Lille

Lille is another pretty city that gave me the feeling of quiet efficiency coupled with history.  It was pleasant to walk around the downtown area, just looking at people.  My friend asked if I wanted to go into a bookstore.  I said yes, heading towards one, and she shook her head. That's the expensive one, she said, and took me about a block away to a smaller but still well-stocked one.  Still a bit of a shock to see books in English labeled as Livres Étrangers. (Foreign books)

We went to a local restaurant called Les Trois Brasseurs (the three brewmeisters, I think).  It was kind of a burgers and beer place, and that's one of the vats that they make the beer in.

But not just burgers.

They insisted that I had to try Le Merveilleux, a hyperdense dessert.  As you can see, I didn't make much of a dent in it.

This, of course, is the entrance from the Lille metro to the Lille-Europe TGV station
Yes, really.

The Lille Europe Metro/TGV station (there are two -- the second,  Lille Flandres, is just across the street.). Nice, but if it's chilly out, wear a jacket -- the cold winds blow right through it.