Time for a little culture. Sometimes this thought enters my mind which is kind of funny since that's what I've been doing for the past two years. Of course Fête des lumières was a spectacle and had roots in the city but I wanted to visit the cultural Museum; I had heard there was a very nice rock.
Louise, who you may remember joined me for a week in Croatia, had also come to Lyon for the festival. It was to be her debut couchsurfing experience, hosted by a lovely guy called Yacine.
Louise was already in the museum and we found each other in the modern dance exhibit. I was very impressed with the documentaries on contemporary movement but even more pleased to see Louise.
I was walking through the science and engineering section and there it was, no bigger than your thumbnail but there was the rock! It's a hunk of Moon brought back on the shuttle as one of the samples and made it’s way to Lyon; it’s a funny thought to touch something that was 384,400 km away.
Before hitting the town for our fix of illuminations, Yacine had invited us to his home for raclette. If you're ever invited to a French or Swiss person's house for raclette you mustn't refuse. Raclette is essentially melting cheese on things. You take a piece of cheese and put it in a pizza-slice shaped receptacle which rests under a spherical heating element. Everyone waits in anticipation and peaks into see the beauty of the red glow as it begins to melt and bring life to the cheese as it bubbles and pulsates. Just a few minutes and your rich creamy treat is ready to be poured onto fluffy potatoes or any other vessel of choice. Yacine is a kind man.
Ella and I melted a bar of chocolate into milk for a warm and tasty beverage before going into the city.
In the centre on the cathedral of Notre Dame was a spectacular animation; geometric shapes and vibrant colours distorted it’s face and at one point gave the illusion of the brickwork evaporating from the cathedral. I have the upmost respect for what the designers created - captivating an entire city and attracting visitors from around the world to see their five minute production and share in their art.