The Wild

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security conformity and conservatism.

All of which may  appear to give one more peace of mind.

But in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than having an ever changing horizon, for each day to hav a new and different sun.

Dont hesitate dont allow yourself to make excuses just get out and do it. Just get out and do it.

C.J. McCandless

As Aventuras dos Andrioli

No primeiro dia de turismo visitamos Antibes e Juan-les-pins (bairro onde moro), aclimatizando os turistas com as comidas e cervejas locais. A temperatura estava agradável ate então. Antibes é uma cidade bem antiga, e como as civilizacões que viveram desde séculos na europa sempre buscavam ficar perto do mar, a costa é cheia de cidades com o que chamam de “centro velho”. São as partes da cidade mais antigas, normalmente com ruas bem estreitas e protegidas por uma muralha de pedra. Conforme o tempo foi passando, o que cresceu em volta destes centros ficou sendo a parte mais “urbana moderna”.

Durante a semana fizemos passamos por La Turbie (cidadezinha medieval no alto dos montes ao norte do principado de Monaco), até Menton na fronteira com a Itália, voltando pela costa passando por Monaco/Monte-Carlo, Beaulieu-sur-mer, Cap d’Ail, Villefranche-sur-mer.

Fogos de artifício a cada semana na praia em Juan-les-pins

Cabo de Antibes, fim de tarde

Na trilha pelo cabo de Antibes, passando pelas mansões, água azul-turqueza

Ruela em La Turbie

Casas na antiga estrada romana Via Julieta

Jardim de outra casa em La Turbie

Monaco/Monte-Carlo visto de Roquebrune

A costa em Theoule-sur-mer

Ruelas na vila de St Valler de Thiey a caminho do Canion do Verdon

Medieval streets in St Valler de Thiey

O Canion do Verdon, o rio, e as estradas na beira do precipício

Miradouro do Canion do Verdon a quase 1000m de queda, se ve a estrada no outro lado

O rio Verdon desemboca no lago St Croix, seus muitos barquinhos e a ponte onde se passa para o outro lado do Canion

Já na descida, a vista do Lago bem pertinho

French superiority

One thing that amazes me is the french arrogance. It’s really something. Aside from thinking that everything was invented in france (like cheese, waffles, wine, crepes, cinema, etc) they also tend to think that all things made in france are better than anywhere else. Theyre now also going as far as to say their football team is the best, having won just 1 world cup (fluke).

Once a french told me that their cheese was better than the italian and the swiss one. Hmm.

Then there’s also the fact that they find themselves experts in all foreign affairs involving Africa. Like they could easily solve the problems in the whole continent (contrary to the reality that to this day most French interventions in Africa were to exploit and deplete resources used in their unsustainable life styles back in France).

Paris in summer

There is just so much stuff to do in Paris all year round, but the summer is by far the best period. Last night we went for a walk around Belleville (the bars) and ended back in front of Notre Dame cathedral where many street artists were performing. Fire juglers, rollers, singers, dancers, even the guy who makes soap bubbles.

And so that was an opportunity to take some cool photos!

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French is not an easy language

After living in Finland and learning the 5th most difficult language in the world, I thought French was going to be easy. Well actually it is an easy language, straightforward grammar, resembles portuguese etc so that’s in part true.

Once i saw a video (or read an article, cant remember) where this american scholar ranted about the fact that the english language (which has always been a simple language and that’s why it’ the ‘global’ language) was becoming dumber and dumber, whith an average american knowing in average only 300 words.
Well if you’re reading this, and if you’re not a native, you’ll know that english has innumerable wildcard verbs (take, do, make, have). French has those too.

The problem with french is, unlike english, you can’t get around with a small vocabulary. Especially because apart from the text-book french you really need to learn street-french and slang (which are different).

Then you need to learn the small nuances of tone: putain is a word that can mean an extremely harsh insult, but may also be used as a mere ‘outch’. All that range. Literally though, it means whore.

Mandelieu La Napoule

This is one more little city in the French Riviera that sets out to win your heart over. It’s just right next to Cannes, north of St. Raphäel and St. Tropez.
At first I thought it just another fishermen town, but this one is special: you can see from the pictures below how it makes you want to buy a boat. And the Castle La Napoule of course is a wonderful sight.
You can come here by train at just 30min from Nice. My top tip is to just have a walk around the area close to the trainstation and later towards the sea you will surely find the castle.

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Cannes

So last Saturday I went to Cannes, it’s just 20min away from my home. I wanted to check it out before the movie festival that happens in May. It’s an old fishermen town, very small, with narrow streets and cute shops and restaurants. It’s a nice place to have  a walk around, or to go for a dinner in a good restaurant. But I have to say I didn’t feel any glamour or anything special in this city.
Of course that it might be a different situation when the movie festival starts…

At least the hotel where most of the starts stay looks indeed very beautiful. Click to enlarge.

The Grand Hotel

oh the cinema...

A little shop