Riga from above: St. Peter's Church

There aren’t many places in Rīga where you can get this view.

It was on my very first trip to Latvia ( the spring of 1995) that my grandmother, mother and I visited St. Peter’s Church in Vecrīga. Twenty years later I returned to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, two little boys in tow.

The vistas from that first trip were burned into my memory, the aerial perspective of the art nouveau historical buildings, the churches and red roofs of Vecrīga seeming so familiar, even though I couldn’t name more than a handful.

But there they were. The Rīga Market. The Rīga Cathedral (which just saw the restored rooster returned to the steeple on Tuesday). Egle. Kaķu nams. The radio tower. Pulvertornis. The Brīvības piemineklis.

In high school I painted a cityscape based on some of the photographs I took. And there it was, the church on 10 Mārstaļu St. which is far from one of Rīga’s best known, but was instantly recognizable, as it featured so prominently on my canvas along with the Rīgas central market. I wonder what my art teacher thought of the old architecture mixed in with the futuristic (in fact zeppelin hangar-like!) pavilions… Did my painting also have a river, a Daugava, running through its frame?

On our previous visit to Latvia we walked all the way to St. Peter’s massive wooden doors, only to find the tower was closed for the day. This time around it was open, only a short wait for the elevator standing between us and the view from 236 feet. We paid a small sum for the pleasure, the boys all smiles in anticipation, and then we emerged, to blue skies and fantastic sights.

The first mention of St. Peter's Church is in records dating to 1209, remaining undamaged in the large fire that year due to its stone construction. It was during the 13^th century that the middle section of the church was built, the only remnants of which are located in the outer nave walls and inside a few nave pillars. A second period of construction began in the 1400s, interrupted by first the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and then the plague. By 1500 it encompassed a basilica with three aisles and ornate vaulted ceilings, a bell tower and an octagonal steeple. The tower collapsed on March 11, 1666, burying not only a neighboring building but also eight people in its debris.

While up until this point the church had been constructed in Gothic and Romanesque building styles, the third period of construction was more along the lines of early Baroque. Between 1671 and 1692 a new tower, a western façade and three identical portals were built, the roof, vaulted ceilings and furnishings renovated partly due to another fire which destroyed the tower, roof, ceilings, windows and interior in 1677. At the time of its construction the new 212 foot copper-roofed steeple was the tallest of its kind in Europe at the time.

The brick facade of the west wall was covered with limestone from Salaspils and Koknese sometime in the 17^th century. The church was decorated with volutes, pilasters, cornices, vases and borders made of Gotland stone, and a new tower clock with a glockenspiel from Amsterdam was installed in 1694.

Lightning struck and set fire to the tower and church May 10, 1721, but it was rebuilt. Then rebuilt again, after it burned down during World War II, destroyed by artillery fire on June 29, 1941. A reproduction of the previous rooster and #7 total was placed atop the steeple in 1970 and the renovated clock tower becoming operational five years later. The St. Peter's Latvian Lutheran congregation resumed services in the church in 1991 and the property returned to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia on April 4, 2006.

A rendition of what the city of Riga looked like centuries ago

Ticket prices are as follows: 9 euro/adult, 7 euro/university student, 3 euro/elementary student and children under 7 free. The fee covers the interior exhibits and the observation tower, with panoramic views of the medieval and modern capital city of Rīga including the its port, the Gulf and the Daugava River. The interior exhibits feature the history of the church as well as a look at a number of the original elements including the crypt, restored stone and wood epitaphs, and a menorah dating back to 1596. Hours are Tuesday - Saturday from 10am to 6pm & Sundays 12-6pm from September 1^st to April 30^th. Starting May 1^st to August 31^st the hours are prolonged from 10am to 7pm, Sundays 12-7pm. The church is closed on Mondays.

