Let me take you  on a bike ride.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The area of Sanremo near the water is a typical Italian beach front port. Boats everywhere and even lots of people even though it’s not summer. However no swimmers and very few people on the beaches (mind you, the beaches are not as wonderful as ours)  

The ocean was blue and the sun was shining. I passed a Grandfather playing with his grandson on the beach. 

Then a group of fit looking young men having lots of fun playing beach volleyball. It was easy cycling and I had time to look around. 

The track is only for walkers in one lane and cyclists in the other two. I passed through my first tunnel, well lit and in summer would be a relief from the sun I’m sure.

I rode past a series of what looked like sun shades but they had another use- solar panels.

 I rode over little bridges where the creeks run into the sea and got to admire the boats along the way-  and the ducks who looked quite at home and were enjoying the bread an elderly man was throwing to them. 

Then I passed a series of covered gardens – all shading vegetables. Italians love using every inch of land in a productive way. The gardens ran all the way up the surrounding hills. 

I saw fishermen trying their luck and just chilling out. 

The signs a long the way were as colourful as they were helpful. The maps showed the coast with “siete qui”  Showing where you were. 

I saw many churches, most of them little with shining domes and bells ringing out the time . 

I got off the track at Arma Di Taggia and explored the little streets, but it was only 3pm and all the little shops were closed and I couldn’t find a gelato! So back on track I passed along through Riva Ligure and then into one of the bigger villages San Lorenzo. I got off the track and rode around the port where there were quite a few very glamorous, serious money boats.

I stopped for coffee where the lady owner made me welcome and claimed it was a 
“stupendous – molto  bello oggi”  a beautiful day. 

I agreed with her and sat in the sun for coffee as the local Policeman  arrived for his coffee. He was so smartly turned out that I thought perhaps it was an episode of Inspector Montalbano. 

Back on the bike I rode along the stunning waterfront of San Lorenzo and stopped at a Cafetteria for a gelato. Yum. 

The sun started to sink behind the hill making reading the signs a little difficult . 

But I just turned around and looked at it from another angle. 

I walked back into town, found a lovely cafe for an afternoon Aperal Spritz ( remember them Pat, Anne and Narelle?) and thought how lucky I was. Just wish I had someone here with me to share this wonderful afternoon. 

I’m sitting in a cafe in a little piazza listening to the son of the owner playing the piano. It is so surprising to hear classical music being played at lunch time. The sun is shining and I’m about to eat risotto al fungi porcini! 

Then this afternoon I’m going bike riding along the coast. After Paris where it seemed to rain most of the time it’s lovely to have clear blue skies and a little warmer. 

Today I moved class again. I had them fooled I guess about how good I am and they had put me in the advanced class. But today happy to be back in intermediate! Better here with 2 males. Adrian from Switzerland and a young fellow from France. Both nice.

This is a lovely place. Bigger than Lerici where I was at the beginning of my holiday. It has a nice sea front and port with lots of boats. Then the town – a lovely street for the passagiate in the evening and quite a few shops with lots of high-end shops which reflects the clientele who come her for holidays I guess. 

There is a casino here in a gorgeous old building but I believe that’s the best part so haven’t ventured in there yet. Lots of slot machines as they are called here. 

Yesterday afternoon I had a big walk first of all uphill. There is an old part of town here called La Pigna which has the steepest, oldest streets. I climbed and climbed and it was like another world. The people up there have a few little piazzas and I think must hardly ever venture downtown. There were children riding bikes around the piazza and then taking off down the hill to cries from their mothers “basta basta”. I saw old men talking, women in huddles all looking at me wondering who I was, and slouching teenagers doing whatever they do when they don’t go to school or work. All really interesting. Took a few photos which I hope you will see soon ( to overcome problems I have been sending them to Steve and he has been adding them to the blog! [yea! Steve!]) 

Then following that I had a big walk along the sea front as the evening was so calm and almost warm. There’s an old port and a new one. Lots of yachts and little boats all bobbing along . It must be really busy here in summer. Lesley who is at the school (German girl living with her Italian boyfriend) works in an office at the port and said it is crazy all summer. She works 7 days some weeks and now is having some time off.

Lunch is finished now and was buono. In the time I have been sitting here lots of locals have come and greeted  the owner of the cafe, dark men have approached me selling bags, watches and belts – but so far no sunglasses! Now it time to go and get the bike. 

Off to school and was put in with better students – so there are 4 girls.

Lesley, German 28 lives here with her boyfriend and speaks so well! Carla, 25 into the 3rd week of an intensive and living for a few months in the area! Also good. Melissa, 18, French, from Monaco, filling in time after leaving school . Also quite good – and me! Struggling to keep up. They are very nice though. 

