Bastille Day in Lyon — All was just fine here on July 14

I'm getting e-mails from worried family and friends in the U.S. who've heard the news of the atrocity that occurred in Nice last night. So I'd better give you some happier images to take the place of whatever you're seeing on TV.

I'm not in Nice. I'm in Lyon, where we had a most excellent celebration of Bastille Day last night.

The celebrations were held in the ruins of an old Roman forum. (The Romans built a city here around 43 BC.) When Marie and I got there last night around 7:30, Marie's granddaughter, Amelie, age 7, spotted us as we came in and rushed up to greet us.

We were each handed a soft cushion to protect our soft bottoms from the hard, cold stone seating. I wonder how the Romans dealt with this discomfort!

Here I am, sitting between Amelie and my cousin, Marie Therese.

And here are Amelie's mom and dad, Fabien and Juliette.

At 8:00 the concert began. This was billed as an evening of accordion music. The first group played music from Mediterranean cultures. 

During the intermission, the people in front of us went to get beer and gaufres — waffles with Nutella!

The second group of musicians included accordionists from Ireland, Italy, Finland, and the Basque area of Spain.  They were terrific!  

Just as the concert was ending, the fireworks began!

And then more music!  First there was music from the French island of Réunion. I missed that, as we all went to get our own gaufres. Yum!

And then a jazz band played. Marie and I went to check it out. 

Picture a mosh pit; everybody was dancing at the base of the forum, even Marie and I (just for a little bit.)

Midnight found Marie and me waiting for the funicular to take us to the bottom of the hill.  Then we took a subway to the parking lot where Marie had left her car — free parking for those who take the public transit downtown. It was 1:00 when we got home, where the terrible news from Nice was waiting for us. Ach. 

This morning we are fine, just very very sad. And worried.