More Fun in Nice....and a Hike!!!

October 10th
I saw a sign advertsising a free string quartet concert at the book store two blocks down the street. I really didn't understand from the signs what it was going to be. I got there early, took my seat, and tried to translate the handout they gave me when I entered. It was a musical fable about the fictional Professor Lobinstein and his scientific studies as to how violin playing affected animals. There was a very animated

Narrator

narrator who told the story in a wonderful way (even though it was lost on me!) There were some children in the audience, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I certainly loved the music! Hopefully I will be able to go to another concert they do! Andrew(UK) from the Meetups group was there as well. Meetups is a mixed group of people-mostly ex-pats, who want to meet other people. There are some French natives as well. Funny to see someone I had just met there.

October 11th
...was my birthday, so I celebrated by taking the bus up to the Matisse Museum.

The three weeks in April a while back when I was catsitting with Snagglepuss (thanks, Joan!!), there was a huge Matisse show in Paris at Luxembourg, which I visited. I really didn't know Matisse until then. Now I am a big fan!! It is a sweet little museum, and great fun to visit; I know I will go back often while I am here! Unfortunately no pictures are allowed inside the museum!! It was a beautful day, and there was a small outdoor snack shop (crepes and sandwiches), where I stopped for lunch. Afterward I walked around the park, delighted to have this opportunity!

Figures of famous jazz musicians

Kids were playing soccer in olive grove

Later I went to Chez Pepi's in the port-maybe a ten minute walk, which David Lebovitz says is the best socca in the city, and I agree! Socca is a crepe made out of chick pea flour; somehow here they make the top crispy which I like! You add pepper;(the French add lots of!)

Chez Pepi's

and olive oil.


October 12th
When I went to my first Sunday morning coffee with the local Meetups group, I met Portia(UK), who asked me to join her and her friend Karin(German, but has lived here for 30 years) on a Saturday hike. We met at noon in the Port and took a twenty-five minute bus trip up above Ezes Village. This is a very popular tourist spot, so it was SRO on the bus, but we got to sit for one stop to our destination! The area where we walked is part of the French park system...spectacular views!There were places where we could see Monaco and Italy!

Ezes Village on the way up....

What Ezes Village looked like in the PM!

At the top, we had a picnic and revelled in the views!!

We had plenty of time to wait for the bus back, so we went to have a cup of tea at the nearby Hermitage Restaurant/Hotel. I had carmelized pear tissane (decaf tea)!!!!!! SO GOOD!! We were hungry, so we asked if we could have some cheese and bread. This just topped off a very special day for this US traveller!




October 13th
Every Sunday morning Meetups has their coffee get-together in Place Rossetti at Cafe Antoine's. I won't report on every one, but if there is something interesting, I will share it....Last Sunday I met Louise, who is from Ireland. She and her husband Bernard go between Nice and Ireland regularly. They were headed back to Ireland on  Wednesday, but they will return on December 23rd. She told me that every year they get a group who meets for Christmas dinner at Beau Rivage (where Melissa and I spent our special day at the beach when we escaped the horrors of St. Raphael several years back!)!
One of the woman told us about an Edith Piaf concert later in the afternoon at a church, as it is 50 years since her death. So I went there, and it was mobbed! It was also free....Luckily I walked by Louise and a friend, so we sat in a little alcove (you know those alcoves they have in huge Catholic churches?)!! The concert was wonderful!!!
I had stopped at Theresa's socca in the market after coffee...not as appealing as Chez Pepi's. She cuts it up and wraps in waxed paper, so you eat it out of that...missed the crunchiness of Pepi's!

Meetup Coffee

Theresa's socca-3rd best?! in Nice

As always, thanks for traveling along with me! I hope you will come back....