Nice to Pisa, ITALY: 6.16.07

Making progress,

we leave for our first Italian stop over:

famous Pisa, Italy!

Map: Nice, France to Pisa, Italy

A few hours on an eastbound train, a fairly disgusting mayonnaise sandwich takes the place of our missed breakfast.

Sharing a train car and conversation

with some American women from San Francisco, CA.

Soon, a train change is necessary somewhere in northern Italy. The bustling platform leaves few seats for the weary travelers and it does not take long for us to meet new acquaintances as we await our connecting train. 

The Italian mother and son we converse with

understand much of our Spanish, 
and likewise, we understand much of their Italian.

Back on the train, we share a car with a young mother and her son as well as a the dark angel Dante of Turin.

Arriving in the late afternoon, we soldier through the city over the river Arno to our reserved room at the Welcome Bed and Breakfast.

A quaint two-level home and its owner, Antonella, greet us warmly. We drop our gear and head out again to find an ATM to pay for our room.

Upon our return, Antonella encourages us to clean up and rest while she makes reservations for a near-by restaurant. She also informs us on the evening's festivities as we happened to be in town during a major festival: the Luminaria.

Up to our beautiful and comfortable room, a gift has been left for us: a bottle of red wine!
 

Reclining and laughing, we take turns in the shower.

A short walk to the restaurant, we are starved! Seated outside, the ambiance is pleasant, but the staff and service seem sour. 

Gnocci, ravioli, calamari, and expensive water leads to a steep bill. Portions are small and we were glad they mistakenly brought two dishes of gnocci.

After dinner, we decide to venture out into the night to inspect the Luminaria festival on the Arno river.

Upon the river's banks, mobs of people wander through the darkness illuminated by thousands of candles.

Frustrated with weaving through crowds for an hour or so, we made back through side roads to return to our soft beds to nap before our early checkout time the next morning.

Nice: 6.15.07

The last day planned in Nice, we awake late. The fellows feel even worse still and rain falls heavily outside.

We decide to keep the room another night for more recovery time before continuing on to Italy. I ride the elevator down to the front desk to make our arrangements.

The key had expired by the time I returned to the room and my knocks were greeted the guys already beginning to relax.

Tired and worn from our whirlwind of travels, we took the time to horse around!

Our LCD light headbands make excellent props.

The rain fell heavy and steady with comforting sounds and smells.

The reflections in the large window provides unique photo opportunities.

As the rain clears, our heads do as well. Feeling a bit better, we set out to find the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas (L'Église Russe) featured in Jude's guidebook.

Through the trees, the ornately tiled

“Onion Domes” come into view.

 



A fee of 3 Euros to enter, the cashier cuts us a break – 2 for 1!

Inside, the visitors are blinded by all the gold. Every wall was covered with luxurious devotional details.

Cameras are not allowed inside,
but a sneaky tourist published this photo online.

Deemed one of the most magnificent Cathedrals outside of mother Russia, St. Nicholas became home to many relics after communism took hold in the early 1900's.

Closing time, we are asked to be on our way.

On the way back to Etap, we stop at the train station to secure tickets for tomorrow to Pisa, Italy.

News from home: we enjoy a laugh at how Parisians must feel...

One more night of self-catering and early to bed to prepare for departure the next morning.

Nice: 6.14.07

Sleep in late, the guys feel a little run down or sick this morning. Today there is laundry to be done. The front desk directs us to a nearby laundrette with a cafe next door.

A few hours enjoying croissants and espresso then later a fresh chef salad while the laundry dries.

Back to the room to clean up, change clothes, and relax. A tour a typical Etap accommodation:


The spacious,

circa-1993

water closet.





Dorm style furniture with a queen sized bed on the bottom and a twin above.

Out for a walk in the late afternoon along the Promenade des Anglais. As the sun begins to dip in the sky, the walk in front of the residential buildings facing the sea become more active.

Not looking for anything in particular, a group of transvestite prostitutes was one unforgettable feature.

A stomach rumble decide on locating a dinner. Unfortunately, the French prices were a bit steep. Crepes from a street vendor become a fair goal for a meal.

As we search for a crepe monger, a sign reading, “Mother India” promised another possibility. Narrow and dark, the alley houses a luxurious but expensive hookah lounge. 



Decorating the front entrance is two men. One older drunk in a suit, and the other is a young accented man named “Safe” claiming to be from Tunisia. Safe said he spoke not only English, but French, Arabic, and Spanish.

A mess of interaction, the old man dances, clothespins drop from the window of an apartment above, Safe becomes carelessly affectionate, and we are ejected from the alley by the maitre'd of Mother India.

Continuing forward to crepes, it is obvious that Safe does not how read his situation and relax. With an arm around my shoulders and neck, Safe is interrupted by the guys informing him in rusty imprecise French, “Excuse moi, mon frere, c'est mon fille...”

Blinking and not understanding, the phrase is repeated, but this time in clear Spanish, “Pardon, mi amigo, esta mi novia...” (“Pardon, my friend, she is my girlfriend...”)

Still not hitting home, I laugh and exclaim, “I thought you said you spoke French and Spanish!” Whether Safe understood or not, it was enough for him to slip off into the shadows and disappear.

Shortly after, we find some crepes topped with nutella. Tasty, but a bit sweet, I prefer the salty variety eaten as a dinner.

Straggling back to the Etap, an underpass features a beautiful blue light that we are unable to avoid.

Finally, we retire to our dorm beds

for a restful night.

Marseilles to Nice: 6.13.07

Today is the last day in the historical city of Marseilles as we venture forward onto

the popular destination of Nice, France

on the ancient Côte d'Azur (French Riviera)!

