A Travel Tutorial (of sorts)

Sometimes people wonder how I manage to travel as I do, and ask me what my secret is. Others claim I'm "lucky", as if my travels happen by magic, without any effort on my part. I can assure you that a lot of effort (at times, blood, sweat and tears) goes into planning and executing my travels, but it's always worth it in the end. And no, I'm not wealthy, or even well-off. I am 73 years old and I still work part-time to fund my travels. In my everyday life, I live frugally, and I travel the same way. When I started traveling in 2006, I had little savings and used my credit card more than usual that year. The main thing was deciding to go somewhere - Italy - to book a flight, and to arrange lodging. At that time,  it was more of a challenge to get things squared away, and I relied completely on guide books to choose where to stay. I won't go into all that was involved in making that trip work; instead I'll talk about what I learned from it. 

I learned that I could travel on my own and feel safe, find inexpensive lodging, figure out train and bus schedules, communicate well enough to be understood, and eat well without spending a lot at restaurants. I was easily able to use public transportation,  which was also inexpensive. Suddenly I was entering a new world of possibility. From that maiden voyage, I developed a strong desire to travel more, to explore another culture, language and people as much as possible. And I've continued that journey nearly every year since 2006, until covid derailed my traveling life.

For several years early on in my travels,  I had a housesitting gig, for several months at a time, in the countryside near Rome, which eliminated lodging expenses. (If that appeals to you, look into it!) After that I started renting apartments in Florence, and discovered I could rent them for a rate similar to that of apartments at home. (In other words, not that expensive.) To manage long stays in Italy financially, I acquired several online jobs to earn an income while living abroad.

In 2019, I rented an apartment in Bologna for 6 weeks, then traveled around for several more, visiting Italian friends. That trip was particularly outstanding, in that I visited numerous interesting and beautiful places within a relatively short time, often accompanied by Italian friends. It set a standard that I wanted to replicate in the future. But then covid came along and stopped me in my tracks. I stopped traveling completely from 2019 until now. 

Planning my travels this year was difficult, as I feared I had lost much of the confidence and momentum I'd  built up from planning and traveling yearly. I'd also experienced a devastating loss that had broken my spirit. Niggling fears and anxiety made me wonder if I would be able to manage as well as I had before. And the fear of getting ill while abroad was another concern. And yet, I made ambitious plans, adding France to the mix, along with the desire to learn French well enough to communicate basic needs effectively. I felt the need to be near the sea, to explore the Cote d'Azur in France and Liguria in Italy. I pushed through the worries and packed my bags.

Since I hadn't traveled for four years, I'd saved a considerable amount of money that could be used on nicer lodging - apartments with full kitchens and washing machines, instead of the lower-priced studio apartments or 2-star hotel rooms I'd relied on in the past. My flight was covered by a voucher from a canceled trip in 2020, so overall, this year's travel plans were easily affordable.

As it has turned out, my travels this year have been absolutely stellar, reinforcing the traveling moxie I've devloped over the years. Every little thing has worked out, none of my fears materialized, and many wonderful surprises have shown up along the way. I'm so very thankful I was able to move past the troublesome (and needless) worries that could easily have prevented me from enjoying the wonderful moments I've been able to experience. 

It seems I'm rambling, so I'll cut to the chase. There is no magic answer or advice to give to those who would like to travel as I do (and are physically and financially able to do so). It's basically a matter of choice: choose a place you'd like to visit, do some (or a lot of) research, plan an itinerary, book your flight and lodging, and GO!  It will be scary, and it will be exhilarating. You will learn along the way what works best for you and your confidence and skill at traveling will grow from your experiences.  Be bold - the world awaits you!

Art Museums in Nice, France

"Woman reading at a yellow table", by Matisse

While in Nice, I bought a 3-day museum pass for 15 euros, which allowed me to visit 10 of the city's museums, and turned out to be a great bargain, since I'd been planning to see many of them anyway. What was surprising is that the two big name museums, the Matisse and the Chagall museums, were the most disappointing.

