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Published: February 19th 2008
The French Alps were just spectacular! More photos when I can get a PC with working USB...
Each day the sun was caught behind the mountains until around 10am, so until that time the temperature hovered around -5. Defenite glove-jacket-beanie weather. After the sun comes out you need a serious pair of sunglasses because the snow just blinds you. I just hope the photos come out all right.
I also found out very quickly which kinds of snow you can walk on. The white puffy stuff is fine, so long as its been compacted before you walk on it. When it starts to turn brown/grey, its turning to solid ice, and that is slippery stuff.
We defenitely got here just on the tailend of the season: the snow-machines were going every night. The amount of people there was surprising, but I guess we got there just at the start of the French holidays, the town centre was packed. I wasn't brave enough to take up Denys's offer of ski or board lessons, I kind of value my legs. Maybe next time.
After 3 nights (Andrea got sick on the third day and Denys let us stay a 3rd night) we hopped back on the train and headed for Marseille.
This was the first real mistake of our trip. Marseille is a hole. The taxi charged us 40E to take us to our hotel (15minutes, max), our hotel entrance was down a dirt alley, and the stairs to our room seemed to be made from leftovers of other staircases - of different sizes. There is almost nothing to see except maybe the water and the fort. And thats all I have to say about that.
Nice, on the other hand, was fantastic. We escaped Marseille and trained to Nice, planning to take an overnight train to Rome. With 5 hours to kill in Nice, we regretted not getting there much sooner. Its a bit like Lyon, but I don't think its a University town. Its very clean, relaxed and very pedestrian-friendly. We happened to get in on the day of a huge Carnival, and we were quickly covered in confetti - managed to dodge the silly-string though. The area looks incredible, with houses built on the hills right out to the water. I could live here.
Next stop: Rome.
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Andrew
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My beard is shaved...
Hey Stevo bon-Wevo (a rough translation from French... Steven the fatty) How u doing bro? Me and smashed-head just got back yesterday morning, 42 hours of no sleep...healthy! I had a mad beard and mo going...but took them off for the meeting. How you travelling anyway? I demand a photo of you doing 'the sprinkler' in front of a well known landmark...that is all :)