A day in Beaufort and area

We drove the three hours southeast on Friday night, the last two through pouring rain that didn’t seem to bode well for the weekend ahead. Having chosen a hotel central to the various destinations of the weekend, we only had an hour to drive the next morning to reach Hunting Island State Park. On our way there we stopped at a rather interesting art gallery, Red Piano Too. The building, built in 1940, was for years a co-op. One-quarter mile from the National Historic Landmark Penn Center, it was the first store in South Carolina to pay people of color with money rather than barter for goods. Renovated in 1999, the gallery has been at the location for over twenty years selling the art of over 150 artists.

We need not have worried so much about the weather, it could not have been much better. After a beautiful day spent on Hunting Island we retraced that morning’s route west to Beaufort. The second oldest city in South Carolina (the oldest being Charleston), it is famous for its antebellum architecture and military establishments: Parris Island, U.S. Naval Hospital and the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. We started our tour in the downtown historic district “The Point”, of which 304 acres have been designated a National Historic Site. Homes like “The Castle” with a massive live oak in the front yard and accompanying legend (Mr. Johnson buried his valuables under the outhouse upon Yankee advance, and returned home just in time to dig them up and pay his back taxes), and Marshlands (used as a hospital during the Civil War) are hidden on small back streets close to the Beaufort River. We saw the Edgar Fripp House (built in 1856 by the wealthy planter for whom nearby Fripp Island is named) and the Francis Hext House, which is one of the oldest structures in Beaufort, dating back to 1720. With the southern culture, live oaks draped in Spanish moss and palatial mansions, it is no wonder the city has often been featured in movies and books: Forces of Nature, Francis Griswold’s A Sea Island Lady, The Big Chill and The Great Santini, to name a few.*

The Rhett House Inn, Beaufort SC

After seafood tapas and a glass of wine at Emily’s we strolled the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Built in 1980, the park stretches along the Beaufort River and has a nice mix of walkways and greenspace. We tried out the swinging benches overlooking the water while a wedding party was busy taking photographs in the garden behind us, and then watched the sunset from the playground near the bridge while the kids played on the jungle gym in the shape of a Victorian house.

Beaufort has all the charm of the South Carolina lowcountry, and with its friendly and inviting downtown I hope we have the option to return for further exploration. After a day spent on the beach and exploring this old city, with our stomachs full, we knew it was time to head back to the hotel. The next morning it was a short fifteen minute drive to the Old Sheldon Church Ruins, the historic site of a church originally known as Prince William's Parish Church. The Greek Revival style building was constructed between 1745 and 1753 and then burned by the British in 1779 during the Revolutionary War. Rebuilt in 1826, it once more suffered damage in 1865 during the Civil War. Gutted for materials to rebuild homes burned by Sherman’s army, there has been no roof for 150 years.

Inside the ruins of the church lie the remains of Colonel William Bull, who helped General Oglethorpe in establishing the physical layout of Savannah, Georgia. Other scattered gravestones bear dates past and recent, with some that date before 1700. Set amongst majestic live oaks dripping Spanish moss, the ruins were a sight to see in the early morning sun. How lovely it would be to attend the annual Easter service! As we walked the grounds a couple with a baby showed up for a newborn photography session, and the Beaufort County Open Land Trust was setting up for a barbecue picnic later that day. Nevertheless, there was a pervading sense of calm and quiet that remained with me the rest of the day at nearby Auldbrass, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only plantation. Stay tuned...

*Pat Conroy, the author of the Great Santini, spent many years in Beaufort and his works are largely influenced by the southern lowcountry life. I was excited to see he has a new book out (The Death of Santini), and a local bookstore was advertising a book signing this Sunday, November 10th. If you're in the area...

Līgas iesvētības à Toronto

For English please see below!

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Pirms pāris nedēļām laimējās būt klāt māsīcas Līgas iesvētības, Sv. Andreja ev. lut. draudzes baznīcā Toronto. Pieci jaunieši tika iesvētīti, un draudzes mācītāja, prāv. Ilze Kuplēna-Ewart kalpoja ar ērģelnieka Dāvida Šmita pavadijumu. Bija skaists dievkalpojums (kaut drusku uz garo pusi) un man bija žēl nokavēt otro pusi kad Mikus sāka protestēt un bija jāiet lejā draudžu telpās.

