Category: travel

  • Renaissance Festival at Lyon

    On Saturday, we were surprised by the assembly of people dressed in peirod costume in Place Bellecour (biggest square in Lyon and in France apparently).  The city was holding its annual celebration of  the signing of a charter of rights in 1320, and this year it coincided with the 400th anniversary of the death of King…

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  • Small Cooking School in Lyon

    Lyon is the second largest city in France but it is the top gastronomic city.  It has more Michelin star restaurants than Paris. So there are lots to explore.  Off the main square in downtown Lyon (Place Bellecour), we came across a small cooking school that has a cafe and cookbook store.  The place is…

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  • Monte Bre by Funicolare

    On our last day in Lugano, the sun came back out but it was still cold.  We took another funicular railway up to Monte Bre located on the other side of Lugano, across from Monte San Savatore.  There are many hiking trails around this mountain and the view of the Alps are perhaps a bit…

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  • Lugano at dusk

    These were taken near a stretch of the lake front near our hotel.  It shows Lugano center (above), Castagnola (below), Paradiso (with its brightly lit funicular railway going up to Monte San Salvatore), and Campione d’Italia (with a casino). Castagnola Paradiso Campione d’Italia

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  • Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli

    The Church of St Mary of the Angels (Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli, no English version) was next to our hotel and in front of our room window.  It was built in 1500, partially demolished, and rebuilt in the 1800’s.  It is famous not for its architecture but for its frescoes painted during the Renaissance period. Covering almost…

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  • Lugano Food Porn: #1-#4

    Other than easter eggs, it is also asperagus season at this time of the year.  Every restaurant, in Neuchatel and also here in Lugano, has a special asperagus menu (Asperges, Asperagi).  In the US, it is available all year-round.  I guess they have an abundance of it here only in Spring.  The Asparagus milanese with…

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