The new teacher for us, Irene, thinks she has the lower class as she did some really basic stuff that even I could do. Poor Lesley was quite bored. Hope she comes back tomorrow. 

Last night did my little bit of supermarket shopping – but in the little stores near my place. A lovely  deli  had some great pesto, bread, and a few other things. I have missed the Italian food! 

So this afternoon I’m back at school watching an Italian movie and hoping to understand what is going on . I think the 3 girls in my class are all heading home and don’t need to watch the film as they probably go to the movies here anyway. 

Will keep you posted! 

Oh yes , it was market day in town and I visited after clas but didn’t buy anything! Not even the shoes I liked as there is no room in the bag! 

My day on Sunday started early. I finished all my list of things for Paris so off I went in a taxi to Gare de Lyon, for my train. There was a problem getting one yesterday so today I am off to Nice via Marseilles. 

I arrived in Nice after an ok stop in Marseilles where I didn’t have to lug the bag up and down stairs. Then onto Nice. By then it was raining hard, dark by 5.30 and got off the train in pouring rain and had to walk the length of the platform . Then found there was not lift so had to carry the bag and the extra cabin bag, down then up lots of stairs. Then walk 200 metres to the Best Western ( which was by this time something I was regretting booking). Why? because I thought I don’t want to have to get a taxi. I can walk I thought. But in the pouring rain with 2 bags that were by now very heavy! 

Arrived dripping and hungry and asked was there somewhere I could get some dinner. Helpful man on front desk said ” Oh you’re in Nice, you must go out for dinner” Go on a train to the water front! Are you joking I thought! This is the water front as it was teeming outside. So I asked if I could possibly have something ordered in and he said helpfully “you can have tomorrow’s picnic lunch”. The hotel gives everyone a packed lunch. Have a picnic in your room he advised with a smile. Well it was so much fun in my room eating a tuna sandwich and watching tv. At the least I got an English speaking channel and got to hear all about the election in the USA. Lucky me. 

Next morning bright and early I was first for breakfast and then back to the station – in reverse. This time down the stairs and then up to the platform. Oh why I thought did I choose this! 

I arrived at Ventimiglie where you have to change again for an Italian train. But I cleverly walked out of the station and got a bus which landed me half an hour later near the school I am attending. I struggled in and up and got started with a test of my Italian. I settled down and was put with Mario and a very nice young man as my teacher in a class of mixed bodies from France, Germany and Switzerland. I’m such a novelty. 

Walked around the town after class dragging my bag and looking for my apartment. Eventually a very nice young man took pity and carried my bag up a very steep hill. (shades of Lerici, Pat, if you are reading this) 

Apartment is nice with lovely views of the town towards the sea, with a lovely helpful lady named Hilda in the upstairs apartment to help me settle in. But no wifi! Oh no I thought – cut off. So my nights will be spent reading and typing things up to send at the school the next day.

Got ready and this time took the metro and got there early so went across the road to look at the special Art exhibition set up in the gardens opposite the Opera House Bastille. Some great art and some way out art. 

I then found my seat. Amazing but no one at the door to check you in? The bell had just gone and not an usher in sight.

Anyway my seat tonight was in the 2nd row, 2nd balcony. Great view. Had a lovely lady from ” the village of Montmarte” as she so charmingly put it next to me. She was elegant and lovely and then her friend arrived and they were both charming. They told me a friend had moved to Brisbane but “it did not agrees with her. She was scared of zee snakes”. I told them it was not unusual to find snakes in the garden, but we were used to them. They looked amazed. 

Then the young man on the other side joined in and I had another new friend. He was on his own as his wife was away and doesn’t like Opera. He was about 30 and was very sweet. I spent interval talking to them and they were all really lovely. The Opera -“Daughter of the Regiment” – was really good. It was a great production and my new friends told me the director and the conductor were well regarded. It was a good production but was in French as were the subtitles – not a word of English, so even though I knew what was going on I missed a lot. There were quite a lot of spoken lines as it was a fairly light opera. One particularly good solo – by the heroine who was to be separated from her new love – brought tears to more than a few eyes. The lady next to me sobbed and was mopping her eyes for several minutes after. The French are so demonstrative! Not usually! 

It ended happily, as all operas do, and down came the French style crowd and cock a doddle dooed . It brought the house down. 

I took the no 69 bus home past the Louvre over the bridge with the view of the Eiffel Tower down Bve St Germaine and I was home.  

