If there is no sand, play with rocks

Jogging on Promenades des Anglais, right along the blue ocean, was great. The boardwalk runs for 7km (4 miles) so plenty of space. Our apartment is 10 minutes walk from the promenades. There were plenty of other joggers so I didn't feel so weird like in some European countries where only crazy Americas run for no reason.

Later we went walking around Nice, back along the beach. The beach is so rocky I still don't understand how people can lie on top of it all day, on just a towel. Having seen many other beaches, Rio comes to mind, where people sculpt out of sand and kids play in the sand, the natives here have really adapted. Instead of building sand castles or digging holes in the sand, the kids play with rocks, by throwing them! Yikes. Dangerous to be a kid here. We also saw a man laboriously building large circles in rocks. I guess they can't build rock castles. Occasionally there'd be tiny patches of sand, but the people eschew these and still prefer to lie on rocks. Crazy!

We walked to the chateau and climbed the 200 steps to the top for the view. This is the typical view you see everyone photograph, although probably not all from so high. We got a panoramic view too, of the harbor and town on the other side of the hill. While we were up there I ask some Chinese people to take a photo of us. I heard them speak Chinese so I figured I can ask them easily. They were in shock I think. Probably didn't expect to be addressed in their home language so casually so far away from home.

After the hill we wander down to old town, where the streets are very narrow and houses almost touch on top. Some of the apartments I looked at are in this neighborhood. The insides are very modern. Plenty of people live above the restaurants and shops. So many modern shops too, like the ones you would see in Beverly Hills. I wish they had preserved the old ambience and not let in so many new shops.

My mission on many of these European trips have been to kick a pigeon. They are so dirty, like flying rats really. They are all over, especially underfoot in cafes. Really, they are just asking to be kicked. I tried to kick some but they were to quick. One day . . .

We wander back past the main shopping area and saw some kids perform dance in the square. The central square and fountain really starts to remind me of other similar square and fountains I've seen in Europe. Madrid? Rome? They are starting to blend together. But still, I love them.

On the way back we stop in a small convenience store to pick up some food. I really need to learn how to count higher than ten in French so I can understand the money part of buying something. At home I had one of the best meals ever, cooked completely by my husband, which made it even better. All I did was cut up some tomatoes for a salad. We had some curried rice with chicken, raisins, and pineapple, roast chicken, roast potato wedges, and the salad.

Early night, feeling tired after all the walking around and still not adjusted fully to time change. Where are we going to go tomorrow was the question? So many choices.

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