France and Malta, Winter 2018

Tuesday, February 27, 2018   We began our day driving the 15 miles southwest down the Mediterranean coast from Nice to Antibes.   The name Antibes is a corruption of antipodes, opposite, and the old city is opposite the old city of Nice across a stretch of water.   It was a walled Roman city with parapets along the water and a fort above.   We walked the parapets: Today, of course, there are fantastic boats, both power and sail, in the harbor.   Immediately after the Second World War, Picasso had a studio here, and there is now a museum there concentrating on the works he produced during that time, although there are other works such as this “Head of a Woman” from 1931: There were no art materials available just after the war, so Picasso made do with paint from a boatyard and concrete panels which he poured and painted.   Here is a 1946 Antibes beach scene called “La Joie de Vivre”: And here, also in boat paint o...

Monday, February 26, 2018   One reason we came to the south of France from Rochester is for the weather.   Well, it snowed on and off all day today, with temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s.   It hasn’t snowed in Nice since 1991 we were told. No matter; we had a great day.   We began with a 90-minute talk on the painters of southern France, with special attention to Matisse, Chagall and Picasso.   Our trip leader is wonderfully educated on the art history of this region, and his talk (with PowerPoints) was an extraordinary summation of an enormous amount of material.   We then went out into the cold and drove up to a place where there’s supposed to be a wonderful view of the city and the coast.   There was not.   But our visit to the Russian Orthodox Cathedral was fascinating.   It was built in 1912, a product of the melding of important families from all over Europe—it’s a long story. Nice has its share...

Sunday, February 25, 2018 Our day started with a 90-minute lecture on the history of south France, with a focus on Provence, the Côte d'Azur, and Nice in particular.   It’s an overwhelming history dating back to the Greeks and continuing through the Romans and up to the present day.   We then walked to and through the old city.   There’s so much to see.   One interesting feature is the windows on the sides of many buildings which are not there.   These are tromp l’oell: There’s a daily flower market which is very busy, and includes a few vegetable stands as well as honey and other edibles: The building which Matisse called home for many years is at the end of the flower market.   He lived on the top floor with a view of the sea: Ww had lunch in the old city, and then went to today’s parade, called Parada Nissarda.   It’s the major Carnival parade, and in addition to the theme floats there were many political stateme...

February 24, 2018   Nice Parade Dinner last night was at a restaurant called La Rotonde located in the very upscale hotel next door, the Negresco.   We had tried to walk into the hotel just to see it on one of our walks, but were not allowed to do so.   Last night we got to look as we had a reservation at the restaurant.   The hotel also has another restaurant with two Michelin stars; dinner there is $300/person without wine or tip.   We didn’t eat there.   La Rotonde is decorated with carousel horses: Today there was lots of excitement as the city prepared for the first of the big parades for Carnival.   Lots of security too.   On Bastille Day (July 14) 2016, a terrorist truck driver drove through the crowds on the major thoroughfare along the water, the Promenade des Anglais, and murdered 86 people, injuring another 450+.   That’s where the Carnival parades used to take place, but they’ve moved to a more secure, fenced-in venu...

Friday, February 23, 2018  Last night we went out for dinner to a local bistro recommended by our hotel, the Bistro Dalpozzo.  It was an experience.  As most restaurants do, they offer a “menue” which consists of two or three courses of the specials of the day at a fixed price which is a bargain compared to ordering a la carte.  At this bistro some English was spoken, and of the three offerings for a main course, Joyce chose the fish and I chose the “Andouillette AAAAA de Troyes.”  It was explained to me that it was sausage.  Well, I know and like Andouille sausage, so I ordered it, not knowing it is completely and totally different. This is what came: So, of course, back in the room I looked it up.  This is from Wikipedia: Andouillette (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃dujɛt]) is a coarse-grained sausage made with pork (or occasionally veal), intestines or chitterlings, pepper, wine, onions, and seasonings. Tripe, which is the stomach lini...

Thursday, February 22, 2018  Nice We spent the day walking Nice.   All over there are fanciful reminders of the Carnival underway.   Here are two: We walked past the grandstands where those who buy the expensive A-level seats will sit to watch the parades: The theme of this year’s carnival is Space, and I guess this is the King and Queen, flanking a classical-era statue: There is an antiques area which we spent considerable time in, but bought nothing in the lovely shops.   At the foot of the street with the heaviest concentration of antique stores is the brocante section.   A brocante shop may be best translated as something between flea market and the kind of market which sells inexpensive antiques.   This market consists of more than 30 shops both indoor and overflowing to outdoor: Again, we bought nothing.   We then walked to the large, sheltered boat basin where, in addition to rather ordinary 50-foot ...