Nice is nice part duex

Riding around in Nice is mch like riding around in Ecuador; except Nice has a bit more organized chaos. For those of you that don't understand that comparison let me elaborate. Because the streets are so small and old all the cars are small and compact; so small that cars are parked on sidewalks and mopeds instead of trees line the streets. Also, at times you can't tell what part is the sidewalk. The streets are so small in some places it looks like a sidewalk through the buildings. So if you aren't paying attention and cross without looking you could get hit. Good thing the drivers are used to people walking all over the place and are quick to stop.

I went to the beach today. Prepared this time with my towel, bathing suit, music and book. For a Saturday morning, it wasn't crowded. The party crowd slept in and arrived later. The water there was beautiful. That clear, light blue water that means paradise. It was cold though so I admired it at a distance. The sun wasn't harsh at all and my pale body is not much darker. There were older Asian women walking up and down the beach offerng massages as people worked on their tans. Older men selling peanuts and beer also walked past many a sleeping tourists trying to sell them items. I tried to take my customary nap on the beach but only was able to sleep 20 minutes out of the 5 hours I was there. Instead of sand, rocks line the beach making it hard to get comfortable, but not impossible. By 2 o'clock the beach was filled and it looked like a typical beach scene in the movies.

I left at 4:30 hoping to catch on the tram and get back at about 5 to get in a nap. However, one of the tram drivers was assaulted (at least that's what I got from the broken translation of this woman who knew a little English) and they shut down the trams to investigate for an hour. I had no plans and didn't know where I was going otherwise so I waited. I ended up meeting an older Australian woman, Paula, who is traveling with her daughter and staying at the same place as I am now. So we chit chatted and had a pleasant conversation.

This time tomorrow, I will be in Italy! I cannot wait. Oh pizza and gelato....mmm.