Day 10: Paris, France I am thinking this trip has been jinxed. As previously reported, my hearing aid drowned in perspiration in the Heathrow Airport. The next day I lost a contact lens in Paris Gare de Lyon. It was the one for my good eye. I did bring a backup – old prescription, not quite right. So I have been deaf and blind. I arrived in Lyon in the late afternoon, had a good dinner and retired for the night. The next day I visited the Roman Museum and Amphitheater. It was a pleasant day. But the next two days it rained. It did not seem to be a good day for traipsing around Lyon and Vienne. It did clear up one afternoon so I did go visit the main square of Lyon for a while. They had set up a big TV screen there – I gather to cover the Tour de France that was about to begin – in England this year. I didn’t schedule this around the Tour; when the Tour is in England, I’m in France and when it’s in France I will be in England. Then it was off to Nimes. The strange thing about Nimes seems to be that while they have buses and taxis, no one seems to recommend them. Not having any idea where my hotel was, I tried to take a taxi. “No, it’s only 10 minutes that way.” Another day I asked the hotel which bus to take to the Tourist Center where there is a tour train that tours the city, I was told, “No, it’s on1y a 10 minute walk from here. It may be that it is 10 minutes from anywhere to anywhere else in Nice – if you know where you are going. If you don’t it is going to take two to three hours. The main Roman sites in Nimes are the memorial to Gaius and Lucius Caesar – two of the grandsons of Augustus by his daughter Julia and Marcus Agrippa. The memorial is like a temple, but isn’t a temple. There is also a well preserved amphitheater. I didn’t get inside because they were preparing for a rock concert, which probably would have spoiled the visit anyway. The amphitheater in Lyon is for drama and is semicircular. The one in Nimes is for “games” and is oval. Think a small, well preserved version of the great Coliseum in Rome. I noticed that the Place du Justice is directly across the street from the amphitheater making easy to take convicted criminals, Christians and other undesirables to be fed to the lions. But the jinx continued. It rained in Nimes. Plus I came down with some sort of bug – a bit of diarrhea one day, chills and a bit of a fever. It was sprinkling today when I walked the train station. Yes, it is a 10 minute walk if you know where you are going. Then took the train to Paris. Raining in Paris with temperatures in the 60s. This stuff seems to be stocked in both France and England. It does not seem to be going to improve while I am in Paris and London is even worse. I am dreading Haltwhistle – rain and highs in the 50s. And no, those are FARENHEIT, not Celsius. I’m wearing the “warm clothes” intended for Haltwhistle in France. They are not the drip dry sort of things I can wash out in the sink. Meanwhile, Dallas is heading for triple digits. Canicus Modius AKA Kenneth Peck

Lyon, France

3 July 2014

Today was a visit to the Amphitheatre and the Musee de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine (Gallo-Roman Museum). This is one of the main tourist attractions in Lyon, especially if you are interested in things Roman. Lyon (lugdunum to the Romans) was located in the Roman Province of Transalpine Gaul (Gaul-Across the Alps). It had become a province about the time Caius Julius Caesar (the famous one for moderns) was born. It was part of the provinces assigned to Caesar after his first term as consul of Rome and from which base he proceeded to conquer Omnia Gaullia. It was also one of the locations where Rome established a mint to coin bronze and silver coins partly to simplify payment of the legions stationed in Gaul and commerce. I have some of the coins minted here in my collection.

The museum really doesn’t look like much from the outside when you arrive. It is pretty much a blank concrete wall. But after you go down a few steps and enter it, it is entirely different. It is still pretty much a concrete building and much of the structural supports is visible. But you descend a circular ramp with a few short steps down six floors, along which there are artifacts found in and around Lyon. These range from early pre-Roman Gallic weapons and tools with which Caesar would have to contend in his conquest of Gaul through artifacts from the days of Imperial Rome.

The exhibits include items of ordinary everyday use and a great many inscribed stonework. There are some English labels, but most are in French. There is an audio guide which I imagine has English as well as other languages. The inscriptions are a challenge to read even if you know Latin because besides being sometimes worn and incomplete, they contain many abbreviations and no separation between words. EVERYTHINGISRUNTOGETHERLIKETHIS. Perhaps the most spectacular contents of the museum are the many mosaics which seem to be quite complete or else have been well restored. In several cases you are given an opportunity to view a mosaic floor from the floor above. There are also windows from which you can view the adjacent amphitheater. When you have descended to the bottom floor of the museum you are on the level of the orchestra of the amphitheater and the courtyard which was located behind the skena.  Not to worry, you don’t have to climb back up the six floors to get out of the museum; there are elevators.

The museum is located on a hillside next to the Amphitheater and Odeon. Both have been restored and used for modern performances. The Amphitheater was like the classical Greek theater – semicircular seating on the hillside around an orchestra, behind which was a skena, a build that served as a backdrop, where the mechanics of deus ex machine were located and scenery could be deployed. The skena is now gone. The museum contains a small working replica of the skena. With the help of a museum attendant I was able to take of video of the mechanics of raising and lowering the scenery. Because of the slowness of Wi-Fi I will post the video in August.

