Sand

After a relatively cloudy week the skies are blue again. At around the day the weather turned, huge amounts of sand came down from the sky, as in these pictures of cars. I think we got sprayed with some of the Sahara up here in Nice -- although I'm not entirely sure this was the famous Sirocco, as I didn't notice no 100 km/h winds. Hopefully next time all will land on the beach ..

Alexander & Jaciara visiting

For a week, Alexander and Jaciara came to visit me. They did not get to see too much sunshine, but they were fine with that as they rather make trips than sit on the beach. I went with them in the weekend to the Eglise Russe in Nice, not too far from home, and to Antibes. The port of Antibes is chokeful of very expensive yachts, most of which are registered in Georgetown, Cayman Islands -- how richess breeds greed. Other days, they also took the Chemin des Pignes to Entrevaux and beyond, and they went to Monaco, when I was working. It was very nice for me to have visitors, being all alone now that Cristina is still in Brazil ! Who's next ?

Alexander & Jaciara at home

Alexander & Jaciara at home

Eglise Russe - Russian Church

Alexander & Jaciara in the bar at the corner

Port of Antibes

Port of Antibes

Alexander & Jaciara in the very Antibes restuarant where Alexander had watched the 1974 Holland-Germany World Cup

Heikki in the train from Antibes to Nice

Sophia prison

Yesterday there was apparently some terrible accident on the A8 (the highway between Antibes and Nice) causing the highway to be closed in both directions. The effect of this in Sophia was that the normally quiet roads were filled with tens of thousands of cars, unable to go faster than a snail. The buses couldn't get through and I was already wondering what to do about my friends arriving from Amsterdam in the evening, and what about sleeping out in the open but the ants here are so big.. after waiting for 2.5 hours however, there showed up a #230, who took such a long time to go towards the highway that by time it got there, the A8 was clear again..

the red parts are inaccessible

Kitten

Yesterday we got a kitten ! About 2 months old, very very sweet, very little and playful. We have yet to decide on a name, but that won't be long. Coming from Cagnes sur Mer, from a most sympathetic student couple. Cat and me took the train, and I showed him the appartment, and he seems to like it and runs around lots, and tries to climb places where he will be able to reach soon, and all the time he likes your attention and climbs on top of you and sleeps in bed. I'm delighted ! More news and pictures about this will follow soon, here's a preview :

Amsterdam

Yesterday we went back to Amsterdam for a short visit. For my lovely Cristina it was very short, as she returned today to São Luis.. I hate it for her to be so far away, right at the moment she was doing well learning French and getting settled in Nice. We will arrange for things so she can come back quickly. Myself I'm staying until Sunday. The flight from Nice to Amsterdam takes 2 hours and if you're lucky with the low-cost carrier, like we were, the fare is 20 € (one-way, without taxes, of course). Flying over the French and Swiss mountains is spectacular. In Amsterdam we met up with some friends and family - of which I will do more in the next couple of days. Even though we moved away only a few months ago, it feels weird being back here, a bit as if you're a tourist in your own city.

Heikki and Cristina in the airplane




Cristina in the airplane




Flying over the Alps




Flying over the Alps




Flying over the Alps




Cristina and Jaciara in Cafe Cuba, Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam




Cristina and Jaciara in Cafe Cuba, Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam




Sunshine in Amsterdam ! Cristina outside Cafe Cuba




Alexander outside Cafe Cuba




Alexander and Jaciara outside Cafe Cuba




Elma and Heikki in Cafe Eik & Linde




Gertjan and Cristina in Eik & Linde




Gertjan and Cristina in Eik & Linde

Parking matters

There is no free parking in Nice, at least not anywhere near my neighbourhood. Paid parking places are marked 'payant' on the streets, and between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00 you must pay. I never pay, because I go to work around 08:00 and come back after 18:00. Sundays and jours feriés are free, and Saturdays I've been taking the risk. However there also are quite a few places marked 'livraison', meant for deliveries. I used to treat them the same as the payants, but now I know better: even though all the French use these places in the evening without bothering, you *must* make sure you are not there after 06:00 in the morning ! Otherwise your car is towed away, you must pick it up at a place called 'fourrière', in my case it was the fourrière in Nice Nord quite a long walk away and a € 170 fine at that. Only Sundays and jours feriés can you park in the livraisons without worry .. below see my beautiful 156 safely parked in a payant in the evening.