Channeling Grace Kelly

Yesterday, Catbird and Fellow Physicist's-Spouse(FPS) Diane took the train into Antibes.  Diane speaks French, though she says she is rusty, and she was able to decode information about trains, attractions, etc, for the making of a plan.  And she had the good sense to bring a guidebook for this area, which Catbird did not.

Our original plan was to visit Antibes in the morning, then take the train back to Cannes to pick up a boat to the island of Saint Margarite.  However, the 9 a.m. train was canceled  (due to the tragic flooding that hit the area just west of here last week), and the next train east didn't come until 11, so we decided to skip Cannes and Saint Margarite for now.

 

On the street in Antibes

Really that was okay with Catbird.  Diane is good company and it was more leisurely to be able to spend as much time as we wanted in Antibes.  

Antibes, Antibes, Antibes...where the streets were golden in the sun, the sea blue on blue on blue on blue and the vibe was definitely one of another time and place.  One expected to see Cary Grant at any moment pop around the corner in his black loafers and white socks. 

 

Catbird on the sea wall at Antibes, 

with Grimaldi Castle (Picasso Museum) in the Background

We found a tiny organic vegetarian restaurant tucked into a corner off the main drag of old town and had a great lunch of seitan kiev, gazpacho and shepherd's pie, all under portrait-style photographs of goats.  "They are our suppliers," the server told us.  

After lunch, when we stopped to consult our maps for the Picasso Museum, a woman from Wales jumped right in to point us in the right direction.  The atmosphere is that friendly. 

 

From the terrace at the Picasso Museum; 

Germaine Richier (NOT a Picasso Piece) 

Puckish Picasso has a good home in the Grimaldi Castle overlooking the harbor at Antibes.   There is quite a history of his atelier in the castle and a photo-documentary of much of his work as it happened.  And, of course, his works that are there now are great fun.  We especially enjoyed figuring out some of the titles of the paintings.  With Picasso, it helps to have some clues.

The museum has recently been renovated, and they seem to have maintained an excellent balance between Grimaldi history and Picasso art.  Catbird loved it.

There will be no train travel tomorrow, and no museums open.  The French government workers are staging a 24 hour strike in protest to the proposed change in retirement age--from 60 to 62. 

 

Picasso plaque on the sea wall

Dang, looks like Catbird will have to spend another day on the beach here in Agay, reading and relaxing.