City Boat tour, then try to buy a single-scoop icecream cone at the Buvette Saint Antoine. Since we have half an hour to spare, I also ask for a beer, which is advertised on the sandwich board. The icecream guy tells us if we want a beer we have to sit down, so we do. When the waiter finally arrives, he tells us we can't get an icecream cone if we sit, we have to buy a cup. Betty reluctantly agrees, and asks for a single scoop of vanilla. The waiter says we have to order two scoops if we are sitting. Betty reluctantly agrees. The waiter heads off, but soon returns, saying that due to the heat, the vanilla is melted and therefore not servable. We say goodbye and head to the City Boat dock. We are second in line behind a family with two young girls.
We watch kayakers and swans on the Saone while waiting for the boat to arrive. The lineup behind us swells all the way up to the road, and despite the heat, we are glad we arrived so early. At least this way, we will get a good seat on the top of the boat. When the boat approaches, one of the girls starts yelling excitedly: "le bateau! le bateau!" and the boat staff have to hold her back while the previous group disembarks.
The boat takes us up past Saint-Vincent at the base of Croix Rousse, and into unknown territory towards Ile de la Barbe. I include this part because it seems like a really great hike along the Saone. There are well-established walking esplanades the entire way. From Saint Vincent it is about 4km to Ile de la Barbe, which is accessible by footbridge from either shore of the Saone, and I wish we had the time to do the 8km round trip. Maybe next time we are in Lyon.
Some highlights include the statue of "The Good German" and its associated ruins, Ecole Nationale Superiore des Beaux-Arts, the National Conservatory of Music and Danse, the Grenier d'Abondance, watching fishermen beside the confluence of the oldest and newest bridges of Lyon (the red Masaryk bridge and the white Schuman bridge), the Aviron (Rowing) Club de Lyon Caluire where French Olympic athletes train, the wall of African masks, and the many ruins on Ile de Barbe itself.
After the boat trip, we walk around Presqu'ile, trying to replace my worn out Mary-Janes. As it is sales season, I luck out in finding a very affordable cute pair. Our route takes us past Place Jacobins, where I am tempted to jump in the fountain, to Rue de la Republique, where we pass the fountains of Place de la Republique, where people are already dipping their feet.
We stop for a cold beer at Le Café Francais, right next to Place Antonin Poncet and Ed's Eats, where I went to lunch with Colin's family a couple of weeks ago. On the way back to our gites, we again pass Place Jacobins, where people have now given up all hint of propriety and have invaded the fountains full force.
Arriving back at the gite, we pick up Colin for dinner and walk to the Restaurant de Setha on Place du Change. Being from Vancouver, it is so exciting to eat Asian food again. I order my fave shrimp dumplings and we eat family style. Colin orders a dessert, and is more than a bit surprised when it arrives on fire! It's some kind of banana rum situation, and is extremely delicious.
On the way back to drop Betty off at her gite, we encounter a lonely little dog tied up outside the Cabaretier on Rue de la Fronde, who is very happy to play. We linger far too long, indulging Colin... um... I mean the dog. ;) After dropping Betty off at her gite, Colin and I stop by Chope de Lug, to get some more great microbrew beer recommendations from the owner, and sample a few IPAs before we turn in for the night.
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