Then you enter the Hotel itself with more wonderful work. His work is magnificent and, having read the book The Submission,  

I kept walking to Invalides and admired its grandeur, and moved on to Champs de Mars to once again admire the Eiffel Tower and then wander back along the route the no 69 takes along Rue St Dominique. I got home by the time the rain started again and rested the feet for an hour before heading out again . This time over the Pont Royal and through the Tuileries. A it was a public holiday everyone was out. I saw the crowds playing games, walking hand in hand, sliding down slippery slides, sitting on the same green chairs I saw in the Luxembourg Garden, drinking wine, playing cards and chess and generally enjoying being out.

This time I didn’t stop. It was much cooler and I was on a mission. I hurried along Rue de Rivoli, past Place Vendome and all the high-end shops and into St Madeleine’s church  where I wanted to hear the organ concert. I stayed for about 45 mins of heart stopping, ear deafening, organ playing to a very diverse crowd.

I then enjoyed window shopping and it may have been a public holiday but all the rich were out in the top-end shops and most people around me were carrying bags! Oh how they loved the luxurious bag here in Paris. With the name clearly on show. Prada, Gucci, Armani, Choo. You name it and the Russians, Chinese and assorted other rich people were toting them around. I tried to maintain an air of mystery as I rubbed shoulders with them – at the windows.

I shouted myself a glass of wine and slipped home around 8pm for a meagre dinner of quiche. I greeted the team of workmen on my arrival home. I may not have mentioned but the team are working on the unit I share the landing with. There are 3 very polite men there from 8 in the morning till 8 at night. Someone must be paying them a lot to finish and they tell me they be finished on Saturday. They greet me morning and night and make me feel very welcome. Not to mention safe and watched over. 

Off to bed with a new book – Robert Harris “Fear”. Hope I don’t scare myself. 

It was beautiful and peaceful. The good thing about the colder weather is the tourist lines are not so bad.

I had a few hours wandering around the garden and the house and sitting watching people. I think I’m becoming invisible! Some Americans arrived and entered by the exit door to the house and I heard the women say “This is a funny entrance”! – not realising she was in the kitchen. 

Oh dear. 

I walked around the village of Giverny and saw the gallery there as well. It’s a lovely place to visit and as I love Monet’s work it was rather special. I even got to see the video about his life. 

Got back to Paris and went for a walk around the river and streets nearby as the lights were coming on and some of the streets have put up their Christmas lights .

Tomorrow after my haircut I’m going to visit the Champs-Elysees to see if the lights are up the yet. 

They are a funny lot these French. I know there were some tourists there but there were lots of locals as well . Black is the colour de jour. but there was not  too much high fashion. However, there was one lady who was like Brisbane’s own Deborah “hat wearing to all occasions” Quinn; there was a woman with a severe white hair cut  that was so sharp. She married this with  bright red glasses, a coloured blouse, jacket and full skirt and funny high boots. Quite a look. Perhaps ran an art gallery? 

Another young thing had a pink thing shaped like a disc on her head. Fashion? Not sure. 

A few elegant ladies and a few young things showing some leg. 

Getting to your seat is quite a performance. There were no ushers to ask so when the bells rang people just lined up at the door nominated on their ticket. Now my ticket had 2nd balcony, which  I climbed to, and then door 11. No door 11. I went to the bar and asked the man there as there was no one else around and he said ‘go to door 13’ . Of course – why didn’t I think of that? I went in door 13 and then climbed up and then down till I reached row 5 . During the 2 intervals I exited by door 11 on 1st balcony. Easy when you know. 

Interval is quite different to interval at our Opera. Everyone rushes the bar but not always for that glass of champagne ……but for food. 

How do the French stay slim? They get into the food. They nibbled and munched on sandwiches, cheese , muffins and biscuits, ice creams and even apples. Quite a surprise. There are lots of bars and not the queues we see at the bar in our concert/ opera theatre where every one seems to need a drink . 

It’s also like a runway, not the crush we have at interval. It’s very spread out on a terrace that wraps the theatre. It’s more a promenade while munching on something.

However the toilets are just like home, crowded, but the toilets were very old with chipped seats. At the Paris Opera. I ask you – What’s happening!!!

At the end there were the usual number of curtain calls and lots of cheering from the crowd . 

The theatre cleared quickly all rushing, not for cars parked underground, but for public transport. Me included on the no 69 which took me home to the left bank via Rue Rivoli, the Louvre, over the Seine with a view of the Eiffel Tower then delivered me to Blv St Germaine where I got a phone call from Steve as I walked home. Happy Birthday Steve. Wish you were here.  

Tomorrow Monet’s house at Giverny. 

I lined up with lots of locals and booked my train ticket to Sanremo. I’m going there next
week for another language course. I think it would be cheaper to fly, but by the time I
get to the airport and worry about the weight of my suitcase it’s easier to pay the 177
euro to go by train. I go to Nice and then change for Ventimiglia  in Italy where I change
again ! I am booked into a little flat in the seaside town. Hope it’s good.