Saturday morning began bright and early 4:45. Bleck. We were planning on leaving the apartment at 5:10 to ensure we got the best seats on the bus but after Jessica slept through her alarm, we didn't actually leave until 5:25 or so. Luckily for us, the bus wasn't even there when we showed up so we still got the best seats (FYI on a crowded bus where you can't have a two seat thing to yourself, the best seats are the ones right in front of the door in back of the bus because you can lean your seat all the way back without worrying about squashing someone) and we managed to keep those seats for the whole trip. So most of my bus rides ended up in me taking a nap, which was lovely.
The bus ride to Monaco took about 5 hours and I slept for almost all of it. So, our first stop was Monaco Ville or the Old Town where the palaces, church and aquarium were. Even though it rained on us, it was still beautiful. We took a walking tour of the Old Town and it was essentially unfairly picturesque. There were orange trees blooming in people's front yards while ivy crept up their pastel houses. Really though. Obviously the people of Monaco can afford it but still. It was gorgeous. We also got our lunch break here - I got a baguette avec jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) which was actually pretty good. And I got to practice my French (although, just like I expected, it blended with my Italian).
Garden (with a hint of the Mediterranean in the background)
Typical Monaco street
Grave of Grace Kelly
Me!
One of the harbors
After our tour of Old Town, we went down in Montecarlo for our other walking tour. Which was essentially just the tour guide leading us up to the square with the casino and then letting us go. We really didn't have any time so we basically took pictures, went in the casino for a hot second and then got back on the bus. Again, another gorgeous area. Definitely a must-go-back-to place. Especially in the summer when the weather's nice. I kind of want to live there now. But, as I am now aware, it's super difficult. There's only like 30,000 people in the whole country but only about 5,000 are citizens. Tough break.
One of the most famous bends of the F1 Grand Prix - I've never watched it but now maybe I'll have to, since I've been there
Me with the casino
Casino - it's huge!!
Then it was off to Nice. We were on the bus for about an hour - during which our guide did not stop talking the whole time so I couldn't even nap. Rude. And she just kept repeating herself. Yes, thank you, I know how many inhabitants are in Monaco now, you don't need to say it for the 5th time. Anyway, on our way down into Nice, we stopped at a lookout overlooking the city and I was already excited.
View of Nice
Yours truly
Flowers growing by the lookout - I thought they looked very South-of-France-ish
Then we drove down into Nice for real. After making several circles around the city, we finally pulled into our hotel. We essentially got to drop our luggage and sit for 5 minutes before it was time for our walking tour. We took a very quick tour of the historic part of Nice, which was really pretty. The buildings are all done in the typical pastel colors of the Mediterranean but with more reds and blues. There were cafes everywhere and chocolate stores and yeah. I definitely felt like I was back in Paris.
Street - see the colors?
Cafes
Market - in the morning, it was all flowers but at night it turned into restaurants
A restaurant done in the red and blue I liked - with cute little lights too
After our walking tour, we had about 2 hours of free time before dinner so we made a beeline for the beach and essentially just traced it around Nice for a long time. The beach was made of pebbles - so no walking on it but don't think for a second I didn't touch the water and we didn't take lots of silly pictures on the beach (I think the best ones are on Facebook). So we hung out on the beach for a bit and then followed the path next to beach around for awhile, passing a soldiers' monument and ending at the harbor. Even though I couldn't walk on the beach, it was still so refreshing to smell salt water and to touch the ocean. And now I officially can't wait to go to the beach this summer.
Beach
See I told you - pebbles
Water hitting the rocks - I felt like quite the photographer for getting this
Normal picture
Silly photo
Harbor
All lit up
After walking around, we went back to hotel and got to rest for about 20 minutes before meeting up for dinner. I was so excited for dinner and then so disappointed. They had the chance to give us really good food and they spoiled it. We had nicoise salad (tuna, eggs and olives) which was fine, but then we had some weird chicken dish that was essentially just baked chicken with brown sauce that tasted like nothing except strong lemon. So that was not really anything. We of course had pommes frites which were good and for dessert, we had ice cream cake which was fine except we literally watched them cut it out of a box. Not impressed. After dinner, some of us went and found a cafe where we got a milkshake kind of drink and a Nutella and banana crepe - which was awesome. I'm definitely going to indulge in crepes in Paris. And now I'm really excited and hungry again. After hanging out for several hours, we all just went back to the hotel and crashed.
Salad
Chicken and pommes frites
Ice cream cake
The next morning we were up bright and early for breakfast at 7 and departure at 8. We were seeing 3 cities that day so it was going to be a long day. Our first stop was St. Paul de Vence, which was a medieval town on a hill. It actually reminded me a lot of Peniscola except that it wasn't surrounded by the Mediterranean. So yeah, it was beautiful. And really small so we basically walked the whole city in an hour or so and then it was time to leave. I did get a macaroon before we left - raspberry and it was delicious.
