August 22nd, 2012

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Wednesday August 22nd Lyon on the Saone

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

I left late morning from Les Roches de Condrieu and had a reasonable fast 41 k.m. trip, two locks,  to Lyon where I arrived at 17.30h This is a new small municipal visitors marina in an area called Confluence. The confluence of the Rhone and the Saone rivers. This was formerly an industrial river port area. But it is being rebuilt into a modern glass and steel city with condos and shopping malls.  This is very clever the way they built this but in my opinion this is all going to be deja-vu in 10/15 years. I think for the same money they could have built this to last a few years longer.

The marina was practical empty last night but today about ten boats came in, a number of them have met along the way and travel together through the locks. The moorage is reasonable, I pay 12 euro and they have good security with coded doors on all pontoons and nice showers.  Yesterday I met Robbie and Marge de Boer from Durban S.A. They are members of the Durban Y.C., where I spent many hours in December 2006 and January 2007. He has a gorgeous all wood, American white oak hull, Bruce Roberts designed motor yacht. Built in 2009 in Durban and shipped to Rotterdam. They have spent the last couple years cruising in Europe. He came as a 4 year old with his family to S.A. from Hoofddorp. This morning I took a ride up river to the down town area on a launch that is operated for the benefit of the shopkeepers in the large indoor mall and brought my folding bike. There is much to see in this city. It reminds me very much of Paris, along the river and the buildings and architecture, quite different from the more southern cities.

Visiting the mideval church of Saint Nizier was a treat. There are incredibly beautiful stained glass windows all through the church.

A big thunderstorm moved through last night. In the advance it made for some dramatic skies, see below. It hailed hard for a while and it gave a short welcome relief of the heat. In the lightning the solar panel kept going back on. Maybe I need try shine a flashlight on it at night.

It looks like the decision is made to make a side trip to Paris. I should have this sorted out with a friend, who is to fly in from Atlanta, in the next day or so.

I plan to get going again tomorrow on the Saone.