In Europe, Easter Monday is a holiday and today I accepted another gracious invitation into the home of a new family of friends.
But first . . .
Price of Housing in Bron
On the way to my usual morning croissant, I spotted these signs announcing the prices at the construction sight for a new series of condos being built around the corner from The Villa that I pass daily.
Translation into U.S. Dollars:
A Studio is yours for only $120,400.
A Two Bedroom can be had for $137,000.
How about a Three Bedroom for 193,350?
You could live large in a Four Bedroom for just $242,000!
Once I had digested my croissant and the local real estate market, it was time to join my newest friends for brunch!
Manue, Jacques Vilavella and Angel
Note the reversed Hammer and Sickle art work on the wall behind Jacques. When I told him of my Cuban roots, we bonded for life I believe.
One of our oldest and dearest University of Washington friends, Mark Johnson, has been trying to get Jacques and I together here in Lyon for the past few months to no avail. Then I received a phone call Saturday night from the lovely Manue who is Angel's daughter and speaks excellent English. She was inviting me over to their new home at the base of Lyon's La Croix-Rousse district for a smashing brunch today.
Stay with me here . . .
Jacques Vilavella is very happily married to Angel.
Manue is Angel's daughter.
Jacques sister, Helene, was married to Mark Johnson and she still lives in Seattle where she, like Mark, has remarried.
Make sense?
French Brunch, OH MY!!!
Now this makes perfect sense to me!
It was trés magnifique!!!
It plays vinyl!!!
Jacques has a fine collection of old school vinyl records and started us off with some Simon and Garfunkel. He thus set the mood for the day perfectly as far as I was concerned.
Manue was a wizard in the kitchen
She kept bringing out dish after dish of delicious offerings as we sat and discussed a wide variety of topics for about three hours.
Manue and I have agreed to keep getting together to work, with equal emphasis, on our conversational language skills in French, English, Spanish and Wine.
Yes, in France, Wine is an official language!
With Jacques and Angel
Another meal to be remembered, in part because of the cuisine and wine, but mostly because of these three interesting new friends.
Flowers can grow anywhere in Lyon
Today was a wonderful reminder that life is good. The events of the day just made me ponder, how great will it be in just . . .
More Days when I get
off the train in Paris?
All Gaul is divided into three parts after all and for a long time the Roman empire did rule this part of Europe, so why not a Roman numeral?
1 comment:
In fact France is one of the very few countries not working Easter Monday and the only one i know working Good Friday... never knew why...
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