My Last Day in France

Nice, France

Today is my last day in France. It has been a good one. I slept late. Ate a pastry and coffee on the balcony. Went to the beach. Since I was going to the beach, I decided to wear my shorts that I wear whilst swimming. (Note: They are not swim shorts, simply shorts that I swim in.) Furthermore, to save myself a step at the beach, I took off my underwear at the apartment, so they wouldn't get wet while swimming. So I couldn't help but smile as I walked down the street wearing ultra short shorts and absolutely nothing underneath. The picture here shows me proudly wearing my giant neon sign that says, "I'm a tourist." (Note: This picture was taken by me using the trusty self-timer.) I went to a nice, little secluded beach today that Nico told me about. As usual, lots of topless women... all over 55 years of age. I spent some time collecting sea glass and interesting stones. There was an interesting construction of stairs and platforms that jutted out into the ocean. Initially I thought it had been connected to some sort of building that had been destroyed. Later, I learned that it is intended for diving. Either way, I decided to draw it. It was my fourth illustration on my travels so far. The first three having been created yesterday. I sat on a little ledge making my sketch. As time went on, the tide came in and so accordingly, the waves came splashing over the ledge and puddled beneath my bum and towel. However, I am a dedicated artist and I did not move from my place of creation, until the piece was finished. Here I have included a picture of my sketch next to the real image. (Note: I took some creative license and eliminated the green buoy, and added a sailboat and a seagull or some type of water-faring bird.)

Tonight I took Nico out to dinner as my way of showing appreciation for his generosity and hospitality. We went to a great little restaurant that serves classically French/Nicoise food. We started with an appetizer of farcis, onion rings, and ratatouille. For the main course, I ate escargot. It was actually delicious. Afterward, Nico treated me to the "best ice cream in Europe," as rated by some person or thing that rates ice cream in Europe.

And now, as I am leaving France, I will list the things which I will miss and the things I will not miss, starting with the positive.

Some things in France that I will miss:

- old buildings

- crepes

- dogs with scarves

- cute, old French people

- little bakeries everywhere and the pastries they sell

- Stephanie - my host and friend from Aix en Provence

- painters painting

- old men playing bocce ball

- old doors and window shutters

- friendly French people

- buying cheese, meat and bread (perhaps tomatoes) at a market and making a sandwich

- standing at the top of the Arc de Triumphe in Paris while it rained

- laundry hanging on clotheslines out the windows

- Nutella

Some things in France that I will NOT miss:

- dog poo on the street, everywhere

- the messed up (qé,z;) computer keyboards

- unfriendly French people

- people smoking everywhere

- the insanely slow ticket office at the train station in Aix en Provence

- people that wouldn't give me permission to take pictures of their dogs

- muslim beggars/ potential gypsies

- the rest of the dog poo that is everywhere on the street

- Monaco (technically not in France)

- grapes with seeds in them

- people being insistent that I drink wine

- the lady in Paris that invited me out with her friends and then spoke French the whole time

- specifically the pile of dog poo in Montpellier that I stepped in, even though it supposedly gave me good luck, according to French superstition