rockover

Latest ventures in France   You'll have to bear with me since the french keyboard puts their keys in a different order and the numbers require the shift key.   Here is a translation of the keyboard just for fun. Skip if you want to. Iu, hqving q zonderful ti,e here in Frqnce: Ze hqve been to qn old ,useu, qnd the old pqrt of LYON:   I'm having a wonderful time here in France. We have been to a museum and the old part of LYON. The museum holds nothing remarkable, except the top floor is full of marionettes. Some of them fro, the 1700's:   I guess ze are on a peninsula; like Padre Islqnd. We have to cross a river to get to the old Lyon. There are 2 roman ampitheaters here. Beat up, but still used. We have to cross the other river to go to another part of Lyon.   By the way, Lyon is 1.5 million and the 2nd largest city in Frqnce: Oh; and everyone here has been great: So far, we've had no problems conversing (including me). As long as I greet zith BonJour, then they will help me  out. Only been on my own twice now, I hqven't had to talk much. Azucena has been doing all the conversing and they've stayed in the french language, so that tells you that the cram fest on the french language has paid off:   Monday; we went to a winery (we also tasted two different wines); then had a three hour lunch. Then another winery and did some more testing. They also had some strength contests for us.   Later; we had dinner at one of the primier restaurants here and spent another 3 hours. The dinners/lunches include an appetiser of some sort, then about 15 minutes later, they bring the main course (generally a meat and one other item). After about 1/2 hour, they bring the cheeses and more french bread. A plate to pass around zith about 5 different types of cheeses. I'll stick to my Wisconsin cheese thankyouverymuch. After the cheese, I'd guess 15 minutes, they bring the dessert (if you ordered the full 3 course meal). All told, eating like this is about a 2 hour or 3 hour adventure. Also, they won't bring the check until you ask for it. Someone also commented that unlike US where they try to get as many table turnovers in a night as they can, here they start one set around 7, then plan on another turnover around 10. That's why the dinners take so long:   Haven't done much shopping yet, picked up some wine. Tonight, there zill be one last party for the UT people and spouses. The entree? Wine.   This is getting tough on my hands; trying to find the keys. I'll let you go. We leave for Paris tomorrow and fly back on Monday.