Map: Marseilles, France to Nice, France

Early checkouts always required, we relocate to the familiar Etap courtyard to enjoy our breakfast of French bread with meil (honey), tuna, and kiwis.

Thinking ahead, we also request the front desk to make reservations at an Etap in Nice.
 
We share the drippings from our tuna and soon make friends with the lingering hotel cat.

After some very enjoyable leisure time, it is back to the train station to continue on to Nice.

This time, the train seating arrangements are much more accommodating as we are able to sit at a table facing one another. 
Another train, another game of UNO breaks the ice, and it does not take long to make friends with the fourth passenger sitting at the table, Etienne, a mechanical engineering student from Cannes.

We thoroughly appreciate his company and sense of humor, but soon it is time to exchange addresses as we arrive in Nice, and he continues home to Cannes.

A small rest to gather our bearings before setting out to catch the bus to another Hotel Etap. Near the boarder of Italy, the cultures begin to blur.

A quick bus ride to the Etap with the aid of a local, we arrive with daylight to spare. The view out our window is a beautiful surprise...

...the sparkling Mediterranean Sea is in view!

Downstairs, a corner market provides the comforts of self-catering required for a fine dinner. Bleu cheese, French bread, salami, and Dutch beer.

After a snack, we venture a block away to the Promenade des Anglais (Walk of the English) that boarders the seafront.

The sun sinks as we skip sea-polished stones over the smooth water and watch airliners take off and land over the French Riviera.

Soon returning to the room to rest,

the guys stay out late on the beach

to relax and enjoy their new surroundings.

Marseilles: 6.12.07

We awaken with a lust for life in the oldest city in France, Marseilles!

Up early, with determination to secure a new, less costly bed before lunch.

Hollow stomachs echo with hunger that guides us to a boulangerie (bakery) for cheap snacks before checkout.

Full of customers, we reach the front of the queue at a popular bakery. We politely requests, “Neuf croissants, s'il vous plaît.”

A backwards glance, the countergirl responds, “Trois?” (Three?)

“Non, NEUF,” we correct.

With a slight twist at the nose and now full attention, the girl responds in perfect English, “NINE??” Wide smiles from our end and vigorous nodding.

Flaky, buttery authentic pastries as large as a face; the day is off to a good start!

Also on the look-out for a sort of mythological grocery store that sells water, wine, and fruit as well as socks. Before we are to Alize, we spot one...they do exist!

Enter the MonoPrix store through the fragrance department – socks: dead ahead. Up a narrow escalator to the groceries. Load up on kiwis, tuna fish, chorizo, bleu cheese, water, chocolate, and of course French bread and cheap French wine.

Weaving through the crowds, back to the hotel

to gather our packs and take some last gasps

at our amazing view from the balcony.

Quick checkout and the search for relocation begins.

Not a completely blind hike, Jude's guide book saves the day once again. Backwards directions to another soon-to-be new friend, Hotel Etap, a chain of budget hotels.

At first, turned away, Jude goes back inside for negotiation. He calls us inside shortly. There is an opening, but a two hour wait would be required. No problem! Etap has a private courtyard where we enjoyed peeling kiwis and the remaining croissants.

Time flies and soon we are admitted into our new home. Food stays cool on the air conditioning, and the dorm style bed set-up is perfect for our arrangement.

Shortly after we are settled, exploration is agreed upon. There are ships in the nearby Vieux Port that ferry visitors to surrounding islands.

Jude explains that one of the islands, the Il d'If (Island of If) housed a building that was at one time the same prison featured in Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo.

Tickets purchased, we narrowly make the last boat out. We chug through the packed harbor and take in the view that has spanned thousands of years.

The juxtaposition of the contemporary with the Baroque as well as the ancient with the medieval sends our camera shutter spinning.

Not far ahead out of the harbor, our destination is spotted: Château d'If (Castle of If).

As we near the dock, the smooth walls of the castle turned prison andthe famed craggy cliffs become apparent.

 

A form of torture?

Beginning our ascent to the main attraction, what appears to be remnants of a prison cell will soon be flooded with water with the rising tide.





Through the entrance doors to Le Château we are met by two employees who require us to pay a few Euros each to continue any further.

Exploring the tiny island is inevitable.

Small as the island is, the structures built upon it are deceivingly large...

...including its resident sea birds with a bad reputation!

A little further away is a larger island with modern buildings.

Looking back, the city of Marseilles (the second largest in France) is easily made out.

It is strange to think that so close to land, no prisoner ever escaped to freedom...due to these dramatic cliffs.

Finishing a self-guided tour of the island, one of the employees approaches and sends us back to the dock to catch the last boat back to the mainland.

No time to explore within the castle walls, we catch the ferry back .

A backward glance at 
Il d'If.

Cutting through the waves, before returning to the Vieux Port, the ferry docks at the nearby modern island spotted from the castle.

Awaiting more passengers, we are entertained by a few boys and girls showing off acrobatic skills by leaping off a bridge into the cooling waters of the Mediterranean.

Boating home,

the French flag twists

in the wind at the stern.

On terra firma once again, it is early still and there is much more to see. Venturing deeper into the city, we hike to Palais Longchamp, which is also the home of the Museum of Fine Arts.

Beautiful natural water fixtures remarkably compliment the impressive palace sculptures.

The sun starts to drop in the sky and we return to Etap for a little self-catered dinner of French bread piled with bleu cheese and Spanish chorizo.

Late into the night we have music, photos, conversation...






...and bottles of 1Euro 85cent French wine!