Village
Stairs
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| More silly pictures |
Me!
Macaroon
Art installation - some woman put up all these different colored glass panes walking up to the village and encouraged you to take pictures through them and email them to her.
Then it was off to Cannes. We just got more free time on our own, so we walked around for a bit, including walking through an antique market, walking past the big theater (including the stars handprints) and along the beaches in front of the famous hotels and such. We also stopped for lunch at this small cafe where I got a croque-madame - yumm. Another food I'm going to have to repeat in Paris. After lunch, we walked back towards the bus, did some more fun poses on the rocks and I actually got to walk along the beach and put my feet in the water, since it was a sand beach. Cold but refreshing. And then sadly, it was time to leave. I'm glad we got to see so much but we were really rushed and I definitely need to go back to all these places.
Theater where the film festival is held
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| Julie Andrews' handprints |
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| There were cafes that were literally on the beach - unfortunately, they were also super expensive. But maybe one day when I have boatloads of money |
Entrance to the Carlton - the most famous hotel in Cannes
Lunch - delicious
Real sand beach - so jealous
Me!
After Cannes, we went to Eze. Okay really, we went to a famous perfume factory outside of Eze. We didn't have any time to actually go up into the city, but the perfume factory was pretty cool. And they had some really nice smelling perfume. I thought about buying some but I ended up not doing it.
I really don't know what I want to do for souvenirs. I feel like I need to have something from the places I go but I can't think of what it could be, besides photos. I really don't collect postcards or maps or flowers or patches and I don't really need anything. Maybe I'll get a brilliant stroke of genius soon.
Beakers and stuff for making perfume
Distiller thing
Eze from below
After Eze, we began the long journey back to Florence. We got stuck in a couple of traffic jams, stopped for dinner where I got the Italian equivalent of a Lunchable (bread, salami and cheese in a pack) and eventually got home around 11. Once we got home, I talked to the family, did homework and collapsed into bed.
Monday was nothing too special. Holocaust class was fine. She started talking about the final paper and I was like, "Uh huh like I'm totally thinking about that right now." No. Italian class was also fine. We covered something I've been confused about so that was nice. Got more tuna to make tuna salad sandwiches for lunch. And chips and salsa.
Then it was cooking class. We had a quiz - not entirely sure how that went. And she talked to us about the midterm - not entirely sure how that's going to go. I hope it's something where even if I don't know the specific answer, I can at least say something. And honestly, I think her English is so bad that even if it looks right she'll give me credit. And she likes me because I went to the restaurant visit. So I think it'll be okay.
For cooking, we made a lot. Gnocchi with potatoes and a butter and Parmesan sauce (good but the students forgot to poke holes in them so they were more like pasta lumps but still good), gnudi (essentially the filling of gnocchi without the pasta) with ricotta and spinach dipped in a tomato sauce, tomato soup (pretty good but not really soupy enough for me), chicken cacciatore (really good and something I can make here so I will definitely be replicating that) and for dessert, cantuccini with Vin Santo (also pretty good - little too soft to be real cantuccini but still good).
Pappa al pomodoro - tomato soup
Gnocchi (top) and gnudi (bottom)
Chicken cacciatore
Cantuccini con Vin Santo
So finally, that brings us to today. Had a museum visit this morning - not particularly interesting and it was raining. It's been raining for like two weeks here. I hope it clears up soon. Liz is probably not too happy with the weather - her boyfriend is here for the week. Bad news - we don't see her but good news - I get my own room for a week. Oh yeah. Then me and Jessica went to the international market which no one had told us about before now. And there we found taco seasoning, soy sauce, baked beans, tortilla chips, salsa, Betty Crocker products, etc. We were happy we found it but annoyed it took us so long. And we can't even have any of the Betty Crocker stuff because it requires an oven. Which we do not have. Not amused.
After a quick nap, I had my literature class, which was fine. We did a general introduction to the Divine Comedy so I'm hoping next class we get to do the Inferno. The fact that I'm so excited is probably kind of sad but whatever, I don't care. I love the Inferno. And I'm excited to read the other two. After class, I had lunch, read (reading the Casual Vacancy finally - I'm reserving my opinion until I'm done), took a nap, messed around and now I'm finishing this. And tonight for dinner, Jessica and I are making tacos. Well, we're going to try. I'll let you know how it goes.
Tomorrow should be fairly average. Keyword: should.
Ciao!!
OK- Let's just cash it all in and move to Monaco!!
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