These past few days have been a little bittersweet, as the thought of leaving this beautiful city hangs over our heads. But nonetheless, we have been able to enjoy every minute of these precious days with each other and in Nice.
Wednesday, we drove three hours to Saint-Tropez for a full day of shopping, exploring, and beach-going. It was a little too hot and touristy in my opinion, but still a lovely place to be. There were huge, million-dollar yachts anchored on the port and beautiful views of the coastline.
Thursday during class, we went to the Musee d’Art Modern, which happens to be three blocks away from the residence. I love modern art, so this was a really nice surprise. On the first floor, they were showcasing artwork that was mimicking the work of Matisse. I really like modern art, because there are so many different ways of expressing an idea, and no art piece is every the same as another. They’re just different. We also climbed three levels of stairs to get to the top of the building, which provided a fantastic panoramic view.
After class, the whole group went out to lunch at a socca restaurant in Old Nice to try the Niçoise specialties. We were served socca, which is made from a chick pea base, and some other meals containing ground beef and fried fish. Afterward, we walked to the beach for parasailing! If you don’t know what that is, it is a sport for which you are harnessed in and attached to a parachute and boat; the boat drags you along as you glide over the water. Most everyone was at least a little nervous, especially since none of us had ever done something like this before. But we overcame our fears and everyone ended up going! It was so worth it, every minute of it. There’s definitely nothing in this world that compares to being suspended over the Mediterranean Sea with a view as far as the eye can see. We then went back home to eat a homemade Chinese meal that Jessie had made for us. It was extremely spicy but so delicious, and we all had fun watching each other turn bright red and sweat from eating.
Today, Friday, marked the last official day of class. I only say official because everywhere we interact and utilize our French is like another class. One class went out to brunch, while my class grabbed a quick coffee and pastry and met them at the Musée Masséna, an old palais (palace) that had been kept in fantastic condition and now displays artwork by the likes of Matisse and some of the history of Nice. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take pictures inside, but take my word that the palais was phenomenal! There were dark wood bookshelves, gold framing, marble counters, and enormous chandeliers hanging from the articulately painted ceilings. It was a good way to end our French class.
Later that night, we took the train to Antibes Land, a local amusement park. It was tons of fun, especially when daring each other and ourselves to go on rides that might have frightened us a little. We went on drop towers, roller coasters, swinging chairs, and best of all, the fun house, which was made up of different obstacles like turn tables, conveyer belts, shaky grounds, and slides. I had a great time!
As this trip draws to an end, I know we’re all trying to make the best of each day and soak in what the country of France has to offer us.
-Anna