 

Kamēr ērģeļu mūzika un draudzes balsis skanēja baznīcā, es ar Miku izstaigājām pārejo ēku. Būvēta 1876. gadā, baznīcā oriģināli lūdza presbetieriešu draudze un tikai 1951. gadā to pārdeva. Šodien divas draudzes to izmanto dievkalpojumiem, Sv. Andreja ev. lut. latviešu draudze, un Sv. Andreja ev. lut. Igauņu draudze.

Photo credit: Zintis P.

 

Īsu brīdi vēlāk piebiedrojamies iesvētītiem turpat ārā, Allan Gardens. Apsveicām jaunos pilntiesīgos baznīcas locekļus ar ziediem un priecājamies par skaisto dienu ko Dievs mums bija devis. Kaut bija drusku vēss, saulītē varēja ātri sasilt, un tā ģimene un draugi arī tūļājās, kaut daudzi bija lūgti uz viesībām Latviešu Centrā.

Photo credit: Zintis P.

 

Diena ātri paskrēja reiz ieradamies Centrā; pēc garšīga mielasta un mīļi piedomātām runām bija iespēja arī izvingrināt dejas mākas. Es priecājos izciemoties ar ilgi neredzētiem (un arī dažiem nupat redzētiem) radiņiem, ieskaitot abas manas māsas un brāļus, un sešas māsīcas un brālēnus. Apbrīnojām un bieži atgriezāmies pie bagāti klātā saldā galda, kur Toronto slavenās bizet tortes pazuda kā nu tikai. Vērojām kā puiši piebiedrojās bērnu pulkam kas skrēja ārā par zāļaino pakalniņu, un svinējām šo jauniešu panākumu varbūt atceroties arī mūsu iesvētes dienas…

Photo credit: Gunārs Lucāns

 

Mūsu laiks Toronto tomēr bija padaudz īss. Kaut iznāca drusku izklaide par High Park iepriekšējā dienā, pēc īsas ciemošanās pirmdienas rītā bijām jau ceļā uz lidlauku lai mērotu jūdzes (nu, pirmais gabaliņš laikam bija kilometros!) mājup. Paldies Līgai, manai krustmātei un B ģimenei par ielūgumu ar jums kopīgi atzīmēt šo svarīgo dienu, un apsveicam Līgu ar kļūšanu par pilntiesīgu baznīcas locekli!
 

Photo credit: Gunārs Lucāns

 

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We were delighted to fly to Toronto a few weeks ago to witness my cousin Līga’s confirmation service. It took place in the St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in downtown Toronto, which is currently home to two congregations: the St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Estonian and the St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Latvian.

Photo source here

 

Built in 1876 and renovated by Henry Langley, the gothic church was the new home to the St. Andrew's Presbyterian congregation which formed in 1830 when Toronto was still known as the Town of York. It was sold by the Presbyterians to the Lutherans in 1951.

 

After a pause in the Allan Gardens just next door to congratulate the girls and heap flowers on them, we headed to the Latvian Canadian Cultural Center. With conference and banquet facilities, a store that sells handmade goods and other products from Latvia, Umurkumurs pub, a library and the offices of several organizations, together with the church the Center is the very heart of the Latvian society in Toronto. Depending on the day of the week you might find a folk dancing rehearsal taking place, or the monthly brunch and barbecue.

Photo credit: Gunārs Lucāns

 

It was late when the festivities ended, and having eaten our share of bizet torte and pīrāgi we headed back to my godfather’s house. I was amazed at how quickly our trip was over; luckily we had the chance to do some sightseeing in High Park the previous day, because after a short brunch with family on Monday it was already time to head to the airport for our flight back to the US.

