Lyon

I made a vow to complete this blog and so I am doing so while the memory is still fresh.

We began the day with a drive to a perfumery where we learned how they make perfume. Helen the tour manager said that the reason we are going to girly spots like a diamond factory, a crystal shop and a perfumery was to make us "all around gentlemen," whatever that means.

After the perfumery, we arrived in Avignon which used to be a papal city during the Great Schism of the 13th Century when there were popes in Avignon, Rome and Pisa (3 popes at once). Each contended they were the true pope.

We were there for one hour and I had a crepe which turned out to be nothing but blintz dough with some sugar over it. 6 euro for that?

There was a guy near the palace who could sing like a female opera singer. It was really wild so I gave him all the change I had.

When we got to Lyon, I inquired about the nearest shul in the hotel and I took the subway there. The subway in Lyon is very clean and nice to ride. 10 minutes later, I arrived at the shul which turned out to be a sephardi one. No matter. When I got to the entrance, I was asked a bazillion questions by a guy in the front and he looked at my ID. I guess they experience anti-semitic attacks.

After the service, I was invited to someone's house for shabbat dinner. The husband happened to speak hebrew which was good. His father was there along with his wife and two young girls. One of the girls was adopted from Vietnam when she was 3 months old.

The evening consisted of details about Lyon's jewish community and the family's aspirations to move to Israel ASAP. They have family in Raanana and they simply feel that Israel is their home and not France. I sympathize with them. Shabbat dinner was really delicious with yellow rice and curry chicken with olives.

Not much to talk about Lyon as I didn't get to experience the downtown but I am happy that I got to spend Shabbat the proper way.