Parc de la Tete d'Or

Saturday morning and we went to a local outdoor market with Jean-Marc.  It was a great market with lots of vendors and wonderful food.  Fresh fruits, nuts, meat and cheese, and bread, wonderful bread.  It was today that we learned how much Brandt likes French bread.  Although Agnes sent us for two large loaves, they were out of large ones when we got there, so instead, Jean-Marc bought seven smaller loaves.  Tonight, after dinner, Brandt ate essentially a whole loaf himself, as a before bed snack.  It was fun to be shopping at the outdoor market, using my French, and listening to others speak French too.

After lunch, Agnes suggested we go wander around Parc de la Tete d'Or (Park of the Golden Head).  There is a small zoo with giraffes, tigers, zebras, lots of birds, and other interesting creatures.  There are small amusement rides, and a train that takes you around the park.  It is all within walking distance of Agnes and Jean-Marc's flat, the day was cool but lovely, and it was wonderful to be outside moving around. 

We all of us enjoyed our time in the park, and we were not alone.  There are not a lot of parks in Lyon, so there were many other people out wandering around too.  We saw at least four wedding parties on our train ride around the park, and lots of other families.

On route.  We stopped for a (very) short rest--just long enough to take a picture.

Me and Agnes.

We are laughing about something.

Probably just laughing with joy that we are together.

As in Paris, there was a wonderful old carousel in the park.

It's called "Le Carousel Enfantin du Parc de la Tete d'Or"

It was in excellent condition considering that it is dated 1908--more than 100 years old.

The animals were absolutely wonderful!

We took the little train ride.

Brandt tried to climb right up front where the engineer sits.

He had to settle for the first car back.

It was a great way to see the park which is very large.

We could not have walked all the way around with the children.

This is Pegasus on the top of the carousel.

This gate (all roped off because of restoration) is pretty much all that I remembered from my time in Lyon.

I know I went to the park on several occasions, but the memory of anything more significant had completely escaped me.

There is a lovely lake in the middle of the park.

I think you can rent paddle boats (or something), but we didn't.

The children are in a little grove of trees that formed a sort of hiding place.

There is an indoor green/hot house with orchids and fish.

The variety was really great.

Brandt is trying to catch a fish.

With his hands.

Fortunately, he was unsuccessful.

Later in the afternoon, after our time in the park, we drove out to Grezieu-la-Varenne, the small outlying city where Agnes lived when I was there.  The Caras have bought a house which they intend on tearing down and then building something else.  We went for a drive to see the property.  They told us it was in the country.  In reality, it is in a quiet suburb, but certainly more rural than central Lyon where they currently live.  I thought the landscaping was lovely, but most of it will come out to accommodate the house.

When bedtime arrived, we tried to put the children together in a bed.  After stories, they fell asleep alright, but when we went in to check on them before we went to bed, we found them like this, crosswise and completely uncovered.  I'm not sure how they worked themselves around to these positions, but we put Brandt in bed with Kent and I slept with Blythe.