Hah. I am letting my nails dry while I update the blog. It could be a mess...
So, Lille. I was in Lille yesterday to check it out and I have to say, it was a very pleasant little trip. Of course, I took the Flixbus out of Bercy Seine in Paris at the crack of dawn and took the 3.5 hour ride out to Lille. The views were of course scenic and the landscape green and lush. I always like that aspect of the trips I have taken on Flixbus. The relaxing ambiance and then, the scenic views. Of rolling green meadows and sometimes a hill, often a few animals like horses, and the panorama of open, endless sky. I don't get that in Paris so it is very nice to have it when I go off on these little adventures.
I am really loving my little adventures, including the journey there on Flixbus. So far, excellent with Flixbus. I just can't believe how easy and agréable this mode of transportation has been so far.
Lille did not disappoint. It is a charming, interesting little city. I would say it was one of the easiest to get around. Very comprehensive. Very clear. Even I could not get lost in a city like Lille. Simplicity and clarity of directions. A metro that makes sense and is not a labyrinth like the one in, say, Brussels. And I say that with all due respect to Brussels which is a fine city but the Metro is a freaking labyrinth and does not make intuitive sense. In Lille, the metro makes intuitive sense. I would have absolutely no problem in Lille in terms of mobility - getting around Lille.
So the bus pulled up at the Gare de Flandres I hit the square like a ton of bricks cause I wanted to make the most of limited time. It was still kind of early on a Sunday morning when we arrived so the streets were not overflowing with people yet; that would happen by the time I was leaving around 6 pm. So I had a relaxing time just taking in the architecture and taking my pictures for Instagram. All the shops were closed on Sunday in Lille so that was a bit, shall we say, weird for a New Yorker like myself. Even in Paris shops are starting to be open on Sundays but it is still a thing in France to have shops closed on Sundays.
Anyways, I really wanted to check out this massive flea market in this part of town called Wazemmes. I had read on line that it is pretty formidable. And it is. I think maybe it is the biggest flea market I have ever seen so far in terms of just stalls. The stuff was not really antiques though. Although, maybe I did not get to see that part of the market. It is all stuff like the flea market at Boulevard Brune in the 14th so I did not buy anything because I can get the same things in Paris. Except for these knives. I saw a guy selling dinner knives and I liked them and picked up four. The price was right and I think they add to my collection without duplicating what I already have. So that was a do.
Right after that, I stopped in at a little art gallery in the same area to check out an exhibition. They were serving wine and cheese and as soon as I stepped in, I was of course the center of attention. Inside, I found myself giggling because why do I have this effect on people where they look at me as if I have seven heads just to go into an art gallery to view the art? Am I really that unusual?? I can't possibly be that atypique.
After the flea market and art gallery, I got back on the Metro and came off at Beaux Arts where their biggest eponymous museum is located. Turns out there was a special event that rendered the museum free of charge to enter. Usually it is free on the first of the month but yesterday, due to extenuating events, it was free so good for me. I was able to go in and see their collection. It was very nice and I took a ton of snapshots in there too.
After, I checked out a band playing in front of the museum and then I got back on the Metro to return to the main part of town. Once there, I visited the cathedral which is majestic! I could not believe the architectural details in there. For a country with so many atheists France has some of the most magnificent and stunning places of worship I have ever seen in my life.
Most of the rest of the afternoon I spent strolling around the Vieux Lille quarter and taking snapshots. The city reminded me of Brussels (no wonder they say there is a heavy "Flemish" influence in Lille) but also it reminded me of Vienna, Austria. But in the end, it definitely has a character of its own and from my perspective, is a very charming little city.
Lille is full of young people and students so it has a very young, dynamic energy - even on a Sunday afternoon. I can totally see why everyone thinks it is a university town. It has a cool, youthful vibe to it and I really liked it.
In all, a very nice, very enjoyable Sunday adventure. I highly recommend a visit to Lille if you haven't already done so.
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