VENCE
An excellent petit déjeuner in Vence (above)! On my way out of Vence, I stopped to get a few more things from my Airbnb, which, at this point, is acting as a (costly) storage unit. Sigh…
At any rate, here are a few observations from my couple of hours there. First, more proof that people don’t look at the door as an entrance, hence the bike parked carelessly across it. I had to move it to get inside.
His-and-Her morning acrobatics at the local art museum
Littering is rare in the cities I’ve been to in this part of France. As I was walking down the path to the bus stop, though, I saw someone’s attempt to, at least, be a thoughtful litterer.
ANTIBES
I made it to Antibes by early afternoon and walked the five minutes to the hotel. I stayed four nights, where I ate well, swam in the Mediterranean, and explored the city on foot. Bus travel is easy (and inexpensive — a ride is 1.5 Euros), so one day, took a bus to Cap d’Antibes, where huge, elegant villas perch behind high walls on quiet, tree-lined streets, to find a more private swimming area than what the broad, sandy beaches provided. I found a jewel of one, where there were, max, 20 people. The water felt glorious! No pics from that outing, though, as I had taken no phone, feeling like the less I had there, unattended, the better. I need not have worried, as I think people in that cove were looking out for one another.
These bronze (?) figures were graceful and amusing. When I initially spotted the third one, I truly thought it was a person hanging there, as a busker pretending to be a statue. As I got closer, I saw how the attachment to the cable was so minimal that no human could sustain such a hold. It was that real, that it took time to process that it was not! Frankly, it was even a mystery as to how the figure, of whatever material, could be suspended with so little contact to the ring holding it.
As I was sitting by the hotel pool (more decorative than functional, alas), I noticed a sign on one of the tables announcing poolside specials. One of them was a “Salade de Pastèques.” I must confess that I had only learned what a pastèque was a couple of months ago, when I bought some La Croix of that flavor in Denver! I decided to go for it, along with an Apérol Spritz, and soon found myself in watermelon heaven! Once it was eaten, and the drink had been consumed (relevant), I felt the need to make some sort of artistic statement, and thus organized the rinds into a little amphitheater. Don’t worry, I wasn’t driving and was OK to walk!
This is Old Town at dusk (sun sets about 9 pm here), where the tourists are especially abundant.
I had read that Germans flocked to the French Riviera in the summer, and there is plenty of evidence for that, as I hear their language everywhere. But, Antibes appeals across nationalities. At lunch one day, I spoke with a Kuwaiti family at the next table. Another day I met a lovely Swiss couple from Zurich at a bus stop and enjoyed their company for the ride. I’ve also run across plenty of Americans, Brits, and, yes, a few French folks, sprinkled in the mix.
One reader expressed disappointment that there were not more food photos! In an attempt to make amends, here are a few from recent meals. This was lunch at a delightful, tree-shaded, cafe in a small, secluded square. I ordered the Tarte aux Légumes, a veggie tart, and waited for about 20 minutes for it to appear. The explanation for the delay was immediately apparent. Talk about playing with your food! All manner of vegetables had been cut into interesting shapes and placed, sticking out, on top of the tart. And, yes, it was delicious! I felt obliged to follow this up with dessert, since the place was famous for its pastry. This was a Pavlova (meringue on the top, whipped cream on bottom, with strawberries in the middle). Merveilleux!
Finally, I revisited a restaurant I had enjoyed in September, the Restaurant Safranier. Here are some pics from that meal. I took the photo on the left from my table.
Next stop: Cannes
I’m going to catch the fireworks off the bay on the 30th on a dinner cruise, with the plan to meet up with some women from a FB group, where this event was posted. This week’s display is courtesy of Norway!