 

Dijon

Our destination was the Benelux countries, but a convenient halfway point was Dijon. A city I would never have thought of visiting had it not been on our route, it turned out to be destination-worthy. Roberts and I agreed that we could spend a weekend in the capital of Burgundy, with its museums, architecture and dining options.



My favorite place in Dijon - a little cafe just off the the Place de la Libération

However, we didn’t have a weekend, as I had planned the stop to be a rest from the drive north instead of a tourist destination. When I discovered the Michelin guide to the Burgundy/Jura areas had awarded it three stars my mind was quickly changed, and I started looking into which sights to see the morning after our arrival. The historic centre seemed to be a good choice as there were supposedly quite a few old stone mansions and half-timbered houses on the pedestrian-only streets. We headed towards town on rue de la Liberté and our first impression that was only reinforced throughout the morning, was that Dijon was a city under construction! Hoping to modernize the city, boost tourism, decrease traffic and increase efficiency, the city is installing a tram system, and it seemed that all the major boulevards were torn up. Luckily this didn’t extend to Place de la Libération and the old city. The magnificent square proved to be our first taste of a beautiful town center, with the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy on the north side and streets radiating out like spokes from the semi-circular plaza that dates to the 17^th century.

Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy visible behind the plaza with its waterworks

To the northwest is the charming Place François-Rude with an old half-timbered house looking over a statue and fountain (the Bareuzai) that seemed to be our prelude to the Mannekin Pis we would eventually see in Brussels as the grape-stomping wine grower is wearing only verdigris… The streets that morning were filled with vendors, we purchased the obligatory mustard as well as a little bouquet of muguets to celebrate the coming of spring and for the enjoyment of their pleasant aroma in the car.

To the east of the Palace is Place du Théâtre and a little farther the 1529 St-Michel church. A Gothic interior contrasts with the Renaissance façade, and I was impressed by the detailed stonework above the three doorways.

To the north of the Palace are dozens of little streets with centuries-old homes that I could have explored for many hours, but we circled to the Église Notre-Dame, a 13^th century construction that still has its original façade (although it is currently being restored in portions) and the Jacquemart clock brought from Courtrai by Philip the Bold in 1382 after his victory over the Flemish. On one of the buttresses there is a statue of an owl, and legend has it that the bird will grant the wishes of visitors who stroke it with their left hand. Just next to the church is the Hôtel de Vogüé which dates back to the early 17^th century with a gorgeous tiled roof.

Finally, to the south is the Palais de Justice, formerly the Burgundy Parliament. We took a different route back to the hotel in order to pass by Cathédrale St-Bénigne and St-Philibert, two more beautiful churches.

A lovely stone house behind Notre Dame

When I was later reading more about Dijon I discovered that the Order of the Golden Fleece was based in the chapel of the ducal palace in Dijon. In 1404 Philip the Bold had created the Order of the Golden Tree. Philip the Good was married to Isabella of Portugal in Bruges in 1429, and for the first time wore the insignia of the Golden Fleece: a chain with a sheepskin hanging from it. He created the order to strengthen ties of Burgundy to the Church as well as to strengthen the duchy’s position. The Order still carries great prestige and implies a commitment to a disciplined life, and the official insignia must be returned by the heirs upon a knight’s death (so it can not be inherited). Did you know Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France, was inducted into the order in 2011?

Half-timbered houses

Another little tidbit, about the Jacquemart clock I mentioned; the name describes the figure of the man who strikes the bell of the clock with a hammer. The people of Dijon decided in 1610 that he must be lonely and added the woman, and in 1714 a son was born. Jacquelinet’s hammer strikes the little bell for the half-hours. And of course they need a daughter also, so in 1881 Jacquelinette was added; she strikes the quarter-hours.



This one is for you, mom!

