The Beginning...of Our Travels: Cannes&Antibes

Just leaving on our yacht, no big deal...

After our visit to Monte Carlo, we headed next to Cannes to see the film festival paraphernalia and the beach. The beach in Nice is rocks, so it was nice to have sand for a change. We were told that Cannes actually used to be a rock beach, but on account of all the tourists, they brought sand out of the ocean and created a sand beach because it's more appealing. The water was so nice and clear right to the bottom. And jutting out into the water from the beach were long piers, which you had to pay a fee to sit on. Usually, they were decorated with luxury sun loungers, and little couches and coffee tables. After seeing the beach we also visited a Picasso Museum. We were pleased to find out that it was free! At home, the AGO charges like $20 for admission, but here many cultural artifacts and museums are free and open to the public. My favorite photo was Picasso's painting of the Bay of Cannes - no photos were allowed but I bought a postcard of the image to remind me, and to signify my visit to Cannes. I've been trying to get a postcard from each place I visit as a memory.  

Cannes was a really nice stop, but on the way home we got off the train and visited a town called Antibes. For me, this was the real gem. It is a town that is surrounded by a stone wall that was built around the 16th century. Inside the walls is an old town with narrow streets and picturesque buildings. This was what I pictured Europe to look like. The beach was marvellous but we arrived to the city later in the day so we couldn't enjoy it. There is one long strip of beach and more city outside the medieval walls -- but the beach that stands just outside the walls is in a private cove and seemed more local than the strip. We also mulled around the market they had there. I really liked these Senegalese woven baskets -- I didn't end up coming home with one but I took a picture instead.

This is a sculpture that was in Antibes - inspired by a Picasso design -- if I understood the sign correctly. I climbed it and pointed to my letter "A"

Apparently, Picasso spent a lot of time in Antibes, they also have a museum here dedicated to his work