Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Day trip

Today, Camille, Laura, Jacqueline and I decided to go to Lyon for the day.  I had to say goodbye to Mom, which was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  It's going to be so weird not to see Mom and Dad, or even call them, for so long.  It's an adjustment that I don't think I'll enjoy.
Anyway, the four of us, along with Mrs. Bearden, went to Lyon for the day.  We missed a train, got another, checked Mrs. Bearden into a hotel, and then began exploring the town.  We got to see two rivers, and took many a tourist picture.  After that, we headed to the centre-ville, where we found...STARBUCKS. That was the most reassuring thing I have even seen.  After we walked for a while, we found a place for lunch.  They served gallettes, which are like thick crepes.  Here, crepes are eaten primarily for dessert and snacks.  I'm not sure if I like gallettes very much, although it may have been in part due to the emotions of saying goodbye, the incredible amount of smoke, and the fact that I was having my first glass of wine.  Jacqueline, Laura, and I shared a small bottle of a Rose wine, and I only drank half a glass.  It was only lunch time, and I didn't want to be too ambitious.  Also, I hadn't eaten much before then, so I thought it would be safer to limit my intake.
After lunch, we explored the town a bit, and tried to find the basilica.  I don't know if you've heard of the Basilica on Lyon, but it is BEAUTIFUL.  It's not terribly old, maybe 17th century.  Yeah, that's not old here.  We found a beautiful cathedral, and then found a way to get to the Basilica.  That was the longest hike of my life.  It probably took a good hour to walk there, and it did more work for me then all of my running last year.  When we finally got up there, sweaty, thirsty, and tired, we saw the view. 

It was totally worth it.  And then, we got to see the Basilica.  Sometime soon, I will post pictures of our trip.  That was one of the most incredible places I have ever seen.  Architecturally, it was breathtaking, and the stained glass was even more beautiful.  A Basilica is kind of like a church devoted to Mary.  One cool thing, though, is that at the front of the building, above the statue of Mary, it says "In the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit".  ABOVE, mind you.  I thought it was cool. 
Once we had our fill of gorgeous architecture, we headed back to the centre-ville.  I got Frappe Cara from Starbucks (caramel frappachino) for far more than it should cost.  I thought prices in the States were bad at Starbucks, but they're nothing compared to Europe!  A tall frappachino cost 4,60€.  That equates to about $5.90.  Starbucks will not be a habit here.  The delicious taste, though, was very comforting. 
After a little more wandering, we hopped on the Metro, got on the wrong train, got back on the right one, and then caught the train back to Saint Etienne. It was sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Bearden too.  There's just something about having a mom around, whether yours or not, that makes everything feel better.  Luckily, I have already met three wonderful women from my church here who are taking care of me.  I'm excited to go to church there with Camille tomorrow.
When we got back into town, we got on the tram and went to the French equivalent of Wal Mart to buy some salad, bread, and wine.  We got back to the dorm and made some pasta and had dinner.  And now, Camille and I are in her room enjoying the luxuries of the internet, all for the low price of 6€ per month.  It's worth it though. Oh! We're able to Skype, but I'm not sure if it's technically allowed.  We'll find out!  I think we're going to watch some Friends, and then head to bed. Bon soir!

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