December 6th - December 11th, 2012, Lyon. Marina and I spent a short week in the joyous reception of her aunt and grandmother. The trip's catalyst is the Celebration of Lights, an annual event in Lyon since 1852. On December 8th of that year the Lyonnaise anticipated the installment of a statue of the Virgin Mary but had to face disappointment when a storm struck that morning, postponing the inauguration. In an act of spontaneity and gratefulness for the virgin mother, the city inhabitants placed lit candles on their window sills, and, as deducted by the reoccurrence of this tradition in 2012, also, apparently, lined the city streets with beer cans, crepes and french fry wrappers, invited millions of tourists from around the globe, and decorated their buildings with awing bright electric lights, some beautiful, some neon.
We were fortunate to experience both ends of the spectacle, helping place candles on the quaint window sills that are as old as the tradition if not older,
and enjoying the artistic festivities in the city center.
Ferris wheels scare me.
Vive la France.
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