The Matisse Museum had very few of his paintings at all, and only a couple of his later, more colorful pieces. I had really hoped to see his scenes of life on the Cote d'Azur, but none were included in this collection. Similarly, I was led astray about the Chagall Museum by an online review that stated the museum has the largest collection of Chagall's work in the world. Absolutely not true! There are 12 very large paintings of biblical scenes and 6 other paintings that refer to the "Song of Songs". But the room where those six paintings were located was closed, as were several other rooms. Due to the various closures, entry was free that day, (this museum is not included in the 3-day pass), so at least there was that. Basically, I got to see 12 large paintings that were not the colorful, whimsical works I had hoped to see. 

Getting to these two museums is easy enough if you know which buses to take, which I did. But they are both across town from the city center, and up a steep hill, so those who try walking to the museums are often put out when they arrive and find little to see.

A few lesser museums I visited were a nice surprise. Musee Massena is housed in a majestic villa on the Promenade des Anglais, and surrounded by a lush garden. It houses a collection of historical artifacts about Nice's history, from the end of the 1800s through to 1930 and the end of the Belle Epoque.

Musee Massena

Musee des Beaux Arts de Jules Cheret houses a collection of six centuries of art, including works by Bronzino, Bruegel the elder, Fragonard and many others. It also has an important collection of the painter and poster artist Jules Cheret, for whom the museum was named.

The two museums that turned out to have the most fascinating exhibits were Palais Lascaris and MAMAC, The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Palais Lascaris is a 17th century baroque villa that was once home to the Lascaris family, and is still furnished as it was then. Many frescoes adorn the rooms, still in pristine condition. A vast collection of musical instruments is housed there, as well as a current exhibit by the fabric artist odon. 

One of odon's pieces.

After having a heart attack at mid-life, the artist Guy Hudoin changed his life, his name, and the focus of his art away from tragedy. Odon became a master at intricately braiding pieces of paper that he painted on both sides into elaborate designs. 

Another work by odon.

Seeing his unique works of art hanging amidst 17th century furnishings provided a remarkable contrast. 

The MAMAC has a large collection of many great works of modern art, which I'm usually not a big fan of. But I thoroughly enjoyed perusing the art in this museum, and was especially entranced by the work of Niki de Saint Phalle, who donated much of her work to the MAMAC in 2002, the year before she died. Her work initially focused on violent themes, and she was considered an "outsider" artist as a result of her controversial pieces. But much like odon, she moved away from tragedy and towards work that represented modern woman in all her fabulous forms. Over time, her figures became more joyful, whimsical and colorful. 

Unfortunately,  my phone was broken when I visited the MAMAC and Chagall museums, and I'm currently unable to access the photos I took with my digital camera of those exhibits. I hope to add photos at a later date. In the meantime, there are many images and explanations of the biblical scenes in the Chagall Museum online. You can also find  information about the life and work of Niki de Saint Phalle and odon. Enjoy doing some research on your own to learn more about them!

In any case, Nice is definitely a city of art, with many wonderful museums and exhibits that will appeal to every taste.

Villefranche, Beaulieu-sur-mer, St. Jean Cap Ferrat

 

Villefranche

One of the highlights of my stay in the Cote d'Azur was walking along several coastal paths that link villages along the coast between Nice and Monaco. 

A map of the area.

I started by walking early one morning from Port Lympia in Nice to Villefranche, about 5 km away. The beginning of the walk was quite lovely, traversing over rocky ledges hugging the coast, in view of a few people swimming, snorkeling or doing yoga below me. 

Doing yoga on the rocks below the coastal path.

Other than a few fishermen,  I was alone on the path, which seemed a bit surprising, as I'd heard it is quite popular with tourists. After about 30 minutes, I hit a rough spot that I'd been warned about, the need to climb two sets of several hundred steep stairs leading up to a road.

Two sets of stairs like this!

I managed to climb the stairs with several rest stops to catch my breath, only to discover that I would be walking along a busy road with constant traffic the rest of the way to Villefranche. Ugh! I did not enjoy this walk in the least, and had I known that most of the path was along this road, I would have taken the bus instead. 

