First and Last Full Day in Antibes

 We got up late today and all got ready for the beach. Well, we were ready for the beach, but not what we found or at least I wasn't. Not only is it prime European holiday season, today was also a bank holiday and a lot of the shops and stores were closed. So the beach was packed. But, our hotel has a section of the private beach. When we showed our ticket to get in, the lady says "we're full". The beach is "full"? Yes, you had to of called 3 days in advance. Hmmm. So we move on down to the public beach. Now saying this section was crowded... now that's an understatement. The beach was so crowded, you had to search for a place to sit a towel and once you had your towel down, finding your way to the water was a bizarre maze game around people who spoke various non-English languages. 

 But we did it. We laid in the sun, swam, and built sandcastles with all the 'beautiful' people. The pic is very blurry since I had my phone in a plastic bag... it was humid and I was worried about the sand too.

 To make things interesting, since they have been going so smoothly, Madison lost her glasses. We combed the beach and sidewalk, even looking in trash cans thinking someone would throw them away once they found them to be prescription glasses as well as sunglasses. We emailed our optometrist and he emailed her prescription... once we get to Paris, Madison may get French glasses.

 After lunch and the beach combing effort, we rested a few hours and then walked to the old town section of Antibes. It seemed that the highest density of highly rated restaurants were in the old town plus there was an art museum there I wanted to go to. One place I read about was closed, but just down the way was Le Chaudron. Now that was the proper way to be introduced to France. The food was great. Everyone kept trying each other's food and just laughing and enjoying themselves. And yes, check out the first course on the table. I had made all the girls agree to try escargot before the trip, but once they brought me the little fork and tool that looked like a test-tube holder I finally said they didn't have to. But you know what... they all tried one. I don't think they are going to order it themselves, but they upheld their word without being forced.

 We found the art gallery I had first seen on my first trip to France and looked at paintings and talked to the artist. It was fun, but nothing jumped out enough to buy and ship back. Maybe the next trip :)

 Here are the girls leaving old town on our long walk back to the hotel.

 Tomorrow is a train, to the high speed train, to Paris. It will take all day since we are covering the bulk of France, even though it says we will be going roughly 190mph. Should be fun. I will say I can't wait to be back in an apartment with a washer and a refrigerator. Plus we'll have a longer time in Paris to get settled and see things.

Bonsoir!