A Picture as a Perfect Pick-Me-Up

It is 1:00 pm and the dining table lamp is still on from the early morning.  Outside it is foggy and still raining.  We've been under the influence of our first tropical weather system of the year.  The storms line up off the Pacific and continue dumping rain in the Lower Mainland for days at a time at this time of year.  The positive part of these systems is they bring in warm air from Hawaii.  We often have practically snow-free winters in Vancouver.  However it's gloomy presently.

So, finding these images on my phone felt fantastic.  Generally, I upload images to Flickr nearly immediately and delete the original from my devices. A collection of over 40,000 images stands as my single lifetime depository.  Just now, I added a dozen more to the easy-to-organize collection there.  I put eight of them in this post.  

These were from our last evening, on June 27th, before we headed back home the next day.  I kept putting off uploading them.  Better late than never!  Oh, and it turned out perfectly as I needed a little mental boost because of today's weather.

We spent the month of June in Nice, France.  We stayed at a VRBO and used the city as a base to see the Côte d'Azur. This week, a friend posted pictures on Facebook from Italy and I commented that I really liked that country and the whole Mediterranean coast. We found it easy to live for a month in Nice.

Arduous

Day 32 - This was the day dedicated to getting from Point A to Point B. On the whole, Air Canada got us from Nice to Montreal. We also successfully flew from Montreal to Vancouver. 

Jay and I rolled out of the apartment at about 10:15 am. By absolute chance, we met the VRBO owner as she was parking on an adjacent street. She was a marvelous older woman who spoke primarily French. (You know, the double kissing type.) She must've been checking to make sure we hadn't destroyed the place. And, of course,we hadn't. 

We took just one large suitcase and carry-ons on this trip as it costs a lot for bags. I find that so annoying. (I bought that suitcase in Malaysia and I hope it NEVER wears out. It doesn't have a zipper around the middle but is molded plastic that seals completely. I love it and recently we could not find one for Jay.) Anyway, all eight wheels remain intact and operable!  We had to roll the suitcase at least a kilometer to catch Tram #2 for the airport. 

The flight to Montreal was eight hours and the connection was another four and a half. Both planes took off over an hour late but managed to shave that impressively to land less late. We were thinking of the last time we used Air Canada and couldn't.  However, I'd give the international sector an average rating compared to our recent experiences.

Our largest trouble today was getting from the airport home. We'd decided against transit. Uber was a mess and we ended up taking a taxi. The price was much better than 'surge pricing' on Uber. I think the airport staff is taking bribes from the taxi companies and making it as hard to use ride-share at YVR as possible. That is all I can think of that could account for such havoc. We got home nearly an hour later than we should've.

 

Getting Ready to Go Home

Day 31 - We did a few rounds yesterday to look at all thing Nice.  In a few hours, we'll take our final evening walk in a place we've come to love over the last month.

We've got our e-boarding passes for tomorrow's Air Canada flights.  We can take our time getting up.  Jay and I will lock up the VRBO apartment at 10:00 am and roll our bags to Tram #2.  It won't take long to get to NCE.  Our flight to Montreal's YUL is supposed to start boarding here at 12:30 pm.  We've been trying to see if the departures are reliably on time but didn't come to pass judgment.  We're hoping for a smooth and effortless connection to YVR tomorrow.

Canadian exemption allows for two bottles of wine each.  I picked up some delicious, dry wine to take back.  These are packed along with most everything which can be packed early.  Of course, things like this computer are the last to be unplugged and stowed inside a carry-on.

Location Influenced My AI Images

Day 30 - I wanted to add a few AI images inspired by my stay in Nice, France.  During the last month, I did not experiment a whole lot with artificial intelligence.  I was busy taking real photographs and my phone has been the primary way I captured scenes we saw.  Yet, this area did feature in a number of the images I created with AI.   Art is influenced by one's surroundings.  

I gave Bing's AI Chat a chance to explain.

