I've Been to Antibes and Other Places

I've been doing some traveling.

The last week of October was Toussaint, a Christian and national holiday in France. Basically, I had time off. Ellen came to visit me in Nice for a several days.

I showed her around town. We went to vieux Nice, the beach, a flea market, and a waterfall.

And then we missed our train to Paris. Americans no understand military time!?

So we took a covoiturage (a ride-share). We went with Pierre, who drove us from Cannes to Paris in about 9 hours.

In Paris, Ellen and I saw the Eiffel Tower (both at night and during the day), hung out with Siri (Ellen's friend from college), walked through the Tuileries gardens, went to Breakfast in America, and met Emma (my friend from study-abroad in Paris) and her friend at Les Deux Magots.

Restroom in the Tuileries.

Non-stop drip coffee.

Ellen and I hitched a covoiturage from Paris to Poitiers, where we met Ellen's friend at Bibliocafé, a café full of books that patrons are welcome to read as long as they like. Buying is optional. Also, the drinks are themed. I had a Jane Austen, a beer flavored with violet syrup.

On to Montmorillon, Ellen's beautiful town, where I posed with typewriters, browsed bookshops, and ate macarons. (We went to the macaron museum. Yes, such a thing exists).

And then I went home. 

Where I slept.

A lot.

After a week of work, I decided all that traveling wasn't enough for me, and so I joined Kirsten, her visiting friend, Liane, and Amy on a day-trip to Antibes, a costal town 15 minutes from Nice by train.

One of the highlights of our trip to Antibes was the absinthe bar. Basically, it's this cave-like room with various hats strewn about that patrons are welcome to wear while they drink the absinthe. Instead of downing shots of the infamous alcohol, I felt very proper when I twisted the knob for the spout, which let out water from a pitcher; this water poured over a sugar-cube, which disintegrated into my glass of absinthe. The actual amount of absinthe given is very small, which is why the diluting process is necessary. Very cool!

What have I learned from my travels?

a. Covoiturage is a good way to practice speaking French.

b. Never eat saumon-fumée sandwiches from a rest-stop.

c. Ellen and I are very good at problem-solving.

d. A macaron is different from a macaroon.

e. I like absinthe. 

More tales a-comin' soon.