St. Pierre Chapel

In Villefranche, I stopped to visit the St. Pierre Chapel, decorated by the artist Jean Cocteau in 1957. It costs 4 euros to enter the tiny church  and no photos are allowed. It is a lovely little chapel, and Cocteau's somewhat sarcastic designs, still pristine, cover every inch of the interior, so I found it worth the entry fee.

Rue Obscure

Another point of interest in the town is the Rue Obscure, or hidden street, where soldiers in medieval times gathered to defend the city. Villefranche also has the deepest waters in the area, and cruise ships come here to dock, though thankfully there were none in the harbor that day.

Beaulieu-sur-mer 

After Villefranche, I caught the bus to Beaulieu-sur-mer,  to tackle another coastal path, this one going to St. Jean Cap Ferrat.  After arriving at the Baie des Fourmis, I noted the beach below, then immediately located the coastal path and began the 1.3 km, thirty- minute trek to St. Jean. This walkway was delightful! The path was flat and the view was stupendous! 

The coastal path to St. Jean Cap Ferrat 

I enjoyed every single minute of this walk. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is accessible from the path, but I was not in the mood for a Villa tour, so continued to St. Jean. Once there, I bought a slice of quiche with salmon and spinach - sensational - and sat by the marina, watching  boats moving in and out, while eating my lunch. By this time I was weary from several hours of walking,  so after an hour in St. Jean, I caught the bus back to Nice.

Looking back at Beaulieu-sur-mer from St. Jean.

The next day, I returned to Beaulieu-sur-mer and spent some time walking along the beach at Baie des Fourmis before repeating the walk to St. Jean. After all, it only costs one euro fifty (one euro on a multi-pass) to take the bus from Nice to any points east of town, and I had so enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the previous day that I wanted more of it. The bus ride alone is a treat, with winding roads and amazing views. 

This time I'd hoped to reach Cap Ferrat, where there are several more coastal paths outlining the edge of the Cap. One is 1.8 km, the other is 4.8 km. From St. Jean, it's a long walk across town and up a steep road to reach the trailhead for those paths. By the time I got there, and knowing I would have the long walk back to the bus stop, I decided I'd had enough walking for one day. Cap Ferrat will have to wait until another time.

Alassio, Italy: Is Italian Beach Life in Jeopardy?

The sandy beach in Alassio

Alassio is a small town of 10,000 on the Italian Riviera, in the region of Liguria, and is known for its shallow, endless beaches. And here,the beach is composed of fine sand, so much nicer to walk on than the pebbly beaches of the Cote d'Azur. After two hectic weeks in Nice - wonderful but tiring - I've come to Alassio to relax, enjoy the sea, and write.

The bagni are ready for the summer crowds.

In July and August, Alassio swells with untold numbers of vacationers eager for the beach experience, but the day I arrived in early June, the beach was nearly empty. The local beach concessions, known as stabilmenti balneari or bagni, are up and ready for customers, offering two lounging beds (lettini) and a large umbrella for 20-50 euros per day. A bit exorbitant for my budget, so I sought out the free beach (spiaggia libera). It took a while, but I eventually spied a small, empty space sandwiched between two bagni. That will be my go-to spot for the next week.

La spiaggia libera.

An Italian friend informed me that free beaches must be provided in each town, by Italian law. In addition, the first ten meters of the shoreline (bagnasciuga) must be left open for public use, so that people can walk along the beach. Looking deeper into the beach rules in Italy, I discovered that many changes are in store, and some have already been implemented. In Sorrento and Rapallo, for instance, swimwear is not allowed on city streets, and large fines are given to those walking around only in swimsuits. In Le Cinque Terre, flip-flops are not allowed on the hiking trails. 

A view to the east of town.

A major change is in store for the 30,000 concessions (the previously mentioned bagni)  that cover 98% of the beaches in Italy. To comply with EU regulations , a new law going into effect next year means that instead of families automatically renewing their licenses to run the concessions, as they have done for generations, they will have to compete with interested parties from across the EU, which could introduce big businesses. The law was to take effect in December 2023, but Meloni's government has provided n extension for one year. It has become an understandably volatile controversy. Italians have been complaining for years about the high cost of going to the beach while the concession owners fear the loss of their livelihoods. How things will play out in the next several years is anyone's guess.

