another busy Sunday

We were invited to have lunch at the home of one of Paul’s colleagues on Sunday so we went to early Mass. As we walked through the center of the city, the temperature sign said it was minus one degree. We really didn’t need the sign to tell us how cold it was, especially walking across the Rhone with the wind blowing. After church we did the routine… get a croqant (those red things)… walk past the arts and crafts market to buy some decorative gourds for the Thanksgiving table! Then it was the walk back home and I took a photo of one of the many murals here in Lyon. At first glace, it looks like a regular building, but actually, it’s just a painting. There were “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive” signs EVERYWHERE, both fancy ones and simple ones made by hand.

After the Sunday morning routine, we hopped into the car to head toward the countryside to the south of the city. We drove thorough winding narrow roads to arrive at the hilltop home of Pierre and his family. (So many Pierres here… not to be confused with our other French friend… also named Pierre). We had a wonderful (very long) lunch with roasted duck, the requisite cheese tray, and all the many other great things! It was served with a good Beaujolais (not Nouveau) wine – Pierre says that the Nouveau is just a marketing gimmick for students and amateur wine drinkers, not for the serious wine lover!

After the food and lots of French (aaaaargh!), we went for a walk. I thought we would just take a short trip around his house but instead, it seems that we went on a serious mountain-climbing expedition. At the top of the mountain, Pierre showed us a rock and said that this particular rock is where Merlin the Magician cast a spell. At that point, I was just thankful that we would be soon heading downhill.

The views in the mountains were breathtaking as we overlooked the valleys below. Once in the valley, it was just as beautiful… the colors were all so vivid as we gazed at the green crops and lots of dairy cows, donkeys, and even a few bulls. I can’t believe that I didn’t bring a camera!