Usually I am a big fan of inside. There is no risk of sunburn or getting caught in the rain, it's generally not too hot or cold, and it is highly unlikely that bears will come and devour me. Plus, internet. Every one in a while, though, I am not opposed to taking a stroll outside, which is when I realize that it is actually a lovely place, and I should really spend more time there. Then the internet withdrawal kicks in. But it's nice to have a reminder that nature can be beautiful.
I was acutely aware of this when I paid my first visit to the Citadelle this afternoon. Many of my friends had mentioned it in passing, and I'd seen it marked on maps, but until today I had only a passing interest in going. Now I am regretting not going sooner, although I think it is a place best enjoyed in nice weather, which Lille has not had in abundance while I've lived there. The Citadelle is a park built within the confines of the old city walls, which form a pentagon. There is a military installation there, which I suppose is where the name comes from, but most of the land is devoted to pedestrian paths, small forests, and playgrounds. It is absolutely gorgeous, and the best part was how cut off from the rest of the city it felt. It was so quiet; if I strained my ears hard enough I could hear the faint wail of the European ambulance, which is almost always going off (Lille is, after all, a reasonably large city), but mostly it was positively serene. I walked around and eventually found a fairly secluded log, where I sat and listened to a few chapters of A Ring of Endless Light. The atmosphere of the Citadelle was ideally-suited to getting lost in the story of Vicky Austin; the place and the writing are equally poetic. It's only about half an hour's walk from my place, which settles the matter: I have found my new hang-out place for nice days. Today was one of my favorite days in Europe so far, and I don't think I'm likely to forget it for quite some time.
