Antibes et Nice

Friday afternoon, I headed toward the bus stop. While waiting for Priscilla and Fabi I thought about how great this weekend was going to be in Antibes. I was excited to head to another part of France and explore a little more of the french culture. I was still pretty tired from Thursday night. Although I didn't go out with the others, we still celebrated Rose's birthday until it was late and I had class at 8:00am Friday morning.
(side thought: I can't believe my 21st birthday is in less than 1 month and 1/2!)
After getting picked up by our "covoiturage" we were on our way to Antibes. What Fabi and I thought was only going to be a 2 hour car ride, turned out to be a 5 hour car ride! It got dark dark fast and the mountains faded around me. The stars were shining bright though the window and I thought they were brighter than I'd seen in a long time, but then realized this is probably because I haven't seen this many stars in over a month now. And as the curvy mountains roads took us from point A to point B, I felt them wrap around my imagination. I imagined flying off the mountain.. soaring into the sky, to the stars, to my dreams. These were some of the most dangerous mountains I've ever been on, and if it weren't for be being scared shitless I think I would have thrown up from car sickness. Tried to sleep the rest of the way and we finally arrived around 10 something p.m. where I met up with Amit. We just hung out Friday night and most of the day Saturday before I went off exploring Antibes. I walked around Antibes searching for the beach Amit showed me Friday night, stopped a few places to look around and eventually ended up at this beautiful place I searched for most deeply.
While sitting there, gazing out into the blue, here are a few things I wrote:
Waves crashing all around the rocks beneath my feet. Sun shining on a wall built no less than 200 years ago to stand as a fortress. Watching the boats rolling by, wishing I was cruising on the water with them, thinking about all the good times I had this summer with friends on the boat in Nashville. I keep trying to remember- I'm in France!- It still doesn't seem like it. And whatever happens here.. just happens. The water is a mucky blue- beautiful. I've only ever seen one other thing this color as beautiful. His eyes. Although I've been in France before, I've seen more of her beauty in the past month (that I didn't even know she had). Now sitting on the beach having just put my feet in the calm, cool water, soaking in the sun, enjoying the breeze and listening to the sound of the waves crash and the jet skis in the background. It's absolutely wonderful. There's a cute little boy playing naked on the shore and a couple screaming trying to get one another in the water. A pigeon is pecking beside me in the sand scavenging for food. I didn't think to bring my bathing suit with me out on my little walk, so I wish this was a nude beach, I wasn't to feel the rush of the waves. I feel at peace as the wind blows through my hair and I'm standing on the rocks looking out until the world folds down. Mountains in the distance and sounds of church bells ring in my ears. There's only one thing missing.. Thankfully there is a beautiful, faint rainbow, in the distance that's letting me know that there is something at the end!
I walked back to Amit's and we went to Cannes to spend a nice night eating dinner at a Japanese restaurant where I had some really good Shashimi, and then went to see Mary and Max. Retired after slept like a baby until the next day when I got up a little earlier than usual to go to Nice. Caught a ride with this guy who was heading there so I didn't have to wait another hour for the train. Explored Nice the rest of the day. Went to the Chateux at the top of the mountain, ate, and then changed into my bathing suit. How relaxing it was to lay out at the beach again! Unfortunately I didn't realize how much I loved sand until I was walking to the water and there were stones beneath my feet. Trying to avoid slipping and falling getting into the water was very difficult and I almost didn't succeed a few times lol!
I got a nice sorbet and listened to an orchestra in the vieux ville before heading towards the bus station to catch a train back to Antibes. I got to try Socca, with somewhat of a very soft, not all the way cooked, corn bread consistency, pretty tasty.
Unfortunately on the way back from Nice, I got lost trying to find the stop I was supposed to get off at (it totally wasn't even there!) and our covoiturage had to come find me- I felt pretty bad about it. The stars were even more beautiful on the way back. And from there, it's been back to the same routine with classes and school work. The weekends are what I live for. However, we always tend to find something extravagant to do during the week at some point! Speaking of tomorrow: another soiree- fromage et chocolat fondue, et alors a Druid's Pub pour la musique et beaucoup des boires! :)