The weather app told me I’d be sweating today but today was one of the best days I’ve spent in Lyon so far. Everything I did took my mind elsewhere– and I loved every moment of it.

We started the day off with a lovely morning trip to the market in Bellecour, where Carter, Yusur, and I began our taste testing of the city.

A delicious combo of peach, orange, and lemon! After a long and busy week, this was a much needed source of nutrition and it gave us a little kick for the rest of the day. The lady juicer prepped everything behind her–a wide selection of cut fruit to be thrown into the machine. I’ll be back for this next week!

Since coming to France, cheese has opened a whole other world for me. As we tasted tested, each little sample hit a little bit differently. What I found out? Cheese made with sheep milk is delicious and can be spread on a baguette very easily. I bought a slice of it and it might only last a week!

The next lucky contender was the frites. These frites were much stronger than its American counterpart. For only 2 euros, you get a pretty good amount! The crispiness, moisture, and taste amounted to the perfect texture. (It did lack a little bit of salt but we just asked the fry lady for more.)

This concludes the food reviews of Bellecour market. The next mission for us was to shop at vintage stores, and we found a bunch by Hôtel de Ville. One of them is called Fripes Ketchup and it has a cool downstairs cave that I almost overlooked (because it’s kind of hidden).

The smell in there was what you’d expect from being in a cave, but the lighting made you feel like you were entering a stage performance. It was very relaxed and definitely a special little place. In the back, a bright light shines on the wall above a mirror. It’s the perfect little spotlight for when you check yourself out; so beware of falling in love with what you try on!

Feeling like a local isn’t too hard. Despite not knowing French, a map and some friends will take you a long way. I look forward to what else this beautiful city has to offer and the adventures that have yet to come. Until then, I’ll be sipping on my Schweppes Agrumes.