Cote d´Azur

The Cote d´Azur, or the French Riviera, definitely attracts the rich and famous with its resorts and over-the-top and extravagant style. It can be very expensive---I paid 6 euros for a beer at the bar which many of you know is the equivalent of nine US dollars. It is possible to do it on a shoe string, though. I stayed at the Villa St. Exupery hostel and it really made the trip doable for someone in my situation. They had really good choices for dinner at the hostel and also had a bar that was obscenely cheap and a great place to meet fellow travelers. I also forgot to mention earlier---I hadn´t met many Americans while traveling in Eastern Europe, but I have started to meet a few in Amsterdam, Paris, and Nice.

My hostel was in Nice and I used it as a base to explore all te surrounding areas. It is very easy to get around by train or bus and they run constantly from Nice to the nearby cities.

I spent my first day just checking out Nice and hanging out on the beach. The second day I went sailing with some guys I met from Ohio State---it was nice to meet some other people that knew that college football was starting!

I spent one day in Cannes and Antibes. Antibes is a medieval town with sea walls lining the harbor. Cannes, of course, is known mostly for the film festival held there each year. It is a very ritzy city, though, with over 7 miles of sandy beaches.

My last day I did a day trip to Eze Village, Monaco, and Cap dÁil. Eze Village is a tiny medieval stone village on the peak of a mountain in the direction of Monaco. It offers stunning panoramic views of the coast. There was also a cactus garden amongst the ruins that was really cool to see. From there I took the bus on to Monaco. Monaco is the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican, with just 32,000 residents. It is definitely the most extravagant and luxurious place that I have ever been---the port is packed with luxury yachts, there are countless Ferraris cruising the streets, and, of course, it is home to the ritzy Monte Carlo Casino. After a day of sight-seeing and walking around I was ready for the relax so I took the bus back to a beach called Plage Mala at Cap dÂil. It is a very secluded, pebbled beach. Right across the way from the beach is the area where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought a house.

That is it for the Riviera. I am actually in Sevilla right now where I just arrived from Barcelona. I will try to do an update on that before I leave and Sevilla either right when I get back or from London, before I fly home. I have just three nights here, one in London, and then I am back in the states. I will look forward to seeing everyone soon!

---

---

---