Many famous artists lived in the south of France for various reasons. Some were attracted by the beauty of the landscape, the warm climate and the crystal clear light of the region. Others found in the south of France a place of refuge, freedom and innovation. Here are some examples of artists who stayed in the south of France and who were inspired by this part of the world:

Claude Monet, one of the leaders of impressionism, painted several landscapes of the south of France, especially in Antibes, Menton and Bordighera. He was amazed by the vibrant colors and the bright sun of the French Riviera. 

Berthe Morisot, one of the few female impressionists, stayed in Nice in 1882 and painted several views of the port and the bay. She captured the light and joyful atmosphere of the seaside town.

Paul Signac, one of the founders of neo-impressionism, discovered Saint-Tropez in 1892 and bought a house there. He was fascinated by the light and the reflections of the Mediterranean Sea. He invited other artists to join him, such as Henri Matisse, Georges Braque and Albert Marquet.

Henri Matisse, one of the masters of fauvism, lived in Nice from 1917 to 1954. He was seduced by the brightness and the colors of the south of France. He painted many indoor and outdoor scenes, as well as still lifes and portraits. He also created the famous Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence.

Pablo Picasso, one of the geniuses of cubism, spent a large part of his life in the south of France, especially in Antibes, Vallauris, Cannes and Mougins. He explored different artistic styles and techniques, such as ceramics, sculpture and engraving. He also paid tribute to local artists such as Cézanne and Van Gogh.

Marc Chagall, one of the masters of expressionism, lived in Saint-Paul-de-Vence from 1948 to 1985. He was inspired by the Provencal landscape and the Jewish traditions. He painted biblical, mythological and poetic scenes. He also created the National Museum Marc Chagall in Nice.

These artists are just a few examples among many others who found in the south of France a source of inspiration and artistic creation. You can admire their works in the many museums and art galleries of the region. 

I am not suggesting that my AI photographs put me in the same league as anyone on the list above.  However, you can easily see the influences of this area in these seven virtual photos.

Things We See

 

Day 29 - This is our last weekend on the French Riviera. We have a mid-week flight, but the end feels near. I usually find myself trying to snap a few photos to help me remember things about our stay. 

For example, we've left the main door of our building to walk to the outer gate more times than I can count. We marvel at the growth of the plants, especially as there is a profusion of a flower Jay calls the 'four o'clock plant'. That's when the flowers open each afternoon and he knows it from Sri Lanka. The white ones look like this:

 

The view from the door looks like this. The street is a dead-end so there's never traffic on it.

 

So often we've simply walked down Avenue Jean Médecin, the main route of Tram #1.  The wide avenue is only for pedestrians and trams and is so walkable!  People are always there.  Then, the avenue opens up directly into Place Masséna and the Fontaine du Soleil.  Next to that, a large fountain area was being used mostly by kids cooling off from the warmth of a June evening.

If one walks just a block through a park one arrives at the Neuf Lignes Obliques.  The artwork of nine, 30-meter pillars  It can be seen from all along the beach side of this city.

We've grown used to seeing these things.  It'll feel strange flying home after just 30 days of living here.

Summer Choices in Southern France

 

Day 28 - I'm no wine expert. And frankly, I've never been particularly impressed with those who claim to be.

However, I always thought that a bottle of rosé was simply an inferior mixture of red and white wines. Furthermore, I surely didn't know that people in this region of France drink it predominately, especially during the hot summer months. Life and learn!

The supermarkets seem to sell out of stock quickly.  The prices, I admit, are reasonable.  I'm sure that I'm going to have sticker shock the next time I enter a liquor store in British Columbia.

 

Èze Village and the Trail to Sea

Day 27 - Seeing Èze had been on our to-do list since we arrived.  Today, was the perfect day to head there.  The hilltop medieval village is nearly a suburb at about 8.5 km from Nice.  Bus #83 got us there, eventually.  First, we had to take Tram #1 to Vauban.  There are no markings as to the location of the bus station nor the actual stop which is on the other side of the regular loading area.  We got directions.  We were among the first on the bus.  That was great because as our bus proceeded to other stops, it filled to capacity.  More than a few tourists along the route were left behind as we zipped past them.  Our bus was a free transfer because we had each paid €1 for the tram.

