Category Archives: Travel Journal/Blog

France ~ Luminous Lyon

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For four nights every December, the gastronomical capital of France is transformed into a breathtaking landscape of light and sound.

Lyon may not be Paris, the City of Light, but it is definitely a city of illumination. Every night of the year, 325 historical and cultural sites and monuments glow in radiant splendor. And come December, the city beams forth with imaginative extravagance during the four-day Fête des Lumières. This year’s festivities start today and run through 12 December and are expected to attract 4 million visitors.  Videos of previous years’  extravaganzas (see YouTube video below) reveal why: The illuminated cityscape and scenes that surround you are in turn whimsical, fantastical, awe-inspiring, thought-provoking, sometimes a little odd and always beautiful. Walt Disney meets Salvador Dalí… and very little is what it seems.

The Festival of Lights dates to 1643 when the city was spared from the Plague. Believing the Virgin Mary was responsible, the residents wished to honor her by constructing a new bell tower topped with her statue. As with many municipal projects, plans were delayed–this one, for almost 200 years.

Finally, on 8 December 1852, the statue was ready for dedication. A gala was to include fireworks and flares, until a major storm arrived and church elders canceled the celebration. Come nightfall, the skies cleared, and grateful citizens spontaneously set out candles in their windows… and thus the festivities began.

The people of Lyon still maintain the candlelight tradition, while the new extraordinary lighting techniques have raised the event to a world-class phenomenon.

The combination of audio, video, and lighting effects transforms buildings, tourist sites, and historical monuments into a truly surreal environment. More than 60 “lighting scenes” created by lasers crisscrossing courtyards, snow-falling lights, and soundtracks pulsating in time to the city’s church bells convert ordinary street corners into interactive works of art.

Lyon’s Festival also draws artists, city officials, and lighting experts who collaborate during a congruent conference on urban lighting architecture. More than 20 years ago, Lyon’s city planners launched a Light Plan to illuminate artistically and aesthetically more than 200 buildings and public places, including l’Hôtel de Ville (the town hall), Hôtel Dieu (the hospital), universities, bridges, and parks. The project reinvented the city’s image, making it a leader in civic light installations and a year-round tourist attraction.

Surreal Lighting In Lyon
Surreal Lighting In Lyon

The Tourism Bureau notes that the festival uses LED technology to enable low energy consumption. The electric bill for all the 2009 installations in the city center was less than €3,300–or about $4,400 at the current exchange rate.

As delighted (pun intended) as I would have been to behold this holiday celebration in person this year, I write this from my home in Florida. Still, I’ve been visiting the France Guide quite a bit lately, planning a future adventure abroad.

Lyons’ hotels are full this week, and the city’s 1,500 restaurants and 18 Michelin-starred chefs are busy serving their gastronomic specialties to crowds. Those fortunate enough to be attending are soaking up the holiday lights with a side of Lyonnaise sauce. Très magnifique.

This article first appeared in Automotive Traveler Magazine.

My photo taken of Luminous Lyon on a summer evening.

Valles Caldera National Preserve or the Super Volcano of New Mexico

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The vast Valles Caldera National Preserve

The stunning Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico were created by volcanic activity over thirteen million years and once stood higher than Mount Everest. An eruption, estimated at 500 times greater than the 1980 Mount St. Helens event, caused the super volcano to collapse.  A 12-mile wide crater formed, known as the Valles Caldera, and gradually filled with about 5,000 feet of ash and debris.

The Grand Valley existed as a home to Pueblo people for centuries until they eventually fled. Between 1860 and 2000 it functioned as the  privately owned Baca Ranch.  In 2000, Congress purchased 94,000 acres, deeding 5,000 acres to the Santa Clara Pueblo and designating the remaining 89,000 as the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Under the terms of the Act, the Preserve is managed by a trust and must produce sustaining income, a new and demanding  policy as opposed to being protected as a National Park.

On a recent trip to New Mexico, my group explored Bandelier National Monument in the morning (see previous blog post here) then headed, by car, up a pass into the Jemez Mountains. Upon partial descent an enormous field of gold suddenly appeared. The 180 degree head turning sight was so unexpected and vast, it justifies the term jaw dropping gorgeous. Everyone in the van gasped with oohs and aahs. The hollowed out valley looked like a former test site for an atomic bomb now overgrown with grass resembling melted butter.  Unfortunately rain started to fall and low lying clouds and fog crept in, limiting the visibility and photo opportunities.

The ponderosa pines at Valles Caldera

Nonetheless, we met with guides who shared their telescopes permitting us to spy on an elk herd of 2,500-3,500 in the distance. Seeing hundreds of animals as tiny specs put  the enormity of the area into perspective.  The majestic acreage  including Redondo Peak at an elevation of 11,254 feet encompasses forests, grasslands and wetlands which are open to the public.

We drove down into the Preserve through a flourishing grove of ponderosa pine and seized the opportunity to get out of the rain and picnic inside a three bedroom bunkhouse.The rustic but upscale rental property felt log-cabin cozy and the living room offered panoramic views of  the valley. The bunkhouse, another lodge which sleeps sixteen people, as well as primitive campsites can be reserved- think family reunion.

