Aujourd'hui is Dimanche

Today is Sunday. 

Sunday means church. 

Sunday also means that all of the stores are closed in Lyon.

Originally I was a huge supporter of this.  I don't want to work on Sunday, so I'm glad that no one in Lyon has to work on Sunday. 

But sometimes you just need someone to work on Sunday.

I left my apartment with 10 minutes to get to church.  Not my smartest idea.  I had been talking to my host mom, and I didn't know how to say, "I'm sorry but I have to go to church now," so we just kept talking.

I first stopped at the grocery store where you can buy packs of ten tickets.  Except, it was closed.  And there was a creepy guy out front, so I quickly walked away (in the wrong direction) so that I didn't have to pass him again.

Naturally, I got lost on the way to the metro.  When I finally found it, it wouldn't let me use cash bills to buy my tickets, I had to use coins (weird, right?).  It also didn't accept my debit card, my other debit card, or my credit card.

At this point I accepted I was going to be late for church.  I also secretly hoped I could be a full hour late just so that I didn't have to show up to any specific class late.

Because I only had bills, I figured I would just stop at a boulangerie and buy something little with my bills so that I could get some coins to pay for my metro tickets.  However, I was afraid to venture off of the street where the metro stop was because I knew I would get lost and I didn't have a map.

So I walked down this street for about 30 minutes looking for an open store, except it's Sunday, and nothing is open.

Finally I accepted that it was time to go home and Google search how to walk to church (and possibly give up on this whole adventure).

As I was walking back, I passed a boulangerie.

An open boulangerie.

I know I shouldn't be glad that someone had to work on Sunday, but I was.

I walked inside, ordered my brioche natural in very poor French and handed her 10 euro.

She handed me back a 5 and a few coins.  I thought, "A five?  Lady, I need coins so I can buy my ticket for the metro!"

Except - of course - I can't say that in French.  So I said merci instead and hoped that somehow I could have enough coins for the metro.

I did.  I don't know how much my brioche natural cost, but it was less than 1 euro.  And now it's my new favorite kind of bread.

It symbolizes hope for the future.

And making it to church only an hour late.

And it also makes you want to cry a little bit from deliciousness and happiness and having enough money for the metro.

So tomorrow, (lundi) I will be buying a map and a pack of ten metro tickets.

As well as some brioche natural because I'll be exploring the city and I'll need as much help as I can get.