We arrived in Nice, on the Cote d'Azure, France's Riviera, with the intention of staying one night and then heading to Barcelona for a couple of days. We hoped to show Rory and Jasper the Guadi architecture, a Dali museum, and a bunch of works by Joan Miro, a Barcelona born surrealist artist.Unfortunately, upon arriving in Nice, we found the train to Barcelona completely booked up for the next day. Due to a series of scheduling mishaps too convoluted to go into, we had planned to go back to Italy, just across the border, to an ecovillage for a week of work/study after our quick Barcelona adventure.
So we ended up bagging Barcelona and decided to stay in Nice for 4 nights, spending Halloween here as well.
I didn't know much about Nice before coming, but I learned that there was a very strong modern art presence here and all along the Cote d'Azure. The hostel where we're staying is a converted convent, with art on all the walls and crazy stained glass windows in the 'cyberchapel' where I'm blogging right now.
Nice is France's fifth largest city and is surrounded by opulent places like Cannes and Monaco. But the amazing thing to me is that Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and Pierre-August Renoir all called this area home and praised it's light and color.
The Marc Chagall museum here is fantastic with many large canvasses. It's so great to get up close to these huge paintings and see the detail.
The pictures show details of Chagall paintings, Jasper with the Hostel Mascot, Rory on the Pebble beach in Nice, Jasper acting out in front of the Nice Tram, and me in the Cyberchapel.
More on Nice later. Tomorrow we're going back across the border to Torre Superiori.
Ciao for now
Just caught up with your nice people through your blog. Sounds like you're having a wonderful trip together. I've always wanted to see Siena, esp. since my niece (Denny's daughter) is named for that city. Abrazos, and wishes of love, peace and learning sent your way from autumny Odell. Tina
ReplyDeleteTrain scheduling mishap, convoluted? you were in Italy. They were saying "get on the train, get on the train" Geesh. learn Italian why don't you!
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Hello all, I finally have read all of your blog this morning (and shared lots with Tolya) and figured out how to respond publicly. What an incredible journey and wonderful writings of your travels that includes so much fabulous art, interesting food and people. An education for all of you and for us, too! Thanks, Rod, for the history and humor and to everyone for all the photos. Glad everyone is now well and that both Helen and Cheryl could and Theresa's sister could join you. We miss you but stay away as long as you can. Love, Tolya and Jane
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