The Valles Caldera Trust is experimenting with methods to use, sustain and fund the Preserve with activities and events such as:  cross country skiing , snowshoeing, sleigh/wagon rides, fly fishing,  turkey hunting, equestrian trail riding, hiking, van tours, photography workshops, mountain biking, marathon races and archery contests. They also run educational workshops and camps while continually watching for ecological change.

A small cabin rests within the Valles Caldera

Rob Dixon, Recreation Program Manager said, “We keep the numbers of visitors small so you’ll feel like you have the place to yourself. This means you can really experience a sense of solitude. I’m sure you’ll find the visit unlike any other you’ve had in a park or national forest.” I was impressed with the park and the dedicated staff. Let’s hope this type of national  preservation program works.

Canada – A Delightful Day in Halifax

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Canon Firing at the Citadel in Halifax

Following a delayed and circuitous route to Nova Scotia (don’t get me started with airline delays) I arrived in Halifax, Canada by evening. So did my friend, Barb, from Colorado and that left us with a day to explore the city before our photography workshop with Bryan Peterson. But, I was also left without my luggage.

We began walking in the direction of the Old Burying Ground across from Government House (circa 1799) which reminded me of civic buildings in Belfast or Edinburgh. I’d passed a statue of Queen Victoria on my taxi ride into town, giving another UK feel to the city.

The Old Burying Ground, Halifax

The haunting old cemetery dates back to 1749 and holds over 12,000 graves but only 1,200 headstones. A number of the markers are carved with detailed motifs common to the 1700-1800’s and contain poignant epitaphs honoring the deceased. Stopping here brought a  personal connection to the early maritime history of the province.

We strolled along Barrington Street to St Paul’s, the first church built in Nova Scotia and the oldest building in Halifax. The church survived the tremendous explosion of 1917 when two warships carrying TNT collided in the harbor. The resulting fire, said to be the largest blast before the atomic bomb, caused a death toll of 1,900 with an additional 9,000 injured.

Reaching City Hall, we headed uphill toward the Citadel, one of the most visited National Historic Sites in Canada. Rightly so;  this stronghold presents living history, costume and color, plus a grand view of the seaport below. The star-shaped enclosure was built in the19th century as a British fortification with multiple lookouts. I reckon it would be nearly impossible for a surprise attack.

Every noon the 78th Highlanders perform a gun ceremony and blast the canon atop the Citadel. Unfortunately, we just missed the event but encountered a friendly bagpiper dressed in a green plaid kilt.  Another member of the regiment, festooned with an ostrich-feathered hat, took us on a  tour of the musket galleries, garrison cells and parade grounds. Barb and I snapped away at the photo worthy changing of the guard and smaller canon firing by the royal artillery.

Changing of the Guard, The Halifax Citadel

We then stopped at corner of Argyle and Sackville Street for lunch at Durty Nelly’s, an authentic Irish Pub which was designed and built in Ireland and shipped to Canada. The restaurant sports an elongated wooden bar and apparently is ‘ the  place’ for listening to the Craic, what the Irish call storytelling and partying. FYI- My seafood chowder was mighty fine, too.

Halifax boasts a deep, natural harbor, actually the second-largest in the world which called for investigation.  A ferry crosses the harbor to and fro Dartmouth so we grabbed a seat and began photographing the skyline and waterfront. Apparently you can ride all day on your $2.50 ticket. Sadly, we did not leave time for  The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the city’s signature museum. To be honest, my feet were killing me as I’d worn heeled boots on the plane and they were my only shoe choice.  If I ever return I’d like to see the Titanic displays in the museum. Halifax was closest to the tragic sinking of the oceanliner.

The Great Halifax Harbour

We strolled along the restored buildings on the wharf, a popular tourist haven, and stopped into Nova Scotia Crystal. To my surprise, we found crystal being mouth blown, hand-cut and etched right there in the factory. Irish artisans hoping to keep their craft alive opened the facility in 1996 and  it remains the singular crystal manufacturer in Canada. Each master craftsmen, from glass blower to cutter, have apprenticed their skills for a minimum of ten years. The  showroom pieces glisten in the light and tempt purchase, but watching the operation remains the best part.

Etching a goblet at Nova Scotia Crystal

After just one day in the walking- friendly city, I felt I had it under control. The layout is straight forward and pretty directionally unchallenging.  The thing I will remember was the aura of welcome emanating  from the citizens: the baristas in Starbucks,the regimental members in the Citadel, the waiters and waitresses and workers on the ferry. They couldn’t have made a tourist feel more appreciated, something I don’t usually perceive in American cities.   At the time, I did not know the awe inspiring sense of wonder  I would garner from the Oceanstone Inn near Peggy’s Cove, but, I left Halifax grateful to have taken the extra day to tour and connect.

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If you go:

Beautiful Nova Scotia Crystal

The Halliburton, a boutique hotel, became an excellent choice for downtown lodging within easy walking distance of all the sites. The inn, now connected with three townhouse-style buildings, was built in 1809 for the Nova Scotia Supreme Court’s first chief justice. Their small restaurant offered service and food far above expected and really quite sensational.

Read also about lodging at the Oceanstone Inn in my previous article here: A Mystical Escape in Nova Scotia.