Filed under: excursion
I had my first experience skiing in the Alps on Monday and it was spectacular! I had the most amazing day – so much snow, interspersed sunshine, no line-ups and amazing views.
I can’t say if skiing in the Alps is better than skiing in BC – they are quite different from one another. In the alps there are many lifts and gondolas criss-crossing the mountain (you need to take 2 gondolas, a lift and a t-bar to get to the very top), the vertical from base to summit is much greater (almost 2000m difference at Les Deux Alps), and there are no trees on the top half of the mountain. Given that there are no trees the runs are very undefined. Every chair has an easy out and the slopes off of the easy out (the runs) were rated in difficulty. You really could ski anywhere you wanted. Another huge difference (thanks to the size of the mountain) was that you have lunch up on the hill. There are restaurants and snack shops on the mountain at the end of all of the gondolas. Everyone eats their lunch while relaxing in lawn chairs on a restaurant patio, perched on the slopes.
After a few years hiatus from skiing, it was an amazing first time back. I am itching to go again. Hopefully after Altigliss vacation week (no school next week) there will still be enough snow on the mountains for another great day.
My ski buddy for the day, Jen
Lunch time
So much powder
Goggle tan in the making
Rhone-Alps tradition – Mulled wine after a long day on the slopes
Filed under: event
Believe it or not, but I ate at a fast food restaurant while in France. It was not by choice however- I lost a bet. The conditions of this loss? One meal eaten at Quick Burger (the French equivalent of McDonald’s) bought by Brandon, the complete eating of the meal, and the posting of the proof on the world wide web.
The food snob in me died a little that night. We had the No. 3 meal: a triple stacked burger with enough cheese to give you a heart attack, French home fries and Fanta.
After dinner, Brandon, Francois and I were all slightly nauseous and thoroughly proud of our accomplishment. To celebrate we went and drank beer. Yup – calorie overload!
Filed under: excursion
During the month of February, Nice transforms into a Carnival playground – claiming to be the second largest Carnival celebration, right behind Rio de Jainero. After hearing about the spectacular sites to be seen, some classmates and I decided to spend a weekend checking it out. We were enticed by the promise of parades and street festivities that last all night, and the thought of spending a few days on the French Riviera.
We left Grenoble on Saturday morning (March 1) at 530am and arrived in Nice by lunchtime. After we dropped our things off at the hostel we went on search for lunch and the beach. We wandered through Old Town and dined at a sidewalk bistro near the open markets. After a fantastic lunch we found our way to the boardwalk.
The city square
Book vendors like in Paris
Carnival Paraders! L to R: Caitlin, Umi, Tareq, Zindzi and Stephan
As soon as I saw the water I realized how much I have missed it. I guess that growing up and now living beside large bodies of water has had a more profound effect on me than I had realized. With only a river in Grenoble, I missed “real” water and was so happy to be next to the sea. But for me, a wimp who hates the cold, the water was too frigid for a swim this weekend.
The beach!
Umi is very excited to be in Nice!
Nearing sunset
Confetti that floated down to the beach. It was everywhere in Nice.
Rock outcrop along the shoreline. L to R: Stephan, Caitlin, Zindzi, Umi
Time for camera tricks. Me “holding” Stephan.
Confetti, confetti, everywhere! Zindzi is loving it.
After sufficient beach time, we wandered through the fair grounds, had some gelato and headed back to the hostel. We needed naps!
Coolest wind catchers I have ever seen
The fair grounds
Old Town – winding, tiny streets everywhere
After a nap that did not feel nearly long enough, we were back down on the boardwalk for the Parade of Lights. It was absolutely amazing. I have never seen a parade, on television or otherwise, that even compares to what Nice had in store for us. There were the most spectacular floats and costumes, all in the theme of “King of Bats.” The crowd spilled into the road, at times dancing and jesting with those in the parade. Silly string and confetti were flying all around. No one was safe – everyone sprayed and showered everyone else. The atmosphere was exuberant and energetic. The dark night, bright lights and loud music really engendered a party feel.
Yup – those are statues over a hundred feet in the air all lit up.
When silly string attacks!
Poor Umi – totally silly stringed!
The King of Cats float
So massive
Stephan getting a hug
So many intricate costumes
A bat man?
After the two-hour parade, speechless, we bumbled about its awesomeness and went on search for dinner and a Carnival party. We were met with minor success, but by 1:30 were ready for bed!
The next day, we were met by the sunshine that evaded us the first day. We shopped at the huge downtown outdoor market, ate by the water and spent the afternoon downtown.
Food heavn!
Sunshine, water and summertime
Eating along the boardwalk
We hiked up to the lookout point and had cat naps on the beach! The sun was so warm, it felt as though spring had arrived. The sunbathers were even out and a few braved the cold Mediterranean waters.
The many many stairs we climbed up the outlook.
It was worth it – look at this view!
The other side of Nice
Mmmm, lunch
The sunbathers working on their tans.
The afternoon Carnival events were taking place all along the Boardwalk and in the downtown park. We wandered through them and then went in search of snacks and some late afternoon entertainment. We decided to go to a Tea House and had a great time smoking hooka, drinking mint tea and chatting in the silk and cotton laden room.
Candies and confetti, yum!
Matador and bull
The money Launderers
Ooo hooka
That night was the end of Carnival and they had a fireworks show at the beach to commemorate the event. It was very reminiscent of Festival of Lights in Vancouver: hundreds of people at the beach, chatting with friends and furtively glancing at the barge, anxiously awaiting the show. The fireworks were amazing and a fantastic end to the Carnival.
The next day we took the train to Monaco and to see wealth at its most opulent. Everything that is said about the country is true: the most massive yachts one has ever seen, beautiful, expensive cars at every corner and designer goods on everyone. We had our bags and jeans on and could not have stuck out more! The highlight of the day though was the visit to the Monte Carlo. We played a few slots and even played roulette (only once though because one chip is 5 Euros). Stephan was the big winner of the group; he won almost 200 Euros on Roulette. It was very exciting for all of us! It was unbelievable to see the amount of money that was being laid down on the tables at 3pm on a Monday. I cannot even imagine how the Casino transforms on Saturday night during the Grand Prix…
The walk from the train station
The harbour
Near the Monte Carlo
Monaco – the car just happened to drive by as I was taking the photo
The Monte Carlo
L to R: Zindzi, Caitlin, Umi, Stephan, Tareq
It was a fantastic weekend trip. The company could not have been better and the Riviera is absolutely beautiful. After this weekend, I understood why it has such a glamourous image.
