Une promenade dans le parc - A walk in the park

Parc de la Tête d'Or

I would have to say that this the past week has just flown by.  In the ten days since Justin arrived we have moved rental furniture out, moved our furniture and belonging in, done some sightseeing in Lyon, done some sight seeing in Provence region, taken countless trips to the Carrefour, and all the while managing to fit in a few rounds of tennis.  With so many topics to cover, I thought I would instead post many pictures to give you the flavor of our week.  

On Saturday we visited the park which is in central Lyon.  On a beautiful Saturday afternoon we saw many people who were out enjoying the amazing weather.  In the middle of the park there is a  large lake and a dock where you can rent paddle boats or fish off the shores.  The park reminds me of Central Park in New York on a smaller scale of course.  There are people out with picnic baskets, soccer balls, bikes, those catching some rays and countless other things that people do in parks.  At one end of the park there is a small zoo with giraffes, elephants, tiger and other animals.  Some animals which I had never seen before.  Mike says that Bella was very intrigued with the animal that I can best describe as a combination of a prairie dog and a ferret.  I didn't notice if Justin, Sophie and Coco were very interested.  But you understand the connection between this man and HIS Bella!!   

After about an hour of walking around the park, Mike had decided that Bella was just too tired to take another step.  Lucky for me, I had anticipated that Daddy and daughter would come to this decision and I had packed an extra "sac" (purse) for Bella. (I had learned earlier in the week of Bella's low tolerance for long walks.  In my frustration of her constant stops, sniffs, and apparent stalling tactics, I had to resort to scooping her up and loading/cramming her in my "sac" that was at that time just a purse.  The men in the park who were playing pétanque at the time of Bella's mutiny got a nice chuckle at the scene (a very popular game using balls the size of a crochet ball that they toss at a marker.  Justin says it is like bocche ball).

We stopped to look at the bears and when I turned around, I saw that Mike had taken his "purse" off his shoulder and was showing Bella the bear.  I still laugh when I see this picture...and he still asks me why I think that is funny.  Just now he said, "Why do you think that is funny?  Don't you think Bella wanted to see the bear?"  At the crocodile exhibit, Mike took Bella up to the glass to get a closer look.  The croc never took it's eye off Bella.  I reminded Mike that Bella is prey.  He was appalled!!!  Oh Mike.....

Justin and I had to take our picture by these larger than life art sculptures.  I loved the picture of Justin on the pizza delivery motor bike.  It reminded me of when he was a little boy.  Finally something to make him look like my little boy again.