My parents are flying over from NYC, renting a car in Milan and driving to Lyon to meet us. That’s love.

Lillian wakes with a start. “Today we drive to see grandma and grandpa!” She’s been counting down the days since the third day of this trip.

We get moving pretty late this morning, and it seems to take longer to pack everything up. It might be that the apartment is split over 3 levels, but I think it also has to do with organizing our things after getting the car back.

//Stefan Note: More space is more space to put stuff

We had such a good groove going, and that messed it up. Lillian is running around bossing us to stay focused and hurry up. Every minute spent on the computer is one with Lillian sighing heavily and rolling her eyes. It’s amazing how much she wants to get to Lyon and see her grandparents.

Stefan is sad to leave this place. It’s his favorite Airbnb so far. And there are so many things to do in this area that we feel we could spend another week easily. In a relaxed way too. It doesn’t help leaving when the sun is shining so beautifully too. I think this is the best weather we’ve had all week! The sun is shining, and there’s a cool breeze. Two guys are jogging the stairs outside our house up and down many times, making me feel super lazy.

We finally, finally get the car loaded. It’s 1pm. Wow.

We are starving, but luckily the kids aren’t complaining. Just me.

//Stefan Note: some would say complaining, some would say demanding last rights as the end is neigh

Stefan tries to make me fast by passing by at least three different exits for food. It’s 2:30pm before he finally pulls over for food. It’s an old restaurant and inn that I don’t think would normally entice us. Desperate times…

We order three plats du jour, understanding that to be some sort of pork and rice. Maybe. We sit on the the patio, with one other group that looks to be made of regulars. It’s very quaint, and the food is good. We scarf it down at record speed and get back on the road.

When we decide we’d like to go to the Pont du Gard on our way to Lyon, increasing our drive by an hour, Lillian graciously agrees, despite her excitement to see her grandparents. The Pont du Gard is a lot more commercial than I anticipated. You pay 18 Euros for a car and up to 5 people. There’s a nice parking lot, and then you walk through some places to buy snacks, like ice cream, and a shop. There is a small museum that we don’t see because we have Oliver (the dog) with us. We walk farther along a paved path to arrive at the Pont du Gard. I’ve been looking forward to seeing this for a long time, but it’s weird to arrive at it from such a new, touristy entrance. Of course it’s impressive. And it’s fun seeing crowds swim and kayak in the river below. I wish we had more time to spend, so we could get in the water. Stefan is thankful we don’t have to be around all these people any longer.

Stefan Note: to many people, not looking forward to Italy now

After an ice cream we get back on the road to Lyon.

We arrive around 7:30pm and find a parking spot on the sloping street where our Airbnb is. My parents meet us, and both kids are so happy to hug their grandparents. I know they miss grandma and grandpa, but I think these feelings are exacerbated by the lack of any interaction with familiar people.

We enter a gate and walk down a small winding path with tall rock walls on each side. Then we read a set of stairs. Then another, this time small and winding. We turn off to get into a sort of mud room. Then our front door. This place definitely wins for most interesting entrance.

The Airbnb is really nice. We have incredible views of the city with its red-tiled roofs. The kids’ room has bunk bed, but it also has two other beds. Oly picks one to be his. Lillian wants to sleep on the top of the bunk bed.

The kids open some presents grandma and grandpa bought. Yay for new summer pjs! (It’s been so hot). The kids zoom around the room in their new superhero masks and capes. Oly keeps giving hugs and kisses to whoever is nearest because he’s overjoyed.

We head down to the street down the hill. Apparently we are halfway between the street below and the street above. This is not true. There are many more steps down to the street than the ones we’d taken down to the apartment. 145 exactly. It feels like we are living in a secret labyrinth. Pretty cool.

We walk only a couple blocks before we select the bistro at the corner by our apartment. While I don’t think they speak very much English, the staff is very nice. There’s a lot of Quenelle on the menu, and not really knowing what that is but recognizing it’s a local delicacy, we order it. Mine is with garlic sauce, and it’s amazing. Like a savory pastry. Lilian eats an entire plate of gravlax for dinner, one of her favorite things. We sit and talk and eat and drink in the center of this lovely old restaurant. It’s perfect.