Zigging and Zagging....

Zigging and Zagging…..

After 10 days of clear blue skies and dry sunny days the clouds bring some welcome relief.   The light rain seems to cleanse the air and as I head west along Pastorelli and south on rue Alberti it feels great to finally get some exercise.  I'm excited, giddy in a childlike way, as I jog towards the Vieux Ville.  I'm headed for the Prom which seems like the ideal setting for a jog along the waters edge.   Even on overcast days it seems that the sky smiles down upon this city. 

Delightful.... N'est pas?? 

Le Vieux Ville invites me in to detour through it and I can't resist the temptation.  I zig and zag, in through one "street" and up some steps.   A quick left along a busy alleyway cluttered with merchant's offerings neatly arranged outside their magasins.  My senses are on heightened alert, tourists and locals alike fill each nook and cranny as I bob and weave my way through the spider web of the old city.   It is amazing how busy it is....a sea of people going about their daily activities and routines.   Surely it can't be just tourists I think to myself.   It’s September!!  Don't the Nicois work?  

Fun at the Fountain

Soon I arrive at the graceful fountain in front of the place Palais de Justice where just a few days earlier our girls along with other children lost themselves in a playful bubble fight courtesy of some prankster who filled the fountain with soap.   I cross the square, jog through Cour Saleya and under the arches out onto the wide expanse of the Promenade des Anglais.   I head west in the direction of Cannes and St. Tropez and to my left the Mediterranean lazily ripples to shore.   To my right cars and Vespas entertain me as they whiz by to who knows where.   As usual the Prom is bustling with humanity.   Young and not so young alike - jogging, biking, rollerblading and meandering, some hand in hand or arm in arm simply enjoying a stroll.

   

In the distance the majesty of the Hotel Negresco with its pink coloured cupola adorned by a green crown encourages me to visit.  My lungs inhale the salty sea breeze and I am energized by the beauty and grandeur of it all.   Few spots epitomize Nice or for that matter the joie de vivre of the Cote Azur more than the Prom.   Passing the Negresco I glance at my watch....25 minutes before Simona is out from school.   I turn back and pick up the pace.   The dull aching in my knees is muted by the beauty around me.  Soon I'm headed north towards Place Massena and the stately salmon coloured buildings that envelope the square.   The elegance is unmistakable!!  Place Massena provides a magnetic focal point for the city at any time of the day.   

I veer north along Jean Medecin and it too is a sea of people, cafes brimming with smiling faces.   People eating, drinking and doing what the French do with such verve and passion - simply taking a break to enjoy life and..... a cigarette!   I'm amazed at how many people smoke here.   My pace slows as I round the corner onto Dubouchage and pick my way through all the pedestrians.   Dubouchage is one of my favourite streets. Just north and parallel to Pastorelli where we live, it is one of those wide avenues lined with regal Belle Epoch residences which gives the street a sense of purpose and importance.  The old chene (oak) and towering palm trees create a sheltering canopy of lush foliage.   I will my tired legs up Boulevard Cimiez, a long and steady climb north to Simona's school.   Arriving with a few minutes to spare, panting and sweaty, I am welcomed by Simona's bright smile.  She says goodbye to a school mate and we enjoy our walk home sharing the events of our day.   I realize how lucky I am!!

Abientot mes amis!

Sal