Where the Rhône meets the Saône

When I imagine Italy, I picture houses nestled in the hills bathed by the sun. Perhaps my ideas are a little too strongly influenced by Hollywood. At the moment, I'm in Lyon and there are times when it reminds of these visions of Italy. The heart of Lyon is surrounded by hills from which you can see the red roofs and churches below. In climbing these hills, you find the brightly colored houses and terraced gardens that I imagined in the villas along the Mediterranean. At the same time, Lyon has areas that remind me strongly of Paris. In the main shopping area, you have the same white buildings with the shutters and iron balconies. I will add pictures in a day or so to better depict the city.

As with many areas in France, Lyon has a number of regional specialties. There are two types of chocolate that it is known for. The coussins look like little teal pillows. They are made from a type of almond paste which surrounds a layer of chocolate ganache. The quenelle consists of a cylinder shaped praline of hazelnut, almonds, and sugar, which is then wrapped in a thin layer of white chocolate. As with any area in France, you can find patisseries with fresh brioche or croissants; however the ones in Lyon specialize in pastries with pralines, almonds cooked in a pink sugar. Imagine a normal brioche, but with bits of pink and you have the general idea.

I've visited most of the popular attractions in the city. On the hill overlooking the city, you can find both the ruins of a Roman ampitheater and a 19th century church called Notre Dame de Fourviere. Down below, you can find Saint Jean, which is a Gothic church. My friends and I also visited the Abbey of St. Martin where we made the mistake of taking a guided tour in which the guide, a young man with a soul patch, explained every detail of the church, from the peacocks on the columns behind the altar to the history of the stamps depicting the life of St. John the Baptist on the arches outside the church.

I will add the pictures of Lyon in a couple of days and then you will truly be able to see the places and more importantly, the food, the I have been attempting to describe. Until then, this will have to do.