"Oh There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays"

"‘Cause no matter how far away you roam,
If you want to be happy in a million ways,
For the holidays,
You can’t beat home, sweet home."

This fella was welcoming
visitors to
le Village des Artisans
(Craft Village)


"I'll be home for Christmas...

My sojourn in Nice has come to an end. I leave Nice this Saturday to celebrate my 62nd birthday (soixante-deuxieme anniversaire) and the holiday season (fetes) at home in New York City.

This will be my final photography blog from Nice. I'm very grateful that so many of you have taken the time to view my posts, but I doubt that many of you would be intersted in my wanderings in and photos of NYC. It's been done!

So (Alors), what do I have for you today? Yesterday (Hier), the mayor of Nice (Maire de Nice) officially launched Christmas in Nice (Noel a Nice).

The lights in Place Massena were turned on,

 

Chanukah began December 1.
The Menorah flames compete with the electrical lights.

the Craft Village (le Village des Artisans) opened their stalls,

and the Skating Rink (la Patinoire) welcomed skaters of ages.

As you can see...

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"

"Ev'rywhere you go;
Take a look..."

They have ...

"O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging."

Except for trees in France. They love to flock them with artifical snow.

Frosty the Snowman  


Was a jolly happy soul
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made of coal



Santa Claus Is Coming to Town



"You better watch out"



"You better not cry."

 and a Winter Wonderland with Ferris Wheel...

... and Santa's Sleigh ...



"Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight,
Walking in a winter wonderland."



 ... all very appealing to the Nicoise children (les jeunes enfants de Nice.)

This is all happening in Place Massena. But there are signs of the holiday in other parts of the city as well. 

Trees have been strung with lights.

Stores are tastefully decorated or surprisingly...not decorated at all.

Ornate buildings are sometimes lit beautifully throughout the year, but some, add a dash of color now, to invoke the holiday.

 

And then there are more lights...

On a night when I was walking through Nice talking the pictures above, I came across this odd sight.

Someone had left this doll by the side of a building. This strange image brought to my mind ... 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

"Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business."

I know, this is a little heavy for a holiday blog, but as Dicken's himself said in his preface... 

"I have endeavored in this ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humor with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant, C.D.

December, 1843"

  

 

"Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infintely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world."

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,"Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now." 

 

Merci!

Rosetta Stone and I are still having an issue with my French lessons. The screen shot below perfectly illustrates my frustration. I can say everything to RS's liking until I get to the word Merci.

Now everyone that I've met in France understands me when I thank them, but RS can't and keeps me from going forward with my lessons. I often have to repeat the word 15 times before getting their okay. Yet the most complicated sentences that I pronounce like I have marbles in my mouth get approved!

My new friend, Evelyne Nabet, la chanteuse, tells me that I must practice, practice and practice. Following her advise, and in honor of Thanksgiving, I dedicate this blog to Merci.

Following is my list of things I'm very grateful for:

1. First I need to say Merci for my health. Today, I took the bus to Cimiez, an area of Nice, high in the hills abaove Old Town and Nice Central. It is famous for its Roman ruins, Chagall and Matisse museums and lovely tree-lined streets with villas and grand houses many in the Beaux Arts style. What's that have to do with my health? Well I walked all the way back...6 kilometres. Merci pour ma sante.

2. While walking in Cimiez, I stopped frequently to photograph many of the architectural delights and other street scenes that caught my eye. In fact, while taking the picture above, I stepped back for a better view and voila, I stepped in...! Well it's another French M word that I won't use here, but I've always been told that it is good luck, so here is a great big MERCI to all the negligent dog walkers in Nice.

3. I am SO very grateful that many of my friends believe that I take good pictures. So for them, I say Merci and offer these additional random shots of Cimiez, Nice, Antibes, Cannes, and Villefranche-sur-mer for their viewing pleasure.

Merci for architecture and Merci for shutters. J'adore shutters! Can you tell?



Henri Bosco - Novelist and Poet 
Qui habite la "Maison Rose" de 1955 a 1976



 4. Merci for the markets. For the fabulous colors, scents and tastes! 

  

5. La Grignotiere, in Villefranche-sur-mer a gets huge Merci for consistently giving great food and for great service from Brigitte! And bisous to Shelley Dobyns Benton http://www.rivieraexperience.com/ for having the greatest apartments. 

 

6. Speaking of food! Merci to Oliver who has Pain Chaud downstairs from the apartment in Nice. Who wants to make petit-dejeuner when all you have to do is go down 61 steps (or take the ascensur) for fresh cafe creme and pain au chocolate. Plus good conversation in francais/anglais.

He also makes fresh sandwiches.

7. Merci for French sandwiches. I can no longer eat New York City mile-high sandwiches. Look! Just one slice of jambon, fresh pain and beurre. Superb!

Of course you can always go to McDonald's. No joke. It's fresh here, not like home at all! Merci!

And eating light like that for lunch allows you to eat a bit more for dinner. My Thanksgiving dinner tonight is champagne (Pol Roger of course) and foie gras! Yum! Give me Merci!

8. My biggest Mercis goes to Romain, Fouzia, Sam and Zack. Without their frienship and an apartment in Nice non of this would be happening. Fouzia introduced me to the beauty of Nice. Merci beaucoup.

9. To an old acquaintance, I owe a great Merci for downloading hundreds of songs onto my computer. In the words of ABBA...

Thank you for the music, for the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me.

10. And finally. To Peter...Merci is not enough!

Christmas is coming to the Cote d'Azur.

The next and most likely last blog will be about that.

In the meantime,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

and

MERCI!