Most of our bus got off at the village but it continued to Monaco.  We walked up into the older part of the village.  We saw a fair number of restaurants and art shops but primarily hung out near the church.  The upper area is called a garden, and a way of getting tourists to cough up six Euros.  We didn't need the view as we had other plans.  We must have spent an hour walking around the narrow streets.  They were more touristy than our recent day in Tende, France.

 

 

We'd read about the trail that leaves the village and heads down to the sea.  People had said it's rather rugged mostly because of the loose stones.  Yet it definitely sounded easier to walk down than up, so we found the trailhead.

At first, we weren't really sure we were going the right way as we didn't see signs.  Eventually, we noticed new, yellow, spray-painted trail markers.  We followed them.  A coastal highway and the train tracks run close to the sea.  We'd seen the Èze beach area on our way to Menton and Monaco.  

So, rather than bussing back, we'd set our sights on returning by train.  It was all downhill from there, so to speak.  We picked the hottest day of the year for today's outing.  Some areas were exposed to direct sunlight.  We usually rested in places with trees.  It took us longer than expected because we had to tread carefully.  One misplaced footstep might have meant a fall and bruises.

Nearly at the end of the hike, we spotted a sign for those going up which mentioned the distance was just 2.1 kilometers.  They were pretty hard ones though.  Going up would've been cardio but coming down was a workout for our legs.  Washed-out stairs made for difficult footing most of the way.

The last bit, walking down the tarred road was the hardest.  Holding back my weight on wobbly legs took more effort than choosing an appropriate rock on which to step.  We did walk to the train station and paid €3.10 each from the station to Nice-ville. This will surely be a day to remember.  Definitely at least until tomorrow as I'll be moving around slowly for a whole day.

From Yesterday to Way Back

 

Day 26 - When we were up on Castle Hill yesterday, I asked a young woman to take our picture with Nice, France as a background. She and her friends were taking glamour shots of themselves at that location.   Jay and I sometimes try to do a combo selfie, but I much prefer asking a stranger to take a picture when we're travelling.  

In order to ensure at least a half dozen choices, I've found that asking someone young is always a good option.  Older folks take just one or two images.  I guess this is because they're remembering how a whole vacation had to fit on several 36-exposure rolls of film!

A while back, I created a Flickr album for photos of Jay and me.  (Clicking the link should open the album.) The images are in chronological order.  The first one, shown here, was taken in 1985.  Now it's 2023.  Therefore, all the photographs were taken during the last 38 years.  

Yesterday's image is the very last one so far and the 125th of the series.  At first, that might sound like a lot, but it works out to be just 3.28 per year. Oh, and of course the set is skewed towards recent years due to the ease of digital imaging and retirement travels.

A Return to Castle Hill

Day 25 - Today, the sky was a little overcast. It's pretty warm and muggy but we decided for a better day to travel to the village of Eze, France. We want an extended view with clearer skies.

We decided to return to 'Castle Hill' and its great views of Nice.  Our only time up, we walked from the old port.  Today, we knew that it'd be easier to go up the elevator.  Not far from the #ILoveNice sign, one can find a passageway to free elevators to the park.

Somehow we missed seeing the artificial waterfalls on our last visit.  The very highest area for viewing is the observation area directly above them.  It was a joy to view the surrounding area from the 900+ meter vantage point.

We also went around the archaeological ruins and looked out over the sea and old port.  There's something special about being on a hill overlooking everyday activities.  People like looking down on ordinary life, I think.

As we'd taken our usual tram to walk from the Opera stop, we did the same on the return route.  This was a nice morning diversion that help us reach our 'daily step goals'.

 

Cinq Images Capturées

Day 24 - We didn't do anything very special today; therefore, I was wondering what I was going to blog about.

Luckily, before dinner, we went for a little walk to pick up some juice, a bit of cheese, and a bar of soap.  While out, I snapped these five photographs.  

I was reminded that we have just ONE week left of our month in Nice, France.  I have really enjoyed these last three weeks.  I surely don't want to forget the everyday things we see.  Some photos can capture a mood in addition to saving a representation of the objects.  This may be especially true for the photographer.  I do want to remember these days with a special fondness.