Fête des Lumières!!!

I know, I know. I have been seriously slacking in the blogging department, and I apologize. LOTS to catch up on, but I'm going to have to do it in shifts or I'll just keep putting it off. So this "catch up installment" will focus on the Fête des Lumières, i.e. the Festival of Lights. It happens every December 8th (and whatever weekend is around that time) and celebrates Mary, Jesus's mother, saving the city of Lyon from the plague. It used to just be a procession of people carrying candles up to the Fourvière in tribute to Mary on December 8th. Then it progressed to people putting little candles in their windows. And now, it's become a HUGE tourist attraction and lasts for 4 days with different buildings and monuments and neighborhoods having amazing light shows and displays. It's incredible. I'll just have to let my few videos and pictures try to give you an idea of what it's like. Basically, the city increases by about 4 million people for the Fête, and it's absolutely crazy downtown. You can't move, and inevitably the metro goes on strike to prove some sort of point, which they of course did this year too. Luckily, the metro line I live on is automatic and so isn't really affected. But yeah, it was awesome. We all went out to see the lights all 4 nights so it was kind of an exhausting couple of days since no one gets work off. But it was worth it. :)

Ferris wheel on Place Bellecour

Map of where lights are

Lights in Hotel de Ville

Place de Terraux Light Show

St. Jean Church light show

Strange little glowing statues that TALKED

Amazing light show with dancers and two screens near my apartment

The Fourvière lit up

Flower garden in Croix Rousse

Moment with Santa, Sam, and Sara (and a bottle of wine) at the Croix Rousse Christmas market

Part of the St. Jean church light show--one of my favorites

Part of the Place de Terraux light show--another fave