Perhaps my luck is beginning to improve. My hearing aids have dried out and are more or less working again. The fidelity isn’t up to snuff and they are somewhat weakened. I will have to have them serviced when I get home. While the restaurant gave me a free ticket to the museum yesterday, I didn’t need it because access to the museum was free today. The ticket is also good for a museum in Vienne, which I will try to get to before I leave Lyon on Saturday.

I had decided to take a taxi from the hotel to the museum and back. The rivers Rhone and Saone lie between the hotel and museum which is located on a steep hill overlooking most of modern Lyon. I probably could use the local bus system, but with a taxi I don’t have to figure out how. One interesting thing about the taxis here is that they not only charge by the mile, but time as well. While stopped at in traffic, the meter ticks over about €0.10 per minute. What with the taxi rides, another excellent dinner in the evening and some magazines I ran a few euros over my “target” by well below my “maximum” day budget. But so far I well under $100 per day, which is the “target.” I’m still spending Euros left over from Greece and haven’t had to use an ATM, although I probably do need to do so while in Lyon just to verify that the Credit Union hasn’t messed up like they did a couple of years ago when I visited Italy.

Canicus Modius

AKA Kenneth Peck

LUGDUNUM GALLIA

A D V NON IUN MMDCCXXII AUC

My friend, Martin, wants me to use the proper Latin names, so there it is. Lugdunum is what has been known as Lyon, France, for a few years. The name actually recalls a pre-Roman Gaullic fortress town, which was a Roman province before the last Caius Julius Caesar (if you don’t count Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus) was born. There were a bunch of Gaius Julius Caesares due to the penchant for Roman patricians to give their elder sons their name. I’m not sure, but I think it Lugdunum was in the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul (as different from Cisalpline Gaul). Transalpine Gaul was “Gaul across the Alps, while Cisalpine Gaul was on the Italian side of the Alps. Lugdunum was definitely not “Long-Haired Gaul, which Caius Julius Caesar conquered all when governor of the other two Gauls. For an explanation of the date line, see yesterday’s post.

Today was another travel day from London to Paris to Lyon – for Martin, that’s ex Lundinum ad Lutetia Parisiorum ad Lugdunum. I’m beginning to hate terminals. A two block walk quickly took me from my hotel to Paddington Station. Then I had to find the Metro station and platform for the Hammersmith & City metro to St. Pancras/Kings Crossing station. Arriving at that Metro station I had to find the Eurostar International Terminal which is in St. Pancras RAIL station, which is connected to but not the same as St. Pancras METRO station.

Of course, the International Station is in St. Pancras RAIL station with a bunch of British trains. When I finally located the correct terminal, there was a huge line going through a security check. The security check is pretty much the same thing we experience in American airports. You don’t have to take off your shoes or belt, or take your laptop and there is no quart baggie of liquid stuff.  But you are subjected to a pat-down search. They did pull my carryon bag and is insisted on and searching it item by item and then running the unpacked items and bag through a scanner. Before searching it the lady asked if there was anything sharp in it and I said no. Then as shee came on a sewing kit about the size of a cell phone battery I had forgotten was in there (it contains four threaded needles and some buttons). I said, “Oh, those are sharp.” She laughed. I don’t think she confiscated the needles. I’ll have to check. They didn’t unpack my big bag, but that had been done by TSA in Dallas. I found a note in the bag when I got to the hotel yesterday. I thing spare batteries, chargers and liquids triggers that.

Then I had to find where I would board the Eurostar train to Paris. I found it, but was told I couldn’t wait there, I had to go back down stairs to wait. There was a “walking escalator” up – either an escalator without steps or an uphill moving side walk. Interesting experience. Standing going uphill dragging luggage seems harder than walking on a moving sidewalk dragging luggage. One of the attendants unlocked an elevator so could get downstairs – and I was able to use the same elevator to go back up.

The ride from London to Paris was enjoyable. I’ve done this before. Last time I went 1^st class, but this time I chose 2^nd class. The only difference I could see online was a 2 course dinner instead of 3 courses. Since I was leaving London mid-morning (London time) and arriving Paris at noon, I couldn’t figure how a 3 course dinner would work. It turned out to be “un petite interlude for your journey,” a second breakfast as the Hobbits would say and or “un petit déjeuner” as the French would call it – orange juice, roll, croissant with jam and café … plus yogurt. I didn’t think to take a picture of it until I had destroyed it.

The train is known as the Chunnel because it goes under the English Channel. Last time I didn’t realize when we had gone under the Channel until the graffiti turned from English to French. This time there seemed to be no graffiti in England and none in France until we reached the outskirts of Paris. But I did realize when we were under the Channel this time. I took some video out the window of the English and French country side. I did take a picture of the Chunnel out the window too.

I arrived at Paris Gare du Nord and had to find the RER-D Metro to Melon in order to get to the train station to catch the train to Lyon Gare du Part-Dieu. I had instructions of how to do this from the internet so It was probably the easiest of the day … except why do they always NOT put a sign up at the last turn?

