Channeling Jackie O on the French Riviera

The study part of my study-abroad program finished up last week. To celebrate the end of our brush with the French education system, I traveled to the French Riviera with two of the girls from my program.

We flew in to Nice Monday afternoon and explored the city. We dropped our bags off and headed to the ocean. The beaches that run the length of Nice are not sandy beaches, instead they are gravel and stone, but the clear blue water of the ocean makes up for the lack of sand. The water reminds me of Lake Tahoe, how clear it is and how the water closest to the beach is a bright turquoise. We managed to pull ourselves away from the beach for a little bit Monday afternoon to explore the Lou Casteu park. The stairs up to the top were daunting, but our laziness was rewarded when around the corner we found a sign leading us the “ascenseur” (elevator) to take us to the top. The elevator dropped us off high above the rooftops of Nice at a public park with fantastic views of the city in each direction. After about an hour up there, we headed down the stairs (more manageable on the way down than on the way up) and had some drinks at a beach side bar and relished in the French Riviera life.

On the Nice coast

View from Lou Casteu Park

Steps to Lou Casteu Park

The sunsets in Nice are very nice

Tuesday morning we took the train from Nice about half an hour to Cannes and continued our adventure into the high class living that is the French Riviera. Our apartment was located about five blocks from the train station, which made day trips from Nice very easy. We visited an open-air market to buy some meat, cheese, and fruit (the only three food groups that matter here in France) for a picnic lunch and headed to the beach. The beach in Cannes is a real beach with sand unlike the ones in Nice and the water is just as pretty. We sat along a pier hanging our feet out over the water and proceeded to spend the next two hours developing deep sunburns. We walked up and down the streets of Cannes and walked past stores with names like Michael Kors, Chanel, and Salvatore Ferragamo—there is no shortage of designer shops in Cannes that’s for sure. Neither is there a shortage of high-class hotels. Each hotel we walked past had its own little restaurant across the street on its own portion of beach property. When our sun exposure had finally gotten the better of us, we took the train back to Nice and regrouped. We ventured into Vieux Nice for dinner and sat outside until 11pm, enjoying the weather and the charms the city has to offer.

Cannes

Cannes

Cannes beach

On Wednesday we were back on the train, this time going 20 minutes in the opposite direction to Monaco. And if we thought Cannes was high society, Monaco was over the top, on a whole other level entirely. One of the main draws to Monaco is, of course, the Monte Carlo Casino, and that’s where we were headed. We walked down from the train station to the casino but it doesn’t open until 2pm during the week so we went on a little self-guided tour of Monaco in search of some lunch. We walked through Monaco’s beautiful Japanese Garden and for the third day in a row found ourselves staring out into the blue ocean. We found a cute restaurant for lunch (accompanied, of course, with a glass of wine) and then headed back to the casino.

Stacey and Paige ready for the Monte Carlo

Monaco Japanese Garden

Was it my age? Was it my naïveté? Was it my small bank account compared to the rest of the Monaco population? Whatever it was, I did not have the sense to bring my ID with me that day. And so after walking in the doors of the casino, we were forced to turn back around leave. In retrospect, needing an ID to get into a casino makes sense, but maybe it's because I’ve been in Europe so long that I didn’t even think about that. However, we did find a smaller casino right next to the Monte Carlo that did not require ID so I was able to burn 5 Euros at the slot machine before we headed back to Nice. On the train, we decided that the only option was to come back to the Monte Carlo the next day, to experience the nightlife. Because there was no way we were going to come all this way to Monaco and not go inside the Monte Carlo.

Thursday morning we explored Vieux Nice (Old Town Nice). It reminded me a lot of Vieux Lyon oddly enough, with its colorful buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. On one of the larger streets we found a farmers market with vendors selling beautiful flowers, fruits and vegetables, as well as soaps and pieces of art. The farmers markets in each of the towns I visit have quickly become one of my favorite places to go. Purchasing goods aren’t necessary for absorbing the local culture!

