Bonjour, Merci, Je'taime.

So today I returned from my first weekend trip away from Barcelona, and it was both enjoyable and successful! 

Day 1:

Left the apartment with Linda and her friend Renana who is studying in Barcelona with another program. Metro-Airport Bus-Plane-Airport Bus...and at the station where we land, we go down some stairs and Voila our Hotel is right in front of our eyes! Hotel Berlioz (highly recommended) was absolutely the cutest room I've ever experienced. 

Then, within about 30 minutes of exploring Lyon, we spy a guy about our age with a Canadian flag on his backpack and we almost squeal with excitement because very few people in Lyon speak any Englih or Spanish so meeting an English-speaker was awesome. BUT 1) We find out this guy has been studying in Lyon this semester and 2) He shares a mutual friend with Linda and 3) He speaks French and wants to explore the tourist Lyon today. So, we basically get a free translator/ travel guide for our first day. We visit Roman Ruins, Vieux Lyon which is a view of the entire city, a Cathedral (where I get to explain Catholicism to my two wonderful Jewish friends), a mini Eiffel Tower, grab a chocolate croissant, venture around the old city, explore tunnels, go on a Ferris Wheel ride in the largest square in Europe and enjoy a wonderful 3 course meal for 12 euros. Day 1 in Lyon= highly successful.

Day 2:

- Sleep in a tad from all the walking up large hills the day before. Grab a croissant sandwich on the street for breakfast. Eat among pigeons, wander around the city (along the beautiful rivers of Rhone and Sione (sp?) and explore two museums. The Museum of Deportation and Transportation which was very educational and depressing about the French involvement in WWII and the Holocaust. Also, experienced Museum of Textiles and Decorative Arts which was amazing to see how rooms were decorated with so few tools and so detailed. More wandering around, grab a baguette, see Opera house, wander around some more, look at shoes, go back to Hotel and nap a bit, wake up, have French crepes (eeee!), find a grocery store and buy wine, cheese, bread, tomatoes, and a bottle opener for a French feast and heart to heart back in our hotel room for a fraction of the cost!

Day 3: 

- No sleeping in, get up, grab our last French croissant :-( buy a postcard because I'm buying one in every city I go to starting now, hop on the airport bus back to the airport and fly home.

Lyon, France did not disappoint with spectacular views rivers, bridges, bread, cheese, cathedrals, and overall friendly hospitality! I highly recommend visiting at least once in your life...although probably more enjoyable in warmer weather, among most places.