Archive for March 12th, 2011

12th March
2011
written by bob

Well…it’s been about 10 days now with a rough 5 days in there but we have successfully arrived and settled in Antibes. Our new town is very different than the North American way of life we left behind. I have to say that I REALLY like Antibes…it’s amazing! The five rough days we encountered began a couple of days before flying out. Guilliana caught a nasty cold that only continued to worsen as we traveled.

Galerie in Antibes.

Our flight from Phoenix to JFK (New York) was pretty uneventful however once boarded and on our way to Nice (NCE) that all changed. Guilliana decided that taking her normal naps was not in the cards while flying. She never took a ‘real’ nap and without any rest her cold went from bad to worse. The next 3 days were awful for her – coughing, sneezing, constant runny nose, & puffy eyes. G looked and felt miserable! One of the days she was only awake for 3 hours of the day! That cold just kicked her little butt! Poor thing…as there was nothing we could do for her other than check to be sure she wasn’t running a fever. Fortunately her temperature never rose 99ºF…elevated but not terrible. Meanwhile Katherine, Maggye, & myself tried to recover from jet-lag of the flight.

Over the next few days we all settled in and started to get to know Antibes a bit better. Guilliana slowly started to get a grasp on her cold and feel better. By Monday (March 8), G-Monkey was starting to come around and act more like her little self. That was a definite good sign for her! Today she is feeling great and ready to play all the time!

Now for our new town…Antibes…it is absolutely amazing! We have explored a little and have provided a few pics for you all to see. The Antibes streets look more like the size of hallways in America. But…it’s sooooo cool! There is no concept of perpendicular streets; they were built in every direction you can think of. Some made of black top others interlocking brick, & some small cobblestone brick – very unique! The are numerous fresh markets of produce/veggies, clothes, etc.

Musée Picasso

We have recently learned/read that Pablo Picasso spent 15 years here in Antibes, then called Antipolis – part of the Greco-Roman Empire. There is a museum commemorating his stay here…we may just have to check it out! Also, back in the day, Antibes was protected Forte Carre, a huge stone fortress built at the harbor which now anchors sailboats and $1M yachts. Along the city’s coastline is a large wall that probably served as protection from a rough sea and enemies. Across the Mediterranean Sea, we can see Italy and can’t wait to visit Florence & Rome!

So far…living on the Cote d’Azur (The Blue Coast) has been an incredible initial experience! We can wait to explore everything Antibes et al has to offer our young family. For now…Au revoir, mon amis!