Nice's Farmers Market

Vieux Nice

Thursday night we took the train back to Monte Carlo (IDs in hand). However when we arrived, we were once again turned away, this time for a different reason—our toes weren’t covered. My friend Paige and I were wearing sandals. However, we were also wearing dresses and so thought we fell within the dress code. We even checked the dress code online before we left! There was no mention about an open-toe policy. We couldn’t believe it. It was beginning to feel like the Monte Carlo just wasn’t meant to be this trip. Instead we went to a bar down hill from the Monte Carlo and waited for a couple of friends to join us before deciding what to do next. They were also in sandals and instead of trying their luck at getting into the casino just joined us at the bar. On our way out however, we told them to see if they could get im anyways. We watched them walk up the steps, and to our astonishment (and jealousy) they got right it. So naturally, we followed suit. WE MADE IT! It was a different man at the entrance this time, and he apparently did not have the same issue with our footwear. So, we happily paid our 10-euro entrance fee (rip-off though it was) and finally headed in to the casino.

What was the first thing we did once inside? Why what else but head to the bar. I ordered a vodka martini (shaken, not stirred) and my friend Simone ordered another 007 themed drink on the menu called the Vesper. Never again. Not sure how the vodka martini can be James Bond’s drink of choice, it is terrible. It has to be water in Daniel Craig’s martini glasses when he’s filming the Bond movies because there is no way he can drink all those with a straight face. I will be sticking to my fruity and girly drinks, thank you.

After throwing away 16 Euros on three ounces of vodka and one ounce of vermouth, I hit the slots to continue throwing money away.  It didn’t take long for the 20 Euros I had limited myself to to disappear into the abyss that is the slot machines. In my half an hour as a gambler, I learned that gambling is a two-process. Step one: pleading with the slot machines for your money back. Step two: acceptance.

My martini and I wondering where my Euros went

So my trip to the French Riviera set me back a couple Euros. I would also have to say it was one of my favorite trips so far. It’s pretty hard not to fall in love with the water, the high society, and the glamour. When I am rich and famous, I will be back. You can bet on that.

Bilbao, Spain

Just a couple of days after coming back from a long weekend in Florence, I was off again this past weekend. This time to Bilbao, Spain with my host sisters, Alexia and Muriel. We chose to go to Bilbao by rideshare and so we we’re picked up Friday afternoon in Bordeaux by a 25 year old guy and his girlfriend who were making the three-hour drive to Bilbao for the weekend.

We arrived at our hostel in old-town Bilbao around 8pm Friday night, checked in, and immediately hit the streets looking for some traditional Basque tapas for dinner.  Old-town Bilbao has a busy feel to it, with lots of people hanging outside restaurants and bars after dark. While walking around looking for a place to eat Alexia complained about the noise and the crowds of people out and about to which I reminded her that we were no longer in Bordeaux, this was Spain! And those two cultural lifestyles are completely different. 

Along the Nervion River

Old Town Bilbao

Bilbao is one of the coolest cities I have visited in my travels thus far. It is a relatively large city, with the Nervion River flowing through it. I have come to notice that the cities I’ve enjoyed the most typically have rivers flowing through it and it’s amazing how many cities in Europe do. We spent Saturday crisscrossing Bilbao on foot. We made the 40 min walk along the river to from our hostel to the Guggenheim Museum. I am not big on museums, but I liked this one. It is hard not to with its abstract architecture and the large puppy made of flowers that it has outside to greet guests. But even so, after about two hours my attention span was shot and it was time to move on. We moved outside and had a traditional French picnic with bread, cheese, fruit, and meat for lunch in a nearby park.

After lunch we meandered through the city, my preferred method for exploring a city. The check-in person at our hostel had given us a map of Bilbao and circled the highlights. We checked in with the map every once in a while to make sure we were 1) not lost and 2) not missing out on seeing something important. What struck me most about Bilbao was its architecture, and not just the Guggenheim architecture. Throughout the city, and especially in old-town, the buildings have a particular Basque style and are in a multitude of bright colors. However, once you cross the river and head towards the center of the city, there are very modern buildings of built of metal and glass like you would see in downtown SF. And then there is the Guggenheim and the Zubizuri Bridge which are in a whole other class of their own architecturally.

Making friends in front of the Guggenheim

Bilbao architecture at its most modern

Sunday we made plans to meet up with the couple who drove us to Bilbao around noon. We left Bilbao but we did not head straight back to Bordeaux. Instead, because the weather was in the high 70s, we headed to a small Spanish beach town, Bakio, and spent a couple hours lying on the beach and walking in the ocean. Of course after a couple hours in the sun I had a really nice sunburn going on my back. But I wasn’t complaining since we’re finally starting to have some nice weather after three straight months of cold and rain. I haven't found any aloe vera specifically back in Bordeaux, but my host mom did give me some cream that seems to be working on my sunburn just as well. 