My plan is to hit the beach by 9 a.m. each day and enjoy a few hours of beach life while people are few in number and before it gets hot. But I also enjoy watching children at play in the sand, witnessing other activities of beach life as they unfold, and being part of that life, so unlike my landlocked home in the States. It would be a shame to see this kind of beach experience altered or constrained by too many rules.

Visiting Eze-le-village

A view of the Riviera from the Exotic Garden atop Eze.

Yesterday I caught an early bus to reach Eze, a gem of a hilltop village, before the crowds. By the way, it only costs 1,50 euros to ride buses all over the region, and if you buy a multi-pass, it's only one euro per ride. Tram rides are the same price, and one ticket includes transfers between bus and tram rides. It's an amazing bargain! 

Bus 82 arrived at our destination about 8:30 am, with only a few people already ahead of me. But we had 30 minutes to wait before the main attraction would open, the Exotic Garden. So I wandered the steep, winding streets as the sleepy town started waking up, and vendors prepared to open their doors. Once the garden opened,  a small crowd ventured in to peruse the pathways and get to the top, where there are spectacular panoramic views of the Riviera.

A map of the gardens.

But rather than try to tell the same tale twice, please read the post I wrote about Eze when I first went there, in October of 2014. It hasn't changed much! (The entry fee to the gardens went up a euro: big deal.) Enjoy!

 (Click on link below)

Eze-le-village

Antibes, Biot, Picasso Museum

Antibes

During the weekend of the Grand Prix, trains and buses were jammed with people headed east to Monaco. Instead, I went in the other direction, to Antibes and Biot. I took the train west to Antibes and quickly got lost, as the Tourist Info office had recently moved to a new location, and I was without a map (yes, I still use them!) to guide me. After wandering around for a while, I stumbled on it by chance, next to the city bus hub. Since I was already near the bus to Biot, I decided to head there right away, then return later to explore Antibes.

An artist's rendition of Biot. 

Unfortunately,  I got off the bus too soon, at the Biot train station rather than the village, and had to wait 45 minutes for the next bus. Arriving in Biot, another quaint hill town, was a pleasant surprise, with facades of the buildings adorned in natural ochre shades of yellow/orange, soothing to the eye. It immediately felt like an artist community. I had read something about Biot being famous for its pottery production,  but I misunderstood what that meant. I had envisioned a village filled with potters and their wares, but that was not the case. 

A scene in Biot

From the 16th century, Biot specialized in making large storage containers for alimentary use that were exported far and wide. These jars had the reputation of not altering the taste of the food inside, and their production brought prosperity to Biot. However, production began to wane in the 19th century and declined altogether in the 20th century. Artists began to settle in Biot, and the Biot glass factory , with its unique bubbled glass, was established in 1956.  

The work of glass artisans.

Biot is also well-known for the Fernand Leger Museum, named for the cubist artist who moved there to start working with ceramics. The glassblowing factory and the Leger Museum are not located in the village on the hill, but 30 minutes down the hill instead, so I missed out on seeing both of them. I don't mind so much about the glass factory, as I've seen outstanding creative glassblowing before, but the Leger Museum is another matter. Leger's ceramics are quite unique, continuing his focus on cubism, and I would have enjoyed seeing the museum devoted to his work. There was a Museum featuring the history of ceramics in Biot, but it didn't open for several hours, so I headed back to Antibes. 

Plage de la Gravette

Back in Antibes, I headed down to the port, where billionaires store their yachts, and walked along the ramparts that hug the area, passing a popular beach. 

Nomade sculpture, by Jaume Plensa, made of words.

A view of the ramparts on the left. 

For lunch, I stopped at an outdoor Cafe and ordered Salade Nicoise, a local specialty through the Cote D'Azur. It was superb, and only 14 euros!

