Fireworks and other things

Wednesday was July14, known to Americans (but not to the French) as Bastille day.  Stores are closed, but cafes and restaurants are not.  That morning, our group had a guided tour of our quarter, and also of Vieux Lyon.  I took a ton of photos, but these are the most interesting - et il y a des questions pour mes eleves AP!
T This is the fountain in the Place des Terreaux; it was built by Bartholdi (qui a construit quoi d'autre?)





This is actually the back of a building, and in French is called a "mur peint", for us it is a mural.  This one celebrates famous people who were born in Lyon.  The more recent Lyonnais are on the lower floors, and the older folks on the upper floors. 

Here on the left is one along with his creation.  Pour mes eleves AP, qui est l'homme, et qu'est-ce qu'il a ecrit?






















Vieux Lyon has so much that it defies my descriptions.  Here is one, the Rose Tower, named for the color.  There are many courtyards that are hidden from the street by just a little passageway.  And there are passageways that you can take that go from one parallel street to another; these are called traboules, and they cut through private property.  Many of them are now closed to the public, but some are still open - if you know where to find them.  We got to take a couple, and here is an example:













Naturally, since is the French national holiday, there must be fireworks.  In Lyon, there are firemen's balls, and "les bals en pleine air".  My friends Jan and Steve Blasberg and I found such a bal on the banks of the Saone River.  In between rain showers that had us sheltering under a tree, we saw people dancing to three different types of bands while we all waited for the fireworks from the Basilica on top of Foureviere.  They were fabulous, and no one was disappointed.