As today was our final day in Lyon, we were given an open schedule so that we could choose how we wanted to spend the last of our time in this city. Can you guess what the first item on all of our to-do lists was? Sleeping in! Once that was out of the way, I went with a group to the north end of town, where the Lyon zoo and botanical gardens are located. The grounds were gorgeous, and there was no entrance fee! The botanical gardens were housed in stunning iron and glass palaces, and they reminded me of the Victorian age
just on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. We saw everything from orchids to cactuses to palm trees. The zoo had some really cool animals, too, like lions, zebras, and crocodiles. We spent a long time watching an Animal Planet-esque drama at the otter exhibit and serialized the interactions of the otter couple (who we named Becky and Stan) with a duck family that had invaded their pond. At one point, the ducklings had to dart across the water to outrun an ominous otter-shaped dark patch that was lurking beneath the surface. I’m sure the other visitors were very confused by our exuberant renditions
of Becky and Stan’s escapades, but we thought it was hilarious!
We returned to the hostel in the late afternoon to do some homework and preparations for our final projects for class. Once the sun had sank low into the sky, we went back to old town for dinner (because we all wanted to spend some more time on the cobblestone streets) and watched the sun set from the footbridge that crosses the Rhone.
I’m going to miss this city. It seems to pulsate with the quaint glow of people who
care how they live. I noticed that there is a surprising loyalty to Lyon itself; rather than simply identifying with France as a whole, people are very proud of Lyonnais culture and traditions. I appreciate that, and I hope I can return someday!
