We did see an old fort from a distance, having not been able to locate the entrance, and some enormous yachts in port from places like London and Oslo. After wandering around the marina, we were quite hungry. Our attempt to make it to the center of town yielded pricey pubs, cafes and many eateries closed for the day. Eventually Michelle spotted a grocery store and we decided to grab some small treats and snack on our way to Cannes. I selected 2 coconut yogurts and Michelle found some bite size salamis, herbed cream cheese ovals the size of your thumb and a baguette.
On our way back toward the bus stop we spotted a park and decided to sit for our snack. This was a fortuitous move as Michelle spotted a 200 bus to Cannes which we could then follow along the street to find out if there was a closer bus stop. The bus had passed before we were able to cross the street, but based on our finely tuned intuition and knowledge of street signs (like the one way/do not enter symbol) we found the bus back in the main square where we had previously been looking for inexpensive cafes. The bus happened to stop just down the street from us and a large group of people were entering. We had just enough time to walk around the construction and make it to the door before it left.
A half hour later in Cannes we stepped out into a busy plaza right next to the port filled with semi-permanent tent shop booths and petanque playing areas. Petanque appears to be a sport similar to bocce, but where everyone plays with the same silver colored balls and the strategy seemed similar to curling. The playing fields are typically gravelly which adds to the difficulty factor. The men we saw playing had impeccable aim to lob a ball 10ft. away and hit their opponent's ball dead on knocking it out of play or to gently roll it right next to the target marker. Since we were unable to locate a restaurant with toilet facilities in Antibes, we were in need. Spotting a Mc Donald's on the corner, we played the 2 in 1 card by getting a bit more food and bathroom privileges. Michelle chose a flurry with caramel bits and I tried a L'Petit Moutarde (little mustard--small square bun with a burger patty, tomato slice and grainy spicy mustard) which turned out to be quite tasty.
Strolling along the waterfront, we headed for the Palais Festival where the Cannes Film Festival is held. Unfortunately there was some media conference going on and the building was closed to anyone without a badge. There was a makeshift red carpet outside which we were able to walk along and we did get to see a few of the hand prints in the sidewalk.
I even posed for a photo as the Hans Solo cut out with Chewbacca. Our walk led us to the beach where we rested our feet on the sandy beach. Nice only has pebbly/rocky beaches which really are rather comfortable and you avoid the sand sticking to you.
By now it was 5:30pm and we faced a 2 hour bus ride back to Nice. When we reached the bus stop back by the main plaza, a line of about 40 people were waiting outside the bus. Thinking we wouldn't get seats and would have to stand the whole way back, we decided to wait for the next one and be near the front of the line. The French, much like the Italians, are very pushy when it comes to public transit. Most people crowd to the door and push forward as if that will assist the entrance process. There are usually a small contingent who argue about who should go in first based on old age, disability or just plain think they deserve to go first. We were witness to an old lady who was determined to be first on the bus and had a short tiff with a lady next to her. If you're old and want to go first, fine--just don't be rude about it and expect it as your personal right. We were also flanked by 4-5 people who came from in front of the bus and bypassed the line as well as 4 Brits who walked up on my left side between the line and the bus. Wouldn't you know that we all made it on the bus and we all got a seat? Shocking. The ride, however, was painful to say the least. About 30 minutes into our trip we hit ridiculously slow traffic and the bus turned into a sauna. None of the windows on the bus open (safety feature??) and with it packed full, things heated up quickly. Michelle and I were about to pass out from heatstroke. Kids were sweaty and crying to their parents that it was too hot. None of it seemed healthy and all of it was pushing the limits of sanity. About 45 minutes later we cleared the traffic and, finally moving a bit, the roof vents provided a bit of relief. We eagerly got off a few stops before the bus terminal to pick up the tram back to the hostel. Phew!
We needed a few minutes to recover before heading down to dinner. Tonight's selection was calamari with pasta salad. Not being a calamari fan, I planned to get a pizza. As I surveyed the main dish throughout the common room, I noticed the calamari was fried. No problem! The pasta was fantastic too--green beans, red/orange/yellow peppers, black olives, dill and olive oil. Most delicious meal. Michelle, Louise and I shared a bottle of red wine and 2 cookies for dessert. After such a long day, it was definitely bed time.
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