Ann Grundy's European Adventure ~ Part 2
Nice to Florence
Having arrived at our hotel in Nice (" Les Ciggies" at 16, rue Dalpozzo), we were shown our
room with a bathroom. Located on the main floor towards the back of the hotel, it was nice
and quiet (our bathroom was twice the size of the one at our Paris hotel), and tastefully tiled
with a large tub. We freshened up and then went out to explore our surroundings, breathing
in the balmy air that enhanced all its beautiful perfumes.
The hotel receptionist had given us a local map and suggested a good place to visit for our
evening meal (we took her advice for both evenings in Nice). The place was called " Old
Town." It all happened here!
Restaurants lined both sides of a cobbled stone street. Everybody, including their pets
(walking or carried) competing with the buskers, acrobats, singers and instrument players
of all ages strut there stuff on a Saturday night. Old Town was packed to the gills! Watching
all the people was better than any movie.
At the restaurant we had chosen the food was good. To set the scene, we like others around
us settled down with a glass of wine and a basket of bread. Sitting at our table beside the
walking traffic, you are so close to everyone it is not uncommon that those who are making
a decision either to wait for a table or just checking it out, have a good look at what you are
eating. It took me a little while to get used to such boldness, who knows what they were
saying among the different languages being spoken. So, I made up my mind to smile back
and let them know how good and tasty it all was. I thought the restaurant should have paid
me for the free advertising I was doing so well for them. Nevertheless, I think they got the
message. I ordered a small ham salad, but it only came in one size, dinner plate size. When
it arrived it was presented in the shape of a pyramid. It looked very inviting, so I started at
the top and made my way through all the layers of good yummy stuff. It was a meal in itself.
I did very well considering, surprising even the waiter when he came to retrieve the near
empty plate (we had a chuckle about that). We invested in one dessert with two forks.
When we left the restaurant we did a walk about to see what everyone else was doing. Nice
was busy and people were eating up a storm!!!
Sunday morning we had breakfast at our hotel, we had plenty to choose from. We meet a
group there that was travelling together from Yorkshire (England), and they had a few
helpful hints for us when we told them what we had planned for that day. They suggested
that we take the local train for the 20 minute ride to Monaco. When the train arrived at
Nice's railway station it was standing room only so we huddled together and took in the
breathtaking scenery as the train twisted and turned, hugging the coastline. We arrived at
Gare de Monaco station, then walked down towards the main Quai at the harbour. Believe
me, it's better than any postcards, stunning in fact! To guide us we picked up a free map
along the way. At the Quai we took in the eye candy of all the magnificent boats that
glistened in the sun. To me they were more like ships, being so large. We also came across
some pretty elaborate yachts. A large crew of young people were readying themselves for
their journey in a race back to Australia. Walking along the paved shoreline we stopped for
lunch, then made our way upward through a beautifully kept park leading us to the Prince's
Palace.
The next morning we were on the train towards Florence, Italy; changing at Genova and Pisa.
We met an Italian lady who was also going to Florence; she was a great help in finding the
right platforms and seemed to enjoy our company.
We arrived in Florence about 5:30pm. Our hotel mentioned in their email to us that
someone would meet us at the train station, but that did not materialize. So, after a lot of
asking and pointing of fingers, we stopped at an intersection to take another look at our
directions and moments later a lady approached us. She asked us something in her broken
English. She was not Italian and I did not understand her at first. I thought she was asking
us for directions until she unfolded a wrinkled piece of paper with our names written on it.
Talk about timing! That had to be the weirdest feeling. I looked at my husband with a
surprised look as she was beckoning for us to follow her, so we did. Later we realized that
she was the person who had set out from the hotel to find us. I kept asking myself how she
found us. Quite easily really when you think about it as we were the only two lost souls at
that intersection with luggage. Thank goodness she found us as we would never have found
the hotel by the directions they had given us.
Finally we arrived at our hotel and yes it was the right address. We were ushered through
two thick wooden doors that had tricky double locks. My husband had lots of fun with
them. We walked up four flights of stairs with all our luggage, convinced we had booked a
room in the attic. We were given a key and Ralph had a quick lesson on how to work the
double locks.
It was now after seven p.m when we went looking for a restaurant, but most places were
closed in that area, meaning we would have to walk back towards the station for more of a
variety to choose from. But we had passed a deli and so we paid him a visit; the owner had to
be in his seventies. We greeted him explaining that our Italian was not so good, but it didn't
matter, he was enjoying watching our faces when he gave us all the different samples to try.
It was becoming a form of entertainment for all of us. We scooped up our bags of deli
items including bread and wine, thanked him, and returned to our hotel room. When we
started to make our four inch sandwiches, to our dismay the butter had been missed so we
did without. We were too tired to go back.
Saturday morning we popped into this neat, little coffee shop we had passed the night before
(we were on a mission to find the mask shop of Professor Agostino Dessi and his daughter
Alice). The coffee shop was buzzing with local customers picking up their early morning fix
before going to work. After selecting your tasty morsels, you first pay then wait your turn
to pick up your goodies - bellissimo!
With map in hand we started on our way through the busy traffic patterns, taking in the
sights as we went. We found it pays to look up when you are looking for street signs as they
usually are located at the top corner of the buildings. Through age and a lack of cleaning
sometimes they can be hard to see. At last we found the street we needed. I asked a
merchant how far down the street, he pointed in the direction we were going, and sure
enough there it was. It had been five years since we had seen Alice at the Mask course in
Canada. We had tried to keep in touch but Alice and her father are always so busy. I had
emailed Alice to let her know we were stopping over in Florence and would like to drop by if
she was going to be there. She did remember me, and gave us the times that their shop
would be open. I had a million questions to ask her!
Walking into the shop for the first time was a humbling experience for me. There were
masks hanging from the ceiling and down the walls to the floor. So much to take in while I
allowed myself to be transformed into their world, savouring the moment as time stood still.
Agostino was reading his morning paper when we arrived. As we had never met I took in a
deep breath to introduce myself; "Bonjourno Agostino, my name is Anna. I'm visiting
from Canada". "From Vancouver", he said, looking at me over his glasses. "Yes" I said. "Is
Alice here?" I asked. "No", he replied. "Later". "How much later?" I asked. He picked up
the phone after saying a few words he handed it to me. "Hi Alice, it's Anna" I said. "I'm here
in your shop". I must have got her out of bed as she sounded so sleepy and the line was not
helping. "Yes, soon" she answered.
While we waited I asked Agostino if he would like to see some photos of my own masks.
"Yes" he said, looking them all over very carefully, while I made comments of what I had
done. "Bravo, bravo" he exclaimed. I can tell you, after five years of making masks that was
more than a pat on the back, it was a special moment. He was very kind.
Alice arrived smiling and after giving her a hug we chatted. She looked good and her English
was much improved. I selected a mask to take with me. That was the hard part as there
were many I could have chosen. We said our goodbyes, hoping we could keep in touch. And
now donned with a large bag, we left. All the questions I wanted to ask did not come to pass;
they are just too busy.
Agostino had given us a name of a good place to eat called Zars , a restaurant outside in a
palazzos. The food was great! We met a couple from the United States who sat beside us.
They were building a home on some family property and had lots to share about their
experiences. Tomorrow would come far too fast and we would leave Florence by train for
Venice the next morning.
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