Nice is Nice

At first glance, Nice Is not what it looks like in glossy magazines.  But then, it turns out neither are actresses and models, who are heavily air-brushed, too.   That's what I first thought as we drove through, "ah hah, so the mags airbrush more than just waistlines.". But, no, it appears that Nice just has a congested, rather soiled downtown district like any big city.  What it has over Detroit, however, is that you can leave the soot and diesel behind and within minutes be surrounded by the blue water of the mediterranean sea as you drive down the Promenade de Aglaise.  

Our destination one day was--wait for it--Miami Beach!  As you pass each section of plage you note that every two hundred yards or so the beach is renamed.  A good idea if you get separated and need to know what section of the Cote D' Azure you left your bathing suit top on after going in the water.   Diane had been here two years ago and liked this stretch of beach.  Now the big question for me became this:  why do people pay huge amounts of money to live and play on the French Riviera when the beaches are covered in stone???  It was awful, I tell you. You had to leave your shoes on and even wear them in the water.  But make sure they aren't flip flops or you risk having them float out with a wave and leaving you sinking into stones in two feet of water. This could further lead to the embarrassment of being pulled out of the ocean by a friendly Frenchman (yes, they do exist) and seeing one hundred pairs of eyes staring at you and feeling sure they know you're American and definitely not used to the finer things in life, such as shredded feet from rocky shores. But, no worries, they soon lose interest and go back to laying face up in their Speedos (men) and tiny suit bottoms (women). Oh, to be an uninhibited European, unafraid to expose your breasts, whether 22 or 82 years old, with your children, husbands of friends and in-laws. And, yes, I do mean that.  A little.  No tan lines, ladies.  But my feet, and my pride, are still a bit bruised.

Janice in the Med

Miami Beach, Nice, Fr.

Miami Beach, Nice, Fr.  sunning on the rocks

Pat, during her thorough investigation of the south of France, found that there is a stretch of beach hidden away and not crowded that has real sand beaches--Juan le Pins.  We hurried over there tout suite.  I guess you can take the Jersey girls out of Ocean City, but you can't make them spread a towel on rocks.