Lyon, day one

So: I went on holiday.

I last went abroad at the end of 2010 and had a two-day holiday in Luxembourg after a conference; this year, I was sitting in the house on an utterly miserable weekend day at the end of February and decided that was it; I had to go somewhere this year...

A friend had recommended renting a flat; it had never occurred to me that you could rent somewhere for just a few days, but it turns out it was possible.  I got mine through this website; the couple running it are lovely...

Not a huge space, but considerably more than a hotel room, and cosy (it was cold when I arrived and the radiator was on):



The quirkiest element was something I didn't photograph properly.  On the photo below, if you look in the mirror you can see the bedroom, a sleeping platform up a ladder from the main room, above the dark ceiling in the first photo.  I could sit up in bed (because I'm short, and short-waisted) but my head brushed the ceiling... (This was all in the photos when I booked)



Hall, with really nice bathroom off it - best shower ever.  Really.



Kitchen; sink at other side.  Almost seduced by halogen hob.  Only almost.



So, there you are; the estate agents' view.  Book away; as long as nobody wants to go next time I do, of course.  And there will be a next time.

Having picked up the keys from the bar round the corner and cased the joint, I went to the supermarket (found via the Web, just round the corner; baby Auchan).  I may have bought too many apéritif-type things.  Possibly.



Here we see the extremes of French supermarket apérofromage - the completely synthetic (with plastic stabby things) and the totally artisanale. (Yes, they're goat nipples.  Of course they are.)  Both excellent in their own way.



Not having TV at home, and loving the rubbish that passes for TV in France, I was anxious to plug in; before I went to the supermarket, had a very frustrating play with the buttons on the two remotes (multiple remotes fill me with dismay; still can't work out how the ones at my parents' work) but decided I'd better get food first.  When I got back and started unpacking into the big armoire in the living room, discovered the small pile of maps and instructions including the ones for the TV.  Yay.

I was going to treat myself to a meal out on the first night; but as ever with plane travel, it had taken forever and I was totally and utterly sick of people; so I'd also picked myself up some ready-made taboulé and some merguez; that and crap French TV; lovely.