Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Getting My Version of Tan in Nice and Monaco


A couple of weekends ago, i went to Nice. I got up at 5 am on saturday to catch my train that would put me in Nice around 11, i did this because if i left on friday, i wouldn't get in until midnight and i thought (THOUGHT) that I might at least save myself one night of hotel dollars. So the train ride was 4 hours, which was fine, i half slept for the first two and then re-read some magazines for the second two. Around hour three, I realize i have left my confirmation page at home and that i don't know the name or address of my hotel. so i call nanda, make her get on my email account and text me my info.


When I arrived, i went straight to the tourist office and asked where my hotel was, she gave me directions in french, which i thought i understood but didn't, so i walked too far, but then realized my mistake and walked back, walked into the wrong hotel, got directions to the right one and finally found it.So, i walk up to the receptionist and say, my name is emily woods and i have a reservation. The girl holds her hand out. I say I am sorry, but I forgot my confirmation page,but i made my reservation through last minute. and she starts huffing at me like she's SO annoyed. and i'm all WHAT. and she's like, "well you could at least give me yourpassport." so i hand it to her. and she says, no we don'thave anything for you come back at two when check in time is and we'll look at it. And I go don't you think i should KNOW that i have a hotel room before then? i made a reservation and she sighs like she is SO annoyed and says well i have nothing, so go across the street to the internet cafe and email me your information. FINE. so i go across the street, email her my info and walk back. she prints it out and happily points out that i made the reservation for friday, not saturday (CRAP). she is like I do not know what to do we are fully booked. and i'm like ooohhh no the whole city is booked, what am i going to do. so she says well let me talk to my manager. and she calls him and then says to me, "actually we have one room that we reserve for ajust in case situation." well lady, this is one of those situations, so why don't you just give me the keys. so long story short, i check out the room, it is in the attic, but it has a shower and a toilet and ac, so i say whatever and take it. I of course was charged for the night before and for this night, so basically i am paying a ritz carlton fee for a chamber maids quarters, but at least i am not sleeping on the street. They also threw in a terrible breakfast of butter and stale baguette for my troubles. To calm down, I decide to find a book and go to the beach and stay for as long as possible which is exactly what i did.


unfortunately i did not reapply my sunscreen, so i am burnt in places, like the side of my calf and part of my stomach, but i do look slightly bronzed or at least less see through. my favorite game at the beach was to find people whiter thanme. it was a veritable where's waldo of pale people. also, it should be mentioned that while the beach is incredible,the water was blue and green and smelled like beach, the actual beach has no sand, it has rocks. and not rocks that are big enough to lay out on or pebbles that are as good assand, no the kind of rocks that are impossible to get comfortable on and give you rock shaped bruises when you lay on them. i should've listened to my let's go book and gotten a mat, but i thought i was tough enough. i was wrong, once again. anyways, it was still relaxing andbeautiful. sunday, i went to monaco, and it was awesome. the beach had pebbles, YAY! and the best tiramisu gelato ever(my current food obsession). it's gorgeous, a port city set into the cliffs and so many lambourghinis and maseratis and yachts and rich people you don't even know what to do with yourself. i walked for hours, tried to get in the monte carlo casino, but then decided against it after discovering the 10 euro entrance fee. the train to get there from nice went all along the coast and was only 20 minutes. it was beautiful. Quite a break from the construction, and 15 yearolds yelling "je suis la, bebe" at me that nice had to offer.