Summer in Lyon

Schools went on vacation in the middle of July and Lyon has become practically desserted of French people (ah, but I jest). Stores have shuttered up until mid-August (they write messages to their customers, closed for "vacances" or "conges") and the hordes of Lyonnais who had walked the boulevards have been replaced by tourists, with more than a fair share of Americans.

Finally, just as I'm possibly about to leave Lyon, I see how beautiful a city Lyon can be: it's gorgeous with its lit-up buildings, its monuments on the hills, and my favorite place, the Theatres Romains (Roman ruins -> now outdoor ampitheatre), where I was fortunate to see four (yes, count them!) outdoor concerts this past year.

I was at a party with some French colleagues just a few days ago, and it seems that they had finally decided to leave for vacation on that weekend (4 August). I imagine that Lyon might as well be completely dead right now, and for that reason, I guess it's a good thing I (impulsively) chose to head on over to Greece for a short trip. More on this later. I'm only in Greece for four full days but I've gone at an incredible pace. It's taken me to one of the islands and to the sprawling megapolis (funny, reminds me of Tokyo) Athens.