Pont du Gard

Pont du Gard

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

R&R

This morning we walked along the Promenade Des Anglais to the old town where we stayed the first few weeks. It was a nice stroll in the morning with the temperature perfect, A little wind and just a few folks on the beach. The sky was full of airplane contrails following the opening of European airspace. We have a view of the airport runway from our balcony and the last few days was eerily quiet, but late yesterday, and this morning lots of activity as the planes scrambled to get back into the air.
After being here for some time and becoming adjusted to the French, and their ways (actually becoming quite good at the French language)we have come to the conclusion that two laws regarding pollution that should be passed. The first is to require the French to pick up after their dogs, while walking the streets, it is certainly a good idea to watch where one walks. I think the French as so used to having someone clean the streets that they feel no responsibility to clean up after their dogs, even though there are free bags and disposal stations. The second law would establish a commission to judge and control the freedom to remove certain clothes while one the beach, this of course would be aimed at eliminating visual pollution; sometimes it is better to cover up more to avoid offending the passerby's eyes.
But back to the old city. The market is just wonderful, the flowers fresh produce, fish, dried mushrooms of every variety; spices are inexpensive and very fresh. We purchased fresh, sun dried tomatoes that are stacked high on a table and in a pile instead of little jars, and fresh spices by the kilo scooped up from open containers, we will really miss this part of Nice. The food is fresh, tasty, inexpensive and plentiful, there is so much variety, the bread is baked each morning, fresh cheeses in an incredible variety are also available along with every kind of smelly fish, and crustacean. I missed a great opportunity for a photo a few weeks ago as we walked to the market, a man with snorkel gear was walking up the street with an octopus; we have watched the local fish monger strip the ink from octopus, and every kind of weird fish is also available including the pontine that are a slimy gelatinous mass (a delicacy, of course) along with escagot for sale. Tomorrow we may go back to the market for a few photos, and the walk, of course, about 2 1/2 miles one way. Did I mention that I killed the ants? Almost forgot, but we had a few ants in the apartment so I went to Bricora, the local hardware store and found some ant killer, it worked quite well, no sign of the little critters this morning. I went back to the Bricora this morning looking for a small scale to weigh our luggage, I fear with all the purchases that we will either have to leave all our clothes here or purchase a third suitcase just to get everything home.

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