We really enjoyed our time in Dijon, and possibly might return for another look at this city rich with history and lore. However this particular Saturday it was off to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg…



Barcelona

Even after a Gaudí day on our first day in Barcelona, there was still so much to do and see. It seemed overwhelming looking at the map, so instead of intensive scheduling we just headed south from our hotel towards Plaça de Catalunya with the thought to see what we could see. A hub that divides old and new Barcelona, four famous boulevards radiate out from the plaza; la Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia, Rambla de Catalunya and Avinguda Portal de l’Angel. We had spent some time on Passeig de Gràcia the previous day, as La Pedrera and Casa Batlló are both located on this boulevard, and so after a stop to harass the pigeons and bask in the sunshine we headed down Avinguda Portal de l’Angel. Named after the angel that crowned the gate in the medieval wall that once encircled the old town, it is today a pedestrian-only street that leads to the Cathedral.

On Plaça de Catalunya

A 14^th century Gothic construction, supposedly the Catedral was where the Native Americans Christopher Columbus brought to Spain were baptized. Weekly Catalan sardana dances occur in front of the cathedral, and the geese run the show in the cloisters.

The Catedral, note: Roberts is not the one in the Michael Jackson jacket

We cut across to la Rambla to find la Boquería, a produce market bursting with fragrant fresh fruit, strung up legs of ham, olive selections I couldn’t believe, fruit juice stands, little one-counter cafés, curtains of colorful peppers, spices with unpronounceable names, baskets of eggs all sizes and colors, fish and lobsters and crabs galore. More strawberries in our stomachs and fresh fruit juice in hand, we emerged back out onto la Rambla to find Plaça Reial.

A booth in la Boquería

Neoclassical buildings surround the square which is lined with cafés and outdoor seating. We found a spot for lunch and watched the show; it seemed the street artists/panhandlers had some sort of unwritten schedule; they rotated around the plaza, completed their act and then asked for money at all the nearby tables, but they rotated clockwise around the plaza stopping at almost identical locations. While we were seated an acrobatic group, an accordionist, a juggler (on stairs) and perhaps a few others performed, keeping Lauris well entertained.

All smiles in Plaça Reial

La Rambla is something else. One block with flower stands, one with newsstands, one with live animals, interspersed with tourist shops, tapas joints and benches, there is a never-ending parade of characters passing by. Keep your children close and your wallets closer (as advised everywhere in Barcelona), enjoy a coffee or a beer, ignore the continuous din from the men selling noisemakers, and stroll on south to the seafront.

La Rambla

Within Port Vell is a shopping center, aquarium, IMAX cinema, and a shopping center. We walked out past the Columbus monument (where Ferdinand and Isabel welcomed Columbus home after his first trip to America) onto La Rambla del Mar, a wooden pedestrian bridge linking the mall and other attractions, and enjoyed the people-watching. Once back on dry land we headed into the La Ribera district.

I travel light...

The centerpiece of La Ribera is Santa Maria del Mar, a Catalan Gothic church that took only 55 years to build. To the south is the monument to the September 11, 1714 massacre of Catalans by the Bourbon king: an eternal flame burns at the site of the mass burial.

Santa Maria del Mar

We still had some energy left, and so we headed northeast to the 70 acre Parc de la Ciutadella. Built by Philip V to control Barcelona, the citadel was demolished in 1868 and replaced by gardens. It hosted the 1888 World Fair and today is home to the Barcelona zoo and Parliament of Catalonia. I fell in love with the waterfall; designed by Josep Fontserè, it has a touch of Gaudí who was a student at the time.

Parc de la Ciutadella

We thoroughly enjoyed the various playgrounds, took a ride on the giant stone mammoth, and spent a relaxing couple of hours wandering the numerous pathways.

See, I told you there was a mammoth!

Our route home took us back out to la Rambla and through Plaça de Catalunya, which in the setting sun took on a completely different hue. And for dinner, what else than tapas at a tiny little corner restaurant? Twelve little dishes capped off with a dessert that left us feeling sated and happy, wishing for another week to explore the city further! However, after a trip to Parc Güell the next morning it was the start of our journey home, with a stop in coastal Séte…

MJK on La Rambla

Avignon

After Pont du Gard it seemed that the rest of our trip would be anticlimactic, but it turns out the five of us were in for a Provence adventure worthy of a Peter Mayle book, beginning with the day spent in Avignon. Upon arriving we checked in at the Hotel Bristol, recommended by Sara as an affordable hotel just a short walk from the center of Old Town. A fair price with a convenient location, but not optimal if you are looking at spending a lot of time in the room, so thankfully the weather was nice during our stay. After a dinner just across the street we turned in for the night.

