Eze!

Here we go on a roll. Two posts in one day. This is an all time record.

These pictures are from the city of Eze. It's about a 15 minute train ride and a 2 mile hike UP to get there. So I hiked that baby, fully aware that there was a bus. And I'm not sure if it was because I was slightly delusional from lack of water or the high altitude, but it felt worth it after I got up there.

Eze is a medieval town located on the top of what I would consider a mountain. The medieval part of it did help to assuage the pains of not being able to attend the rennfest this year. However, there were neither turkey legs, nor drunken pirate wenches. 

Here is evidence that I undertook such an endeavor.

Pictures of Nice

Okay Everyone!

Here are some pictures from Nice. I'll explain as we go along.

Place Garibaldi.

 

 

 

The Following are pictures from the garden outside of the Monastery.

Here are some views of Nice from the garden.

 

 

Roman ruins near the monastery.

Two Sundays ago we sought to climb the Colline du Chateau. It's the hill right next to the coastline and allows for the most breathtaking views of Nice and the Mediterranean.

Okay so these were all the photos of Nice so far. 

Hope you're all about to get on a plane right now and visit me

More Bragging

Okay, y'all.  Here's another picture of the plage (beach) to make everyone jealous. If you just come visit me then there will be no reason for such sentiments.

This is a picture of a beautiful cote d'azur. This is also where I have been residing. It is merely a 10 minute walk away from where I live. Also there are no sharks, drug dealers, but no sharks.

In this picture you can see the Colline du Chateau. It's a lovely place to take lots of lovely pictures from a high vantage point. At the top there is also a waterfall, a man playing classical guitar, and a lack of bathrooms.


Some notes on the people of Nice. 

They are all very friendly and generous

Exhibit A: The Drug Dealer
     One night at the plage a drug dealer approached us. He asked us if we were interested in buying some hashhash. Upon hearing our refusal, he still sought to make friends and offered us all beers. Those beers were then sniffed, examined, and poured out. But on the slight chance that those beers had not been roofied, then he would have been the most accommodating drug dealer that I have ever come across.

Exhibit B: The Old Man at the Book Market.
    The other day while perusing a book market I had the fine opportunity to make the acquaintance of a charming old man. He looked at the books I was about to purchase and remarked that I must be some sort of student. (good guess) After a few exchanges in which he learned that I was a study abroad student and that I would be taking an entrance exam on Monday, he requested that I join him for lunch once I found out the results. When I said that I was about to be busy, he offered me champagne in a desperate attempt for a reconsideration. For the sake of the old man, I like to think of him as a bit demented rather than creepy on the off chance that that champagne would not have been roofied as well.

Okay. I'm off to Eze at the moment. It's a medieval town on a top of the hill.
I will be sure to take a lot of pictures that I won't end up posting.

But I shall leave you with a haiku addressing my lack of posts.

Haiku no. 7
I Have Friends, I swear

I've just been busy
I promise that I have friends
Will post more later

Do as the Mediterraneans Do!

Haiku No. 6: Olive Oil

 Olive Oil, pour some!

Liquid gold, gift from the earth

It makes food yummy

The second week in Nice has started. I have finally situated myself to the extent that I have officially gotten the feeling that I've lived here for more than just one week. I can finally make it 2 blocks without pulling out my map, am no longer startled when I see an old fat lady topless on the beach, and have learned that when you are talking to a French person in English and they randomly say "a penis" they are more than likely trying to say Happiness.  Life is great!

As of now, I have only been familiarizing myself with Nice rather than visiting near by towns. However, there is much of Nice to explore, by which I mean the beaches. I have made it a personal goal to take in the as much of the Mediterranean as I possibly can before it gets too cold. So far I'm well on my way to satisfying my goal, having spent each day there for at least a few hours, don't hate.

 A few notes on the waters of the Mediterranean Sea in comparison to those to which I am familiar:

1. It is much saltier. Every time I exit the water and have dried for a little bit there are salt crystal already forming to the hairs on my shoulders. I might try and make a profit by selling it to sea salt distributors.

2. The water is incredibly clear. This is good for viewing all the little fishies swimming 20 feet below you but bad for when you need to pick a wedgie. 

3. After extensive googling, there are very few sharks and shark attacks. I swim at ease.

The picture above is my view from where I normally sit. Those are the rocks below La Colline du Chateau (the hill of the castle).  I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to swim directly across to Algeria, probably not on second thought.

And So it Begins!

Alright y'all

This is about my fourth attempt at a blog. (I'm only guessing because I'd prefer not to go back and count my failures. )

Yet, against my better judgement, I decided give it one last go on account of all the unrelenting pleas to hear of all my European escapades. Everyone, calm yourselves; I am only one person ;)

Unfortunately, I do not have a digital camera to document visually all that I come across down to the pebbles that I stepped on at the beach ;however, I have a minolta film camera, and a camera placed on the back of my cell phone. Thus, pictures will either be spaced far a few apart, and/or just crappy. I am solely relying on vivid detail and my wit to keep everyone interested in this blog. God Speed.