Arrival in Nice

I arrived in Nice on the 27th by plane (did not complete the journey by train). It was the climax to a gruelling 24 hour (or so) trek and it was incredible! Flying over the "Baye des Anges" was spectacular, as was the view of the snow-capped alps, which were not too far in the distance. Here's a bit of trivia I learned from our driver: the 'baye des anges' is so-called because of the species of shark (Requin en Français) which inhabited the bay. Although 'infested' may be a more appropriate term, considering the tone used by our driver. Driving in France is also a very different game. They drive on the right side of the road, there are many more scooters and smaller vehicles than in Australia and the drivers are far more aggressive - even to pedestrians. When crossing the road in France, ensure you look both ways before you cross - even if you have the green man - because the drivers do not stop for you! Parking is also a big problem in Nice's narrow one-way streets, with many drivers opting to simply double-park in the middle of the street (and turning on their hazard lights) or simply parking on the available footpath space, usually on a street mall! Another feature of Nice's malls are the sheer number of pharmacies, they are absolutely everywhere. There are so many in fact, that in some places in Nice a 'Pharmacie' will never disappear from view. The beaches of Nice look lovely, although the lovely golden sand we are accustomed to is replaced by pebbles. I think it's a welcome change (sand just gets annoying sometimes, non?) however the water is not terribly inviting, as the daytime temp out of the water is around 12°! But it's lovely and warm in the sun though, especially when wearing a 4 metre long Doctor Who scarf! Most of the shops sell either shoes, handbags, fashionable clothing or lingere; with a few souvenir shops and mobile phone dealerships thrown in the mix aswell. The prices in the shops are very expensive. I swear they've just taken aussie prices and slapped a euro sign in front; this is a common discussion point with the language and culture camp kids. (It really is expensive though, a hot chocolate will set you back around €3,50; equivalent to around AUD$7!) This segue brings us to the language and culture camp, conducted by the EF International Language School, 21 Rue Meyerbeer, Nice. It's a nice place, currently undergoing renovations, and it's fairly central and not too far from where I am staying. There are a bunch of kids also attending from all around Australia, a few from New Zealand and one girl from Canada. They're an interesting mix of travellers and I'm trying to get to know each of them during this short camp.