Last weekend, we had four days off for Easter. First of all, HOW awesome! Second of all, you know I had to take full advantage of it! Luckily, I had something planned this time around and hopped down to the French Riviera and met up with Stephanie as well as her group of Cambridge MBA friends as we skipped along the coast starting out from Marseilles, then to St. Tropez, Cannes, and Nice.
For whatever reason, the group decided to rent a van and drive the route instead of taking the train. This seemed like a very logical choice until we realized that a 'van' in Europe is not the same in size as a van back home. This thing was no bigger than a small SUV and we had to pile seven people as well as all their luggage in. I'll be honest, I did NOT have faith that it could be done but I guess that is why we had the group of smart MBA students to come up with a creative luggage stacking solution.
On top of that, I did not realize that there were only a few quasi-qualified drivers in the group. One guy could only drive automatic so he was out of the running; another guy didn't have a license at all; one girl couldn't drive manual at all; one couple could drive but they haven't driven in a long time; Stephanie could SORT of drive stick but hadn't in eight years; I hadn't driven a manual car since I moved to New York; NONE of us felt very comfortable driving in a new country where we couldn't even read the road signs. Can you see where this story is headed?!
I drew the first straw to drive in Marseilles...let me set up the scene for you so you can better appreciate it: it was very overcast, raining off-and-on, not great visibility, and the radio in our clown car is set to a random French talk show. I'm trying to pull the car out of the rental garage and onto a main street laden with traffic. I can already feel my left leg tremble slightly due to fear that I won't remember how to work the clutch as well as everyone in the car watching my every move. Cars are lined up behind me as I start to roll out and then WAAAH WAHHH WAHHH I stall. 'Oh no', I think, as I quickly restart, only to have it happen again, then again. By now, the cars behind me are honking and for anyone who still remembers learning to drive stick, this adds to the tension! After what seemed like a minute of stalling (but really was probably only ten seconds), one of the people ask, are you sure you are in first gear? I check...and whoops, I was trying to start the thing in third! Despite this, I still drove the first leg...
Just so you know, I was fine driving stick after this small boo boo.
Fast forward to Cannes on Sunday night, and we arrive at the hotel a little bit late since we were hanging out in St.Tropez and Ramatuelle earlier in the day. We're looking for a place to eat and then go out and given a recommendation to go to a lounge / restaurant called Baoli by the front desk. Upon arrival, it looks much more like a club with neon pink lights everywhere! However, this isn't the important part of the story. What I remember the MOST and still cringe about is this couple who sat near us for dinner. I didn't notice it at first but someone pointed out that the two did not talk...at all. I thought surely that couldn't be the case and then started to pay attention. I'll be damned, but they REALLY did not talk at all. The man sat with his head on a swivel and looked left periodically, then right, then left, then right...passing over what we'll call his 'date'. The woman stared blankly ahead, and for a little while even interjected herself into a conversation at the adjacent table. However, the entire time, they didn't talk! I've never seen anything like it and almost wanted to walk near them and pretend to trip and fall JUST so it would help jump start their conversation. I'm not trying to pat my own back on this, but I've never been on a date where it was THAT awkward. Yes, sometimes there are brief moments when you don't have anything to say, or the conversation is a bit dry and both people start eating faster just so they can end the date sooner, but this was a whole new level. It made me wonder, what if I become that man in x number of years, sitting across someone that I absolutely have nothing to say to. Sad, eh? Anyways, to top it off, this couple was seated when we arrived, and remained sitting there when we were finished dinner and left! This confuses me because if it were such a bad date, you'd think they would want to just get it over with and leave? Maybe I am wrong and they were having a great time?! Who knows.
Now, fast forward to Nice on Tuesday. The group is taking off to Monaco but I stay in Nice because I have a flight back to London later that same night. I've got about four hours to kill before I need to head towards the airport and for 30 minutes or so I shop around. This quickly gets boring since I can't buy anything due tiny bag I brought for the weekend (ie. just a messenger bag stuffed to the brim with dirty clothes now). From there, I slowly wander down to the rocky beach to just sit and relax for a few before deciding what to do next. A few minutes turns into a few hours, and I find myself lodged firmly on the rocks, just looking out at the sea, listening as the water crashes against the shore, and thoroughly enjoying the moment. Like I said before, it was a moment to just stop and smell the roses! Oh, and see old topless women who don't have a care in the world. I hope you get a visual of that so you have to suffer just like I did.
Overall, what a great trip though! I met some new friends, ate some fantastic food (and in excess quantities), and laughed quite a few laughs.
I'll give the part 2 update on my long weekend travels after I get back from sailing in Croatia this weekend. Life is good.
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