busy, busy, busy!

It's been a crazy last week. And now another week is about to start. Total nuclear research and conference engage mode time. The last two weeks of August will be so hectic and crazy that I haven't gotten anything ready yet. Things I should have gotten ready like....yesterday.

Oh and I changed my plane ticket from the 25th to the 31st. For legitimate reasons, it's for the open ended working group to take forward multilateral disarmament negotiations. For... not so legitimate reasons, for staying another week in Europe. I mean of course, I want to stay here for as long as possible, no doubt! Well, there's work combined with an extra week so yes, that's totally legitimate.

Apparently, every sunday in Lyon, I can hear a symphony of music coming from all the apartments around me. Some are nice, and some are not.. so pleasing to the ear. It's better than hearing drunk people in the streets singing in the middle of the night.

Between the craziness of running in and out of Geneva, I managed to find some time to head off for a day trip to Vichy, France. So beautiful and green. Combined with buildings from La Belle Epoque, the sources of thermal water, and old Vichy, it was a beautiful city to stroll around. Voici some pictures from Vichy:

Hôtel de ville

Old Vichy

A park that totally gives off the Belle Epoque vibe

An ancient house

Sources de Celestins. The thermal water, which supposedly has healing powers, is free

Mini Musée de Vichy

Musée de la Belle Epoque

So much history in Vichy and no one talks about it. There was barely anything on the second world war. There has to be something, I mean, after all, Vichy was the capital of the Nazi occupied France. I suppose I can understand why no one talks about it, since it was a.. darker period of French history. Vichy though, is a beautiful place. Next time I go, I will definitely get myself a spa treatment! Since it was a beautiful, sunny and not-so-hot day, there were people everywhere. Walking around the park in downtown Vichy, I felt like I was in the Belle Epoque sans the elegant clothes, of course.

I was quite hungry stepping off the train ride since it was around 13h30. For some reason, it took me awhile to find a boulangerie while pounding the narrow streets in those orange sandals. Luckily, I satisfied my hunger with a nice mushroom quiche and macaroon. 

And because it's my last 3 weeks or so in Lyon, I plan to take every advantage of being outside and eating pastries. In fact, I plan on getting a pastry everyday. It's a good thing I run and walk everyday!

View from Musée des beaux arts of Place des Terreaux

View from Fourvière at night

Bring on the craziness! I'm so ready for this. Happy Monday, everyone!