I spent the rest of my time in Antibes walking around the old town, enjoying the ambience, with fewer crowds than in Nice, and saw two wedding groups near the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Next door is the Chateau Grimaldi, which houses the Picasso Museum, one that offers a good collection of his works. I'd seen a more extensive collection in Barcelona, but this one focused on works after WWII, when color and light were more evident in his work. I especially enjoyed the collection of his ceramic plates on display.

Faune blanc, 1946

All in all, Antibes and Biot are easy day trips from Nice, and well worth the effort. I wouldn't mind spending more time there someday. 

St. Paul de Vence, Vence: Home to Matisse and Chagall

A view from Vence

For my 73rd birthday, I wanted a special adventure, and that's exactly what happened. My destination: the hill towns of St. Paul de Vence and Vence, where the artists Matisse and Chagall lived and left their mark. Matisse lived in Vence from 1943-48, where he designed the now famous Rosary Chapel, including its vibrant and colorful stained glass windows. Chagall moved from Paris to Saint Paul in 1966 and lived there for nearly 20 years. As two of my favorite artists, I wanted to pay homage to them where they lived and created their art.

To reach the two towns in the hills above Nice without a car is a tricky challenge. My guide book stated that I could catch bus 655 to St. Paul from Parc Phoenix, near Nice's airport. However, when I arrived by tram at the the Parc, a sign stated that I would need to take another city bus to the town of Cagnes sur Mer in order to get the 655 bus. OK, I did that, along with several other travelers seeking the same destination. It was a bit convoluted and time-consuming, but doable.

Entering St. Paul

 I arrived about 9:30 a.m. in picturesque St. Paul, perched atop a hill and touted as one of the most beautiful villages in the French Riviera. I enjoyed walking through the narrow, curving streets that meandered up and down and around the town, admiring the artistic placement of plants beside and above doors. The crowds were minimal as I made my way to the other side of town to visit Chagall's tomb and check out the view from the top of the city walls. 

Chagall's Tomb

But all too soon, I heard the rumble of numerous voices and spied a large tour group headed in my direction, a sure sign that the tranquility of the town would soon be compromised. I spent the rest of my time in the quaint village avoiding ever-increasing groups of people as they flooded the town. But I still managed to enjoy the beauty evident in the vines of ivy and blooming jasmine draped over doors and climbing walls, as well as the mosaic designs on the cobblestone paths lining the streets. 

In fact, I was a bit mesmerized  by the playful patterns of flowers in the stones, taking numerous photos of them. By noon, it was getting hot and crowded in town, so it seemed a good time to move on to Vence, which required another bus ride.

Talk about blooming jasmine!

At the bus stop, a young woman from India joined me to await its arrival. She was traveling on her own in Europe for the first time, and we struck up a conversation that helped pass the time. When we got to Vence, we were a bit taken aback, as it was a sharp contrast to St. Paul. It seemed to be a large city that in no way resembled the quaint village we'd just come from. 

France's smallest cathedral, in Vence

I had heard that fewer people visited Vence, and I could see why. We managed to locate the Tourist Info office, picked up maps and helpful directions to reach the historic center. Then we parted ways, as she was eager to quickly view the town, then move on to visit Antibes and Cannes the same day. I had no other plans, so decided to take my time seeing what Vence had to offer. I came across a patisserie with outdoor seating, and ordered a serving of a Nicois specialty, pissaladiere. It's made with a flat crust, caramelized onions, anchovies and black olives. It turned out to be quite tasty!

Pissaladiere

After lunch, as I perused the map indicating points of historical interest, I decided to focus on finding the smallest cathedral in France, near the center of the old town. Little did I know that it has a mosaic created by Chagall, of Moses being found in a basket among the rushes by the Pharaoh's daughter. It was a delightful and meaningful surprise!

Chagall's mosaic of Moses

There's another great work of art in Vence, the Rosary Chapel that Matisse designed, including its colorful stained glass windows. I had hoped to visit the Chapel, as it's only open on certain days, and I was there on the right day.

