Fete Des Lumieres

This weekend Lyon is celebrating it's annual Fete Des Lumieres (Festival of Lights). The story of the festival dates back to 1643 when Lyon was struck by the plague. The Lyonnais promised to pay tribute to Mary if it was spared. Since then, each year the people of Lyon light candles and place them in their windows in the name of Mary. The festival has since grown into the biggest lights festival in the world and certainly the only of it's kind. 

I wish I could put into words how spectacular some of these displays are. Using Lyon's biggest and most iconic buildings as backdrops, crowds of people enjoy projected light shows set to storytelling and music. 

Hot mulled wine and hot chocolate are served at every corner to help everyone stay warm. It really is an indescribable experience and completely untranslatable by pictures or video. We are really wishing all of our family and friends could be here to see it!

 THANKS guys, lots more to come in the next few weeks!

Joel & Amy

Homecoming Announcement

Hello All.

I bit of an announcement to make about the end of our adventures here in Lyon, France...

We have done all we can to add an additional 6 months to my Visa (working or non-working) but have been completely unsuccessful. 

Joel has been able to obtain a Titre De Sejour through work, which allows him to stay until 2016. 

SO, I will be making my way back to Ontario by the end of March 2014 and we are starting to get excited about finding our way home again. 

Joel will be continuing with his work in France until at least July 2014, so he will join me at home shortly after my return.

We still have plenty planned between now and then, including Christmas in Germany, lots of snowboarding in the Alps and a long weekend in Amsterdam so stay with us here at Deux Baguettes!
It's not over yet!

Joel & Amy

Chocolate!!!

Just returned from a lovely Saturday in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The weather is getting quite crisp these days but my friend Gill was happy to bear the wind and the cold to show us around her city.

After taking an early morning train we started our day off at the Patek Phillipe Museum. A very fancy shmancy display of watches put on by a Geneva-Based firm of master watchmakers. We stopped by several chocolate shops to taste a few treats, browsed the "old town" and sat down for several relaxing drinks. 

Gil is a week away from finishing her 3 month internship at The World Health Organization in Geneva. She will then head to the South of France for a week of relaxation before heading home. 

It was great to have a friend close by for a while. Enjoy Nice Gil. See you in the new year!   

                                                                                          

THANKS GUYZZZ
Joel & Amy

CREPES!

 Getting better with every crepe!

                                         

Tonight's recipe is a regular crepe recipe (found here), using almond milk instead of milk, and an added tablespoon each of ground flax seed and fibre flakes. Wrapped inside this healthy crepe alternative is sauteed seasonal mushrooms, baby spinach, garlic and onions with a dash of fresh ground pepper. 

Sprinkled on top is one of my favourite market finds: 

Emmental (or Swiss) cheese. 

AMAZING! 

THANKS!

Joel & Amy

Discovering London

Another weekend of travelling that we absolutely cannot complain about. 

We caught wind that our pal in London, JC, may be heading back to Canada. So, we took quick advantage of one of Joel's work trips to Peterborough last week and extended it to include a weekend with the Queen.

RIGHT: Keeping warm at the Borough Market.

JC is easily the perfect host. Very knowledgeable on the history of the city and well acquainted with the hot-spots. 

We browsed several weekend markets and hit up a pop-up bar that served delicious hot-mulled cider. Which was a very cozy way to keep warm in the cold, wet weather. 

LEFT: JC and I take in the London Eye.

RIGHT: JC talks us through Trafalgar Square.

BELOW: Joel and I at Buckingham Palace.

Another amazing city to have been able to check off our list. Would not have been quite the same had JC not been such a great guide. 

Thanks for having us! It was great to see all your favourite cafes & pubs and meet your friends from around the world.

We'll meet again soon!

Joel & Amy

Deux Baguettes - Get Greek

From our two-week trip to Greece back in August. I do apologize for the tardiness.

Deux Baguettes - Greece from PaddyRumble on Vimeo.

THANKS GUYS!

Joel & Amy

Visits from the Swiss.

...or temporarily Swiss. 

An old pal from Fonthill stopped by Lyon this weekend. Gill is spending three months just North/East of us in Geneva, Switzerland on an internship for her Masters. Making her way down here by train, despite an unfortunate strike by French rail workers, we were happy she was able to squeeze us in. Since the two of us are old soccer chums, we headed down to the Stade Gerland for an Olympique Lyonnais game (our second of the season). Even though mother nature attempted to bog us down with a monsoon of rain, we had a good game of catch-up over wine and baguettes. 

THANKS so much for making the trip Gill!
Looking forward to heading to Geneva in a few weeks.

Joel & Amy