Photos from the Beat
Biston-clac,biston-clac
I climbed 342 steps today.
And stumbled down just as many.
That's how many stone steps it takes to get to the top of the Fourviere Basilica, an historic place of worship that was once a Roman forum in Lyon, France.
I met up with a fellow journalist, Ludovig Hirtzmann of La Presse in Montreal, and we trekked to the basilica this morning to meet our guide and take a tour of the landmark.
Here are the coolest facts of the basilica, besides the steps: First, and most important to me, is that photos are totally allowed inside - a rarity for ancient churches in Europe. This is because all of the art inside is mosaics, made of blue and gold stones, and not paintings that can be damaged by flashes.
Also, we arrived just three days before the basilica's famous gold Virgin Mary is to be removed from the rooftop, because she's become too heavy for the structure to support. And finally, Fourviere is located atop one of two major hills in Lyon, offering a fantastic view. The other hill is where the city's silk mills are located, and s our guide Delphine explained, this area is dubbed Biston-clac, after the sound the massive silk machines make. Biston-clac!
Following the tour, I got my first taste of public transportation in Lyon, first taking the funiculare (tram on a hillside) from the basilica to La Place Bellecour, a major commerce area, and then the bus from Bellecour to La Cite Internationale, where I'm staying. I then returned to the park I first started touring yesterday, and due in part to the weather (sunny today) and the fact that it was a Saturday, the place was packed. Yesterday, I think it was just me and some ducks (les canards).
This park, Parc Tete D'or, which means Golden Head Park, is huge. It includes a botanical garden, a zoo, a lake, and dozens of other attractions for families. I snapped photos of giraffes, crepe vendors, and carousels, before checking my watch and realizing I had ten minutes to get back to La Cite for an IDE event and dinner.
More on that tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy:
Oh *wow*. That photo of the Basilica is just... awe-inspiring.