The next morning we awoke to beautiful sunny weather and temperatures ideal for a long stroll through the city. Breakfast was a croissant from the closest boulangerie and our little group set out. We started with a coffee on Place de l’Horloge, bordered by the Hôtel de Ville and the theatre, soaking up some sun and doing a little people watching. On the north end several artists had set up shop and we admired their vivid paintings and watercolors of Provence lavender and sunflower fields on our way to the famous palais des Papes.

In the early 14^th century the pontifical court was exiled to France; the court in Rome had become impossible for the popes, and Pope John XXII established the papacy in Avignon where from 1309 to 1377 seven French popes succeeded each other. The city was transformed, not only physically with the construction of the palace of the Popes, but also with a swell of population, from 5,000 to 40,000. Along with the historic center of Avignon, the palais des Papes has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Just to the north stands Cathédrale Notre-Dame-des-Doms, which has been rebuilt many times since its original construction in the mid-12^th century. And to the north of that, Rocher des Doms with its gardens and spectacular views of the Rhône, Avignon and the Luberon hills. We spent at least an hour in the gardens with a stop in the children’s playground before descending the long staircase down to the river walk.

For lunch we returned to Place de l’Horloge, as it seemed that not many restaurants were open off the main tourist path due to it being off-season. The food at the sidewalk restaurant was good, but the man had me seriously doubting what little French I know; instead of the magret de canard I thought I ordered I was served a beef dish, when I asked directions to the marché he gave instructions on how to reach Port St-Michel, and when I ordered desert the waiter looked at me like I was speaking ancient Latin. Or maybe I’m going crazy, although it was my mother that ordered coffee before the meal…

Next on the itinerary was Pont St-Bénezet, which actually was a narrow foot bridge before the flood in the 17^th century that reduced it to the pier it is today. According to legend it was built after a young shepherd was commanded by voices from heaven to build a bridge at that very spot in 1177. He was thought crazy until he lifted a huge block of stone, and then volunteers and funds appeared and the bridge was built within eight years. The popular children’s song “Sur le pont d’Avignon l’on y danse tous en rond!” sings of dancing under the bridge, but we did our dancing on the bridge while taking in the view of the Rhône, the palace and the city from a different perspective.

In the 14^th century the Popes ordered the fortifications around the city built, and much of the old ramparts still exist. We strolled along them down rue du Rempart-du-Rhône to Place Crillon before taking our leave of this beautiful city. Had we a little more time we might have visited the Fort St-André (the 14^th century fort that is prominently visible across the river in Villeneuve-lès Avignon) and stayed to watch the sunset, but we had a two-hour drive ahead of us that evening, to the small fishing port of Cassis…

Frozen

The temperatures have warmed some, but the wind still has the potential to force us indoors, as we found on our last excursion here in Clermont-Ferrand. I feel as though there is so much right here in town to show my mother, but we’ve been slow to see the sights due to the combination of cold weather and little children.

Last Friday we made it to the Jardin Lecoq. The fountain was a little frozen.

You know, it usually looks more like this...

La Pyramide Desaix wasn’t faring much better.

The “pyramid” is the name that the people of Clermont call the giant obelisk at the intersection northwest of Jardin Lecoq. It celebrates the memory of the general who died at Marengo in 1800. The urn on top of the obelisk is believed to contain Desaix’s heart, and the decoration, which was begun by the sculptor Chinard, was never finished.