The RER was packed, but it was a short ride to Paris Gare du Lyon where I had to catch the next train. But finding where to go at the station was a nightmare. And at one point the contact lens popped out of my eye and disappeared on the floor. Now I was not only deaf, but blind. I kept asking where to go and finally learned it was upstairs and in a different building. The stairs were a challenge with my luggage (what Caesar appropriately called “impedimenti.” It was as much a hindrance to me as to him. Part way up a woman grabbed the other end and helped me get it up. Merci beaucoup.

I am beginning to think it makes no sense to buy a 1^st Class French Rail Pass. Every train that offers first class service seems to require reservations, but when you get the reservation it is 2^nd class. And the trains that don’t require reservations don’t offer 1^st class service. 2^nd class isn’t all that bad. I didn’t get a chance to shoot any video out the window of the country side between Paris and Lyon because I had been assigned an aisle seat without a good view out the window. The coach was a double decker with my seat topside. Had I a window seat I could have gotten some good video. But lugging the impedimenti up the stairs was a challenge.

I arrive in Lyon on time. I had been here before and stayed at the same hotel before. It is to a side of the plaza in front of the station, so very easy to get to. I checked in. Dug my backup contacts out of my luggage and now can more or less see. They are an old prescription, so not perfect. I also have an older prescription glasses (which I had dug out of the luggage in Paris) but are annoying for a couple of reasons. There had been no reason to upgrade anything this year because I’m due cataract surgery in the fall and anything would become useless after that.

Ended the day eating at a sidewalk café across the plaza from my hotel. An excellent salmon and spinach lasagna and red Rhone wine. Too much of both.

Canicus Modius

AKA Kenneth Peck

LONDINIUM BRITANNIA

A D VI NON IUN MMDCCXXII AUC

Sort of a frustrating day. No pictures. The day began somewhere over the Atlantic on my way from Dallas to London. Long hike from the plane at Heathrow to British Immigration. Long line at Immigration. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes. I came upon a sign that said “Estimated Wait up to 45 Minutes.” After 15 more minutes, another sign indicated “Estimated Wait up to 30 Minutes.” I had brought a cane, not that I really need one, but it was suggested I do that. At the 30 minute sign there was a lady pulling folks with small children or canes out of the line and put us in an express lane. The cane is sort of a nuisance, but at this point it paid off.

Then a hike to baggage claim. And, as luck would have it, the carrousel for my flight was at the extreme far end of a bunch of carrousels. My checked bag did arrive (a wheeled duffle bag) shortly after I got to the carrousel. Then a long hike to customs and then to the main concourse. I followed the Heathrow Express signs until I came to a bunch of helpful people telling how to get to London. I asked if my BritRail Pass was good for the Heathrow Express. The first person didn’t know, checked with a coworker and then say no, I would have to buy a ticket. The ticket booth was across the way, where I asked again. Yes, was the answer. The lady filled validated the pass and filled out the 01 07 bit. Then the ride to Paddington Station, which is about two blocks from my hotel.

I have not been able to get any of my mobile devices to work properly. AT&T Global on my Kindle can’t access the internet. My mobile phone’s international SIM can’t access the internet and is bombarded with meaningless messages at a rate of about one per minute. My computer, mobile phone and Kindle can all access my JT-Mobile Hotspot, but can’t communicate with the internet through that hotspot. This hotel does have free Wi-Fi – in the lobby. The hotel in Lyon has paid Wi-Fi that works in the rooms.

A friend criticized me for saying I was planning to visit Lyon. So, I guess I have to be correct. LONDINIUM was the Roman name for the city in BRITANNIA known today as London. So to be consistent, I dated this using the good old Julian calendar as the Romans who lived in LONDINIUM did.

A D VI NON IUN MMDCCXXII AUC explained.

A D is not “after died” nor is it “anno domine.” It is ante diem – “before the day.” The Roman calendar had a few fixed days of the month. The Kalends was the first day of the month. The infamous IDES were either the 13^th or 15^th day of the month, depending on the month. There were two NONES one falling between the KALENDS and the IDES and the other between the IDES and the next KALENDS. The day before the KALENDS, NONES, and IDES were PRIDIE (the day before). The rest of the days were numbered as the days before (counting the day itself). So A D VII NON = “the seventh day before the NONES, counting the NONES as a day.

But we’re not done yet. There is a 13 day discrepancy between the Julian and the Gregorian calendars. So today is still June, not July. Hence, JUN = JUNIA = June.

Now the fun really begins. The ancient Romans typically designated a year by naming the consuls for that year further compounding the issue when a consul served more than one year. But there are no Roman Consuls these days. There was an alternate system occasionally used, as here. The MMDCCXXII is recognizably a Roman numeral, equivalent to our 2722. AUC is an abbreviation the Romans used meaning either AB URBE CONDITA or ANNO URBIS CONDITA, “from the founding of the city” i.e., Rome. Is there any other city?

CANICUS MODIUS

Aka Kenneth Peck