The Rosary  Chapel that I missed seeing in Vence

But several other impediments were in the way of my goal. For one, I'd twisted my knee somehow and it was starting to hurt, so the 20 minute walk uphill (and 20 minute return downhill) to the Chapel seemed unwise. Added to that, I'd have a two hour wait until it opened. And it was getting quite hot. So, despite the fact that it was one of the main reasons I'd come to Vence, I decided to head back to Nice. Fortunately there's a direct bus from Vence to Nice, so it was a much shorter and simpler return trip, and one-third of the cost. (Still inexpensive, as bus and tram rides cost only 1,50 euros and include transfers.)

Matisse's stained glass windows enlarged

Back in Nice, I rested in the apartment for several hours,  then headed out to Vieux Nice to have a special birthday dinner. I chose an outdoor Cafe in Place Rosetti, and ordered Moules Marinieres with Frites (mussels cooked with wine, onions and parsley, along with French fries), accompanied by a glass of Rose wine. There were so many of the mussels, I was unable to finish them! However, after an espresso, I rallied enough to stop again at Fenocchio for gelato, choosing the flavors of rose and fleur d'oranger.  A delicious way to top off a wonderful birthday adventure.

Moules Marinieres avec Frites

Nice: There's more than beaches here

On my second day in Nice, I enjoyed a variety of activities,  which included sitting by the sea to watch the waves and hear the music they created when splashing onto the small rocks that comprise the beach. But that came after many other excursions.

First, I explored the residential district where my apartment is located, the Riquier. It's a good trek to the beach from there, but has easy tram access to most areas of Nice that I want or need to go to. The apartment was a reasonable expense for Nice, with a kitchen and washing machine, plus a balcony that overlooks a large park.

The view from my balcony.

It's comfy,  cozy and secure. There are many boulangeries nearby, and I stopped in one for a fresh croissant, then stepped in a cafe for an espresso, each purchase costing only 1,20 euros. A mere two blocks away is a small train station, which means I won't have to trek across town to use the main train hub. Even better, just across the street there are several useful bus stops, including one that will take me east to towns like Eze and Villefranche, where there are seaside walking trails I plan to tackle. These are wonderful conveniences that I hadn't been aware of when choosing the apartment.

Two blocks in another direction there's a "commercial center" or indoor mall, which includes a vast Carrefour grocery store, where everyone in the district seems to shop. To check out, you stand in a queue until a woman employee directs you to the first available checkout stand. I was surprised to come across a sign advising that during three different times of day the store has "silent hours", when sounds and lights are lowered to accommodate their neurodivergent customers. It's hard to imagine the same thing in the local grocery stores back home.

Shhh!

I bought supplies to make several lunches and dinners,  one of the ways I keep costs low on my travels. I took a break for lunch at the apartment, and it's lucky I did, as there was a brief rainstorm for an hour near noon. By 3 pm the sun was shining again, and I continued exploring. I headed toward a nearby park where I'd seen men playing petanque the day before. In this game, players throw small, heavy balls (boules) towards a target ball. Today there were 5 or 6 different teams of retired-age men playing, while other groups of men played cards at tables in the shade. It seemed to be a park that only men used (though I spied two women amongst the sea of men),  and where signs declared that dogs were prohibited.

Playing petanque in the park.

After that, I headed toward Vieux Nice, the quaint old town center where everyone goes to shop and eat. I'd been there nine years ago at night, when it seemed quite magical, but today it just seemed careworn, crowded with tourists looking for bargains in the many shops along the small, twisting streets. I stopped to buy a glace (gelato), of rose and lavender, at Fenocchio, known for their unusual and homemade flavors. Truly a taste treat! Next I wandered over to Jardin Albert 1er, a park that features a charming carousel and structures made from bamboo and rattan. Next week, the park will host a Book Festival on its grounds. 

Across the street lies the Promenade des Anglais, where everyone goes to hang out, to see and be seen, to walk, sit or stand and watch the sea. It runs from the airport west for 7 km.

Promenade des Anglais

I spent several hours there, soaking up the sun, enjoying the afternoon. At 7 pm, with 16000 steps completed, I caught the tram back to Riquier and my apartment. It was a rich and satisfying day.