Monday we stopped in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption and then, after passing through Place du Terrail we visited Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port. However by the time we got to Place Delille we started feeling like icicles ourselves and chose to hop on a tram back home. Not before I snapped this picture of one of the Fountaines de l’Hôtel de Ville…

The twin fountains were built in 1848 to beautify the entrance to the Town Hall. And yes, that is what Hôtel de Ville means, it’s not a hotel, but I only learned this after 7 months in France.

Although the temperatures are supposed to keep climbing through the week, I'm lucky to have two personal lap-warmers to get me through this cold spell…

Photo: Leigh Jones

Lyon after Christmas

After the fiasco that was their arrival in Clermont-Ferrand (standing-room only on a very delayed train), we decided we couldn’t let our guests suffer the train ride back to Lyon (their flight to Latvija was out of LYS), and so early on the morning of the 28th we loaded up a rental minivan with car seat, baggage and all seven of us and headed back to Lyon. With a small detour.

There are few stores that I truly miss here in France (Lowry’s Books in Three Rivers, MI might top the list), and almost none of the big chains are included, but the one place that might be the exception: IKEA. Matīss and Indra had never been to one, and although the closest IKEA to Rīga is in Poland, they were considering making a road trip for a major shopping excursion. So it happened that we stopped for lunch at the St. Etienne IKEA (for research of course!) and ended up spending more than a couple of hours there…

Our hotel in Lyon was just across the street from the Parc de la Tête d’Or (whose name derives from local folklore, which claims that the head of Christ is buried there), although the weather did not allow us to enjoy it. On our next visit I would love to see the Île du Souvenir, a small island rising from the lake in the English-style gardens. Instead, we walked to the closest subway station and made our way to Vieux Lyon, where we had such a wonderful experience on our last visit.

Foto credit: Andrejs Lazda

Though there was little evidence of the Fête des lumières which had taken place there a month ago, the Christmas atmosphere was lovely, with vin chaud stands, lights and decorations everywhere. We ate dinner at a restaurant we had previously lunched at, Les Ventres Jaunes, and lucked out with a waiter who spoke English; although between the two of us, Roberts and I are able to translate much of the menu when dining out, a knowledgeable native speaker that can make recommendations provides for a whole other experience! The food was delicious, fitting for “the gastronomic capital of France.”

Our sightseeing afterwards took us across the bridge to Presqu’île. We wandered north until we finally found Place de Terreaux with the Bartholdi sculpture that had so impressed me on our first visit. By then two members of our group were getting quite cranky and tired (I’ll give you a hint, one is pregnant and the other under two years old) and so our next destination was a subway for the short ride back to the hotel.

Matīss and Indra had a horribly early flight before dawn, and so the next morning it was only five of us eating breakfast and discussing our sightseeing options for the day. As it was drizzling and we had come prepared with very little rain gear, the verdict was to hop in our rental car and make the drive up Fourvière, Lyon’s “hill of prayer”, topped by a basilica and the Tour Métallique, a giant TV transmitter. On this visit I was really able to enjoy a look around the interior of the Notre Dame de Fourvière even though the rain kept us from lingering at the scenic overlooks. With the odd blend of Byzantine & medieval features and the incredibly ornate interior, the Basilique is worth a visit while in Lyon. Just to the right of the cathedral is the real pilgrimage chapel dating from the 18^th century that houses a statue of the Virgin Mary from the 16^th century.

While Anna and Andrejs decided to make a mad dash in the rain down the winding stairs and roads that climb the hill, Roberts, Lauris and I drove back down and waited for them at a brasserie on Place St-Jean. Arriving cold but not soaked having seen the sights on the way down, our reunited group enjoyed some hot drinks before heading back out into the drizzle for a last stroll through Old Lyon. We found the perfect place for lunch on Place du Change, a tea room and crêperie that had us stuffed ready for the drive home.



Foto credit: Andrejs Lazda

Here I must add a second store that I really miss in Clermont, especially this time of year, and the closest one to our apartment is in Lyon – Starbucks! Our route back to the highway took us back through Presqu’île, and so the first hour of the trip home I was spoiled with a decaf caramel macchiato… it’s the little things!