Well, here's the newsletter in blog form!!!

Welcome all to the first edition of The Year Abroad Express, a special publication aimed to inform and amuse you all, and also to keeping touch with you all. I thought this would be something different to do from the standard emails I’ve thought about sending, but this is slightly more interesting for me, and perhaps I’ll learn something myself! This is also a great thing for me to look back on in the future after this year is over (if it will ever end!). Read on and enjoy…

Some facts and figures about Lyon

-->Lyon is France’s second largest city with a population of around 468,000.

-->The city of Lyon sits on 2 rivers - the Saône and the Rhône (which join together just outside Lyon, see photo as taken by moi), and lies at the bottom of 2 hills, “the hill that prays” and “the hill that works”.

-->Originally the town was built just up to the edge of the Saône (an area now known as Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

-->On top of Fourvière Hill “the hill that prays” is the 19th century Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière (a cathedral). It is locally known as “the upside down elephant” (God knows why! It doesn't look like an elephant!).

-->Lyon was a Roman settlement back in the day…it was called Lugdunum and was the capital of Gaul (that’s what France was called in the olden days…hehe!)

-->The Croix-Rousse area of Lyon was where they made Lyon silk. Croix-Rousse is on “the hill that works” and apparently the houses are really high because they were built into the hill, and had to house the silk machines (when they were invented).

-->During WWII, Lyon was a stronghold for the German and French armies, but in Croix-Rousse many people escaped because there are “Traboules” (it doesn’t translate into English because they only exist in Lyon…they are like small passageways between houses). The traboules allowed people to escape unnoticed.

-->Lyon is France’s “Capital of Gastronomy” (or capital of food for those who can’t find a dictionary!)

The Good Bits …

-->The transport system here is fantastic! There are buses, trams, a metro system (like the underground), so you can get anywhere quickly! Buy a ticket for €1.50 and you can go on all three types of transport if you’re quick (you only get an hour). I bought a student pass for €30.60 (per month), it’s great, go wherever I want when I want!

-->The weather…it’s raining cats and dogs there but we’re still relatively dry and warm…my winter clothes are still unworn!

-->The food…it’s healthy, it’s satisfying, and it’s cheap to eat out!!! Brioche Dorée…best sandwich shop ever!

…The Not-So-Good Bits …

-->It’s a little bit more expensive here. An Orange SIM cost me €30 which is about £20 (we pay £10 at home).

-->The stones on Place Bellecour. They always get into my shoes!

-->People seem to know I’m English, despite being told many times that I have a good French accent, this is Disney all over again!

…The Bad Bits…

-->I hate the university. It’s the worst educational system that I have ever has the misfortune of being a part of!

-->University tutors are simply foul creatures! They aren’t even human I don’t think! Eugh!

-->(Most) French People. How did Britain get the title of “Most Arrogant Nation” because I tell you now, it is France that deserves this jolly old title! I mean, honestly, how hard is it to form a queue?! I think the French are an alien being, well I guess they are really! Or I’m an alien?


I've put some other pictures on here too, one of a traboule, just to show you what one is.

There's a photo of a structure which looks a bit like the Eiffel Tower. It is La Tour Métallique de Fourviere (the metallic tower of Fourviere). It's the highest point in Lyon and is a TV mast. I don't know who the hell thought about putting it right next to a very pretty cathedral!

I have also put a nicepicture of a wall mural on here too. They are really nice and are apparently all over in Lyon. I've only seen this one and another one that I've yet totake a picture of. Apparently, there are over 80 in the city and they illustrate the city's history. I don't know how this one illustrates any part of history, but then I don't live in Lyon! They're very realistic to look at.

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