Lunch with the DelCano group

There are a lot of Brits in Lyon – in fact they are one of the biggest groups of expats here.  We are fortunate to have been adopted by members of the local Del Cano unit, a group of British with ties to the Royal Air Force.  (In case you are wondering - Juan Sebastián Del Cano was the officer in command when Magellan’s crew actually completed circumnavigating the globe.  Magellan had died in the Philippines part way through the voyage.)  The DelCano group is made up of Brits living in Lyon – either as retirees or employed here.  (And, a good many of them are pursuing French Citizenship due to Brexit, but that’s another story.)  Anyway, they have generously welcomed us colonials to their monthly lunches.

Some of the members chatting before the meeting. 
 (In the very rustic room.)

We typically meet for lunch at a restaurant in Vieux Lyon in a small room that is rumored to once have been a Roman cistern.  Very rustic and cosy.  The owner of the restaurant is quite pleasant and was once an exchange student in the US.  He enjoys chatting with Anna in American English about the US and often makes a special effort to be sure Anna totally understands the menu options.  (David says she must remind him of his American exchange “mother.”) 

Our menu:  David had the Terrine of Pâté, Anna had the beet soup (with a dollop of crème fraîche on top), and both enjoyed the Parmentier (Shepherd’s Pie), and crème brulée.

There were sixteen of us for lunch on Thursday – a good turnout for the group and just the right size for our meeting room.  Our speaker, a member of the group, told us about sailing around the Caribbean with his wife on their catamaran.  He has been sailing all his life and comes from a long line of sailors.  He told us that an ancestor was among those who volunteered their boats to defend against the Spaniards when the Spanish Armada was sailing in to attack.  His ancestor was recognized by Elizabeth I as a “Freeman” (a person who is given special rights as an honor), and the title has been passed down to the eldest son through the generations.   So, sailing is definitely in his blood!

Attached are the maps he used to illustrate his voyage:

It was quite the adventure!  He and his wife met some very interesting other sailors in various ports; they are still in contact with one couple that is sailing around the world.  He told us about returning to a safe harbor just in time to miss a major storm.  And, he mentioned the joys of sailing in the Caribbean – for example, starting the day off with a nice dip off the stern and into the water, and sailing along accompanied by dolphins that actually swam between the two hulls of the catamaran.  He and his wife are already planning sailing trips to take as soon as she retires. 

 

It’s easy to see why we are happy to join the Del Cano folks for lunch when we are in Lyon.  Interesting conversations and interesting fellow diners as well as fascinating speakers!