99 Things I Love About Nice
1. The sun.
2. The blue of the sea.
3. The smell of salt filling my lungs.
4. The shade of the palm trees on the Promenade des Anglais.
5. The grey pebbles of the beach that rub off on my pants.
6. The pebbles that I threw in the water with my father on Wednesday afternoons.
Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Flickr / Via Flickr: dalbera
7. The old ladies' surreal tans on the beach.
8. The wind from the Rauba-Capeù square that blows in my hair.
9. Its impenetrable sundial.
10. Those who bike on the Promenade.
11. The red faces of English tourists, burned by the sun.
12. The smell of weed after nightfall.
13. The tourists who gather around a guitar player, on the beach in front of the old city center.
14. The sound of beer bottles on the pebbled beach.
15. The first kisses that happen there.
16. Going to the beach and bathing in the sun.
Valery Hache / AFP / Getty Images
17. Sitting on a terrace of a café and bathing in the sun.
18. Going to the Église Russe and bathing in the sun.
19. Going to the Château and bathing in the sun.
20. Going to the Villa Arson and bathing in the sun.
21. The narrow and colorful streets of the old city center.
22. The red floor tiles of its wonky buildings.
23. The small pickup vans that collect the garbage.
24. The twangy accent of the older locals.
25. The loud voices of the socca vendors, these chickpea flour crêpes you can only find there.
Tammy Lo / Flickr / Via Flickr: tammylo
26. My oily fingers after I ate some.
27. Drunken students in front of pubs.
28. The line to enter the local rock club at two in the morning.
29. Reheated pizza from Stuzzico at 3 am.
30. The bouncer at the local EDM club who didn't let me in because I was 17.
31. The smell of beer and sweat of a punk concert at Volume.
32. Ears buzzing once it's over.
33. Walking home in the silence of the street.
34. The tramway's bell ringing in the night.
35. Going to the port and bathing in the sun.
36. Going to the Parc Carol de Roumanie and bathing in the sun.
37. Going to the amphitheater and bathing in the sun.
38. Going to Mont Boron and bathing in the sun.
39. Going to Carras and bathing in the sun.
Kirstie Warner / Flickr / Via Flickr: vaedri
40. My great-grandmother's pasta.
41. Her apartment on rue Vernier.
42. Areas where tourists don't go.
43. The gressins sold at the bakery.
44. The smell of onions in the pissaladière.
45. Loud teenagers playing soccer despite the cars.
46. The green blinds of the buildings.
47. The train des Pignes that slowly moves through Gambetta boulevard.
48. The tennis courts in the Parc Imperial.
49. The vegetables sold at the marché de la Libération.
50. The faded white of the Église Sainte Jeanne d'Arc.
51. The past clamor of the Stade du Ray.
52. My house in Saint-Sylvestre.
53. My two olive trees.
54. Their olives.
55. Going to the canal Gairaut and bathing in the sun.
56. Going to the colline de la Madeleine and bathing in the sun.
57. Going to the Basse Corniche and bathing in the sun.
58. Going to the Cours Saleya and bathing in the sun.
59. Going to the Palais de Justice and bathing in the sun.
60. Landing at the airport.
61. Feeling like you're flying on the sea.
Valery Hache / AFP / Getty Images
62. Walking along the Promenade des Anglais.
63. The blue windows of the Lenval hospital.
64. The pomp of the Palais de la Mediterrannée.
65. The indecent luxury of the Hôtel Negresco.
66. Niki de Saint-Phalle's statues.
67. Matisse's cut-outs.
68. Chagall's stained-glass windows.
69. The Museum of Naive Art paintings.
70. The break-dancers on Masséna square.
71. Michael Jackson's doppelgänger who is also there.
72. The capoeira dancers.
73. The Nucéra library accordionist, who only knows one song.
74. Children playing in front of l’Ariane church.
75. Going to the Masséna high school and bathing in the sun.
76. Going to Valrose and bathing in the sun.
77. Going to Villefranche and bathing in the sun.
78. Going to Beaulieu and bathing in the sun.
79. Taking the ferry to Corsica and bathing in the sun.
Heather Bradley / Flickr / Via Flickr: senzenina
80. My mother's laugh.
81. My father's snore.
82. The friends I meet at Emilie’s Cookies.
83. The friends of my friends.
84. Those I cross paths with each time I visit.
85. Lost tourists.
86. Lost locals.
87. Those who called me.
88. Those who answered me.
89. Those who held out their hands.
90. Those who opened their doors.
91. Those who opened their arms.
92. Those in the hospital.
93. And those who are with them.
Alice / Flickr / Via Flickr: alltheaces
95. Going on the Promenade and bathing in the sun.
96. Going on a blue chair and bathing in the sun.
97. Going there often and bathing