Monday, June 25, 2012

Nice, Day 5



Well, Rome was not to be on this particular trip but I am not too anxious about it.  God willing, I will be back soon enough, and I can plan a visit to Rome then.

I have been busy working away, and have completed two paintings.  I am trying to do a painting a day en plein air, plus mulling over what larger painting I will do for the project as well.  The smaller paintings do keep the juice flowing in my mind, as I have no TV, and had no internet until a few moments ago, but that is a good motivator as well.  I do think I may be smoking too much though--all of this time on my hands makes me wound up.  I literally don't know how to sit still.

I guess I am not alone, because when I take breaks away from drawing or working on my paintings, I can see other people either on the street, or from my balcony, and a bulk of them are either on their phones, on their computers, or watching TV.  As a global people, I don't think we know how to exist anymore without technology.  What on earth would people do with themselves?  I think the digital "have nots" are actually better off than the digital "haves."  If the internet ever went down for an extended period of time, we might collectively have a rash of suicides!

My sunburn is starting to dull, and it is all icky and blistered and weeping.  Next it will itch and peel.  Yuck.  But, I have an umbrella, and I think I will attempt the beach tomorrow after 2 pm, when the sun is slightly less strong.  I have to say, the sun stays VERY strong until at least 6 pm here, so now that I know that, I am prepared a little better.

Nice is quiet now that the Ironman has gone away, and the streets are leisurely but still bustling, especially towards Old Nice and the shopping district.  I am planning a trip to Monaco in a day or two, stopping off in Cap Ferrat, and maybe head over the border into Ventimiglia Italy.  Cannes is on the list as well.  I know the locals encourage a stop in Monte Carlo, but "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" isn't really my cup of tea, nor is gambling, so I am not so sure I will stop there.  I would like to take a ferry to Corsica, as that has a lot of history to explore, and Roman ruins are definitely what I love about the area.

So, it is nearly midnight here, and still we have activity in the balconies.  I hear the guy next door loudly and repeatedly yawning and yawning (Go To Bed Dude!), and two other ladies in the balconies below have been ironing clothes literally for hours.  What is up with that?  Ironing is a big deal around here.  I see a lot of women doing that at various times of the day when I stop in,  and I wonder about it...it is an especially mundane and thankless job, LOL.

I have been going to sleep fairly late, and waking up fairly late as well, but when I breakfast on my terrace, I notice I am not alone, so later sleeping hours here seem to be the norm.  That makes me feel a little better and not like some lazy loser who just likes to sleep until 10 or 11 am.  I would NEVER do that back home, haha, but around here, it seems OK.

I guess I will clean up a little, read my book, and enjoy this delicious breeze flowing in from the balcony.  I have not slept with the door closed yet, and I don't plan on it tonight.  It's kind of like camping out, only better, haha.  Goodnight and bonne nuit!

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