HISTORY
The Roman colony Lugdunum was founded in 43 BC at the Foriere mountain and soon became capital of Gallia Lugdunensis. The ‘Pax Romana’, the Roman Peace Treaty, enabled citizens to promote trade. It has been the Archbishop seat since 2 AD. Lyons together with Burgundy was part of the Gaul until 1307 when it was annexed to the Kingdom of France. During the time of the Renaissance, Lyons developed for the second time with trade fairs, international financial agreements, and new industries (silk) into the second largest city of France by the 18th century.
Travel to Lyons Photo Gallery
The second steward served the top-table exclusively while the other two tables were served by the rough and unpleasant man who I had encountered earlier. He made a point of banging down my plate with an exasperated sigh, to show his displeasure at serving me. We had a three-course lunch and ate with silver cutlery off crested china. The table cloth was of crisp white linen, as were the napkins, which were rolled within heavy silver napkin rings. The place had an antiquarian feel of faded splendour that was accepted by everyone without comment and which seemed at odds with the profanity and the suggestion of violence that hung in the air and pervaded the world outside. After lunch, I went back to my cabin. I saw Starling down on the deck as I walked along the flying bridge. He was following the second officer. He had smeared his snow-white boiler suit with black hand prints. I unpacked my possessions, stowing everything away as best I could in the functional lockers and drawers, then sat on my bunk and wondered what to do.
