Couch Surfing and other Nice Happenings!

October 7th

On Mondays the regular Old Town vegetable and flower vendors stay away for the flea market vendors, so I went to check that out...saw a lovely lapis bracelet for 65euros, but I passed! I will watch that for a while....

Next stop was the Port, as I will meet some women there on Saturday for a hike. I found my destination easily. I am so centrally located!!
Couch surfer Regine said she could meet in the afternoon by the museum across the street. We found each other easily and walked to a nearby cafe where we had coffee and chatted. Couch surfing.org (NO! if you stay at someone's house, you do not usually sleep on their couch!) is such a great way to meet people and get to know more about the area and its people! She told me about a French language class which meets and is free. She even walked me over there, because it is in the Old Town and difficult to find! Nearby is the 17th century Palais Lascaris, which is quite hidden, and not in any books I've read. https://www.google.fr/search?q=palais+lascaris&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dmdVUpiEAoHChAf6yoGIDw&sqi=2&ved=0CFQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=665&dpr=1
Because I took NO pictures (now that is hard to believe!), this link will show you more pictures than you'll probably want to see! It is very charming and not the typical huge castles I saw in Burgundy! In addition to the period furniture, there was an interesting of historical and interesting musical instruments. (I'll be going back, so then I will take some pictures of these for sure!)

October 9th

Regine asked me to meet her at the Theatre of Photography, and I did.

Much to her dismay, it was closed as they prepare for the next show. The original plan had been that we would meet her friend for lunch; she had to cancel lunch, but she invited us to her house for coffee at 2:30 instead. So Regine and I did some errands. My watch band had broken, and I asked her if she  knew where I could get a new one. Well, right around the corner was her friend Tony, Mr. Siros, the watch and clock repair man. He had a supply of bands; I made my choice, so now I am all set.(I never would have found him!) She needed to go to the library (la biblioteque),

This sculpture in library entrance  has to be called "Nose in a Book"!

All the library offices are in this building!

which is just back of the museum; I went with her. We got some sandwiches (jambon et fromage, of course!) which we took into the library park for our lunch.

Regine

Regine's friend Caroline teaches high school German and has started a new job, although she doesn't have many students. She is, of course, very happy to have a job! She has a very nice flat, which is actually quite close to where I am. It is on the second floor, but she would say 1st, because in Europe the first or ground floor is called "0" . Anyhow....she has a very nice patio, but to reach it, you climb up the ladder and out the kitchen window to get to it. It was quite cool, and again-sorry for no pictures! Her friend Marie (who speaks Italian, but no English) joined us for a very nice visit outside!