In which I am left to my own devices (with a quick update about why I can't go back to the US just yet). What would you do with 2-3 weeks all on your own?
We spent this past weekend visiting with some friends in Lausanne, Switzerland. We (finally) got our A/C (mostly) fixed, but the heat wave continues unabated. We sure were glad to…
Kristian and I went shopping the other day and the guy helping us out said, "Hey, your French is decent, are you Belgian?" First of all, this is empirically hilarious.…
We had our first French dentist appointments last week. It was incredibly efficient. I think all three of us were in and out in less than an hour. They took…
I won't bury the lede... the heatwave broke last night! I was suffering at home when, all of a sudden, I could hear the wind pick up outside. Kristian was…
Fun fact! The "Écologist" mayor of Lyon, Grégory Doucet, won reelection yesterday. He won by about 3,000 votes. That's pretty darn close, but seeing as how everyone said he was…
Yesterday was mayoral elections here in France. The mayor of Lyon, Grégory Doucet, was up for re-election (he was elected to his first term in 2020). His main opponent, Jean-Michel…
On Saturday, we enjoyed a picnic at the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon. We traveled via the Vélo'v eBike service. We enjoyed our food, even if we had to fight off a couple of geese. We visited the free zoo featuring giraffes, as well as the botanical garden, which inspired future explorations.
Last weekend, we hiked Mont Thou, starting with a 15-20 minute bus ride to Saint-Fortunat. Despite encountering steep sections, the trail was enjoyable, with friendly passersby. We discovered ancient stone huts called "Cabornes" and relaxed in meadows.
French farmers are protesting the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, which eliminates tariffs and imposes import quotas. While farmers oppose it, wine producers have mixed feelings, and environmentalists strongly object. The deal was paused by the EU parliament. In contrast, a far-right march in Lyon saw minimal public support and response from authorities.
Making ourselves comfortable on the train I spent last week at a tradeshow in Barcelona, (hopefully) drumming up some business for my freelancing venture. Yesterday, Kristian and Lilian took the…
Fun fact: the french word for "to protest" is "manifester." As in,"je vais manifester cette glace" (I am going to protest this ice). My first whiff of tear gas It…
For the first time in my adult life, I don't have a full-time job. Perks of unemployment: lunches out with my favorite daughter We always knew that our move to…