Bonnard Bust and Principality Puffery

Well, I tried; what more can you ask! We took a DREADFUL local train this morning to Cannes and the bus up to le Cannet, where one of the gods of my painting firmament lived ... Pierre Bonnard ... as it turns out we were a year early for the opening of the Musèe Bonnard, and there was no show at the Espace Bonnard; I weep tears of blood.

HOWEVER!!!

Le Cannet was delightful and we ate lunch at what would be a convenience store in the US ... a tobacconist/snacks/bar/brasserie. They had a TINY TINY terrace out back, overlooking the hills and gardens of le Cannet, with beautiful potted plants. we had sandwichs (yes, their spelling) of jambon (half a baguette each) and Coca Lights (co-CAH). Even in the dark, smoke-filled shop/bar, friendly staff, attempts on both sides to speak the other language, and good food.

MONACO ... the other end of the train line (almost) ... in two trains that were both very clean and comfortable, with no drunkards in the next seat ... after traveling through an ENORMOUS mountain we arrived in the principality. --eh never again. It was ok; but Nice is much more fun and has a lot more going on. We are very demanding travelers.

Chez Hugo (read hotel restaurant) for dinner. The feet and legs are tired of hills now, and welcome a respite in elevators and the room. Decent meal, not memorable, but not bad either.

Nice ... quelle belle ville!

We arived in Nice yesterday evening via TGV (tres grande vitesse or bullet train) from Paris. Today we took the tour bus again, a good way to orient ourselves. At the tourist information office they were rude ... I said how do we get a train into other parts of Provence, and the woman said, "this is not Provence!" well; that depends upon who is telling the story, lady.

Luckily, here at l'hotel Splendid, the people are friendly and accommodating. They gave me a brochure for mini-bus tours to all sorts of destinations, many in Provence, and some outside, including one to the Italian Riviera. XLNT!

I miss everyone and am trying to get and send postcards to all of you.

Nice has the advantage of climate, history, charm ... the air is fresh; dry, but not too dry; the sea is a PALE azure, like an aquamarine, with the depths in the distance a deep royal blue. It resembles the Caribbean; but paler in color: luscious!

Salade de Poulpe (octopus) for lunch. This version of the salad I adore had tiny octopi (octopusses?), mixed field greens, slices of golden apple, onion, tomato ... and it was warm!

Bad Beef, Good View

I am spoiled by American beef; I can put away a juicy, tender 16-oz. rib eye steak with no problem; however, tonight I could not finish my "steak". Although it was quite flavorful, the cow it came from seems to have been a professional gymnast or possibly a lumberjack. He or she had wonderful muscle tone, and the experience was similar to chewing on industrial rubber bands.

BUT out the window, and we were seated in a window, was Notre Dame Cathedral; across the alleyway was a bar filled with young people in tight and belly-baring clothing, including a young woman bartender wearing a stetson hat tossing bartending paraphernalia in the air, all to the throb of drums and unrecognizable melodies.

Past us in the alley paraded people from all parts of the world, talking, staring, many wearing Converse All-Stars or their cheap imitations.

It was a marvelous experience, and I did not regret having had dinner there at all.

Forgotten Monday

When we arrived on Monday, our room was not ready, so we went to Le Jardin Luxembourg, right around the corner. On the slender black iron bars of the garden was (and still is) a series of amazing undersea photographs. For whatever reason, wolf eels featured several times. They are puffy looking creatures, grey with black speckles and large eyes. Their lips are turned inward as if they are old men whose skin is marked with age, and whose lips cover largely toothless mouths.

Inside the garden were many runners, and at l'Orangerie there were a few of the many many gendarmes we saw that day. next to l'Orangerie is the Musèe Luxembourg, where we saw an exhibit of abstract paintings from the 40s and 50s. Gorgeous, luscious paintings with abundant texture and various color schemes; many featured the black lines that were used a lot at that time.

That is it; I had forgotten these experiences until this evening, when we sat at a table outside a brasserie and watched people come and go as we drank mineral water and beer.

Motorbikes are everywhere in Paris; locked and parked, whizzing by at breakneck speed, almost all of them black with silver ornamentation. I did not expect them. There were also tiny electric cars into which I doubt I could even fit.

Three Day Report

We have had wonderful meals here in Paris, indoors and out.

Lots of gendarmes on Monday for the rallies of BOTH the left and the far-right (combining gasoline and lit cigarettes, figuratively!). The police seemed prepared, but not blood-thirsty.

Monday we ate at La Mediterranèe Cafe, where we saw lots of Cocteau sketches on the walls. The food there was SUPERB. We have not had a bad meal yet, and of course, the bread is to die for!

Yesterday was the Grand Tour of Paris day (by bus), as well as the St. Germaine des Pres and Latin Quarter Tour. Then to top the day off, we took a Seine boat tour around sunset! All were beautiful.

Also yesterday, we ALMOST went to the Musèe d'Orsay, but they have a "blockbuster" show of Cezanne and Pissarro, and there was a horrible line. We, not being patient AT ALL, said forget this!

So far, Parisians have been kind, polite, friendly and helpful with NO sign of anti-American sentiment.

Saw "The Lacemaker", by Vermeer today in the Louvre. It is TINY! It seemed to be around 4" x 6" to my eye!!!

They had an Ingres retrospective there also, which was lovely. He certainly painted the most subtle, lovely skin ever, but his basic anatomy was shaky in some cases; we all know that odalisque looking over her shoulder had to have about three extra vertebrae; there was also a woman whose arm could NEVER have been in the position he shows without dislocating her shoulder!

Today after the Louvre we took the Montmartre bus tour. The area was trashy, with lots of peep shows and junky shops. We glimpsed Sacre Coeur between cheap shoe shops ... hmmmmm.

Tomorrow the TGV (tres grande vitesse, or bullet train) to Nice-- a six-hour ride (the theme from Gilligan's Island plays in my head ... remember the "three-hour tour"?).

We have walked so much it ALMOST makes up for the food ...

XOXO everyone!

Chestnuts in Blossom!

Paris as advertised; slept two hours or so on plane; cannot upload pix from hotel :(( Talk later!