Before leaving Spain for good, we drive 5 kilometers to make the trek to San Juan Gaztelugatxe, which is a church dedicated to John the Baptists, dating from the 10th century. Gaztelugatxe is an islet off the coast and is connected to the mainland by a manmade bridge. For all those planning their trips to visit, it is definitely a must-see, but it must be seen in footwear appropriate for hiking. My flip-flops were ill-advised. But more importantly, the views of the coast and the ocean are amazing and it was definitely worth the blisters. 

Finally we headed home around 6pm Sunday night. Our quick jaunt to Spain was quite the adventurous one!

San Juan Gaztelugatxe

View from atop Gaztelugatxe

Firenze, Italia

Buongiorno from Firenze! I've been in Florence for the long Easter weekend visiting Zoe and exploring Italy for the first time. My trip started off on shaky Italian legs as my flight which was supposed to land in Florence Thursday night was rerouted to Bologna because of the strong winds in Florence. I landed in Bologna and hopped on a 2 hour bus ride to Florence, encountering lots of traffic and no wifi to communicate to Zoe what was going on. However, I did end up making it to Florence around 9 pm Thursday night and was welcomed with open arms by Zoe and her parents, along with a nice big pizza.

Florence!

Zoe's parents were visiting Zoe for the week before I arrived and I got to hang out with them for the last couple days of their trip. Friday morning the four of us went to a cooking class and it was amazing! We were taught how to make a very Italian meal by the friendly Marcella. We made minestrone soup, two different pasta dishes (and made the fresh pasta ourselves from scratch!), and for dessert we made a seasonal fruit tart. We put our aprons on and the 3 hours flew by. The best part was that at the end, we ate the fruits of our labor together for lunch! It was truly an amazing experience.

Going to work, rolling the pasta dough

Florence is a special city because of its rich history and art. I am not usually one to appreciate such things, but Zoe and her family made sure I had my fill and we explored Palazzo Vecchio, Piti Palace, and Santa Croce the next two days, taking the appropriate number of gelato and pizza breaks. I was able to get into the art history spirit and did really enjoy seeing the tombs of Dante, Galileo, and Michelangelo inside Santa Croce church.

We take our medieval art very seriously

Santa Croce

Zoe and I parted ways with her parents Saturday night as they were heading back to Sacramento early Sunday morning. Sunday was Easter and as you might imagine, Easter is a big deal in Florence. Zoe and I headed to Il Duomo at 10 am to watch the exploding of the cart, a Florentine Easter tradition that dates back 350 years. A cart led by oxen is paraded around the city until it reaches the front of the Duomo. The cart is accompanied by drummers, flag throwers, and people dressed in historical costume.  The car is rigged with fireworks and at 11am in front of the Duomo, Zoe and I watched the fireworks display with thousands of tourists and locals alike. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was also a little concerning to us how close the fireworks were being set off to the Duomo! But the Italians had it all under control. After the ceremony, Zoe and I headed inside the Duomo and listened to mass in Italian. I had no idea what they were saying of course, but it was a magical place to be inside regardless.

Firecrackers exploding in front of the Duomo

Pre explosion of the cart

Inside the Duomo

After mass, Zoe and I walked around and explored the Florence's leather market and the Mercato Centrale, an indoor food market. We practiced our bargaining skills and Zoe brought down the price of the black leather purse I purchased from 35 euros to 20. I was impressed. From there, Zoe continued with her tour of the city, and proved to be a very knowledgeable tour guide, explaining various periods of Florentine history to me along the way.

Making deals in the leather market 

Today, Monday, Zoe and I had to take a break from the art history lessons to make some plans for the month of May. Both of our programs will be finished by the end of April so we are going to be traveling around Europe together for about 3.5 weeks in May before we head back to the states. I will keep you posted (pun intended) on where May takes us! In the afternoon we went for a run from her house to Piazza Michelangelo, which is across the Arno River and up into the hills. It was brutal on the shins but the view overlooking the entire city of Florence was amazing! And the run back down was not bad either.

Tonight we are eating dinner with Zoe's host family and then going to sleep early because my flight back to Bordeaux is at 7:05 am tomorrow morning. Her host family is very welcoming and her host dad speaks French which is nice for me because between talking to him in French and to Zoe in English, I am not totally lost here in Italy!

On the Arno