Travel Log
Posts Tagged ‘french’
In And Around Nice
Another night train and I leave Spain behind and travel on to the French Riviera. I had planned on stopping in Marseille but once again I couldn’t get reservations. A lesson that I have learned the hard way is that hostels are extremely popular here during the summer and they book up quickly. So I skipped Marseille and went directly to Nice France. The sleeper trains are definitely the way to do long distances. It’s terrific to go to bed and wake up at your destination. Arriving first thing in the morning also makes finding the hostel and getting oriented in a new town so much easier.
What a change a 30-minute train ride can make. After a short intercity journey I arrived in the film festival capital of the world, Cannes France. Unlike Nice, Cannes is an amazingly clean city with pristine beaches. A short walk from the train station I stopped in a boulongerie for a pastery and cafe au laut. Yummm, what a great way to start the day. The French really know how to do pasteries and they brew really rich, strong coffee.
Bastille Day
I missed the Fourth of July celebrations in the States this year but I made up for it by joining the French in celebrating Bastille Day. I was still in Nice for the festivities. Bastille Day is a big thing for the French and they celebrate it much like we celebrate July 4th back home.
The city of Nice pulls out all of the stops for the party. There were stages set up along the promenade and live bands played until late into the night. Food and beer vendors with pushcarts were strategically located near the music and the main entrances to the beach. Some friends and I got a few bottles of wine and some pizza and went and staked out our own spot on the beach below the main stage. At around 21:30 (9:30pm) the real show began. With the French national anthem blasting at ear splitting levels, the fireworks began. The show was amazing and lasted over an hour. They had two barges anchored a little way off shore and one or the other, and sometimes both together, lobbed fireworks into the perfectly clear night sky. What a great way to end a day.
So this year the cheer was “Vive la France” rather than “God Bless America” but the feeling was remarkably similar. This was one of my best days in France.
Paris Highlights
I did so much while in Paris that I’m sure that I’ve already forgotten many of the details. I’m still running about two weeks behind on updating my Blog but I’m doing the best I can. I’m currently in Berlin so I’ve been to Bruges, Brussels, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam since I was in Paris. I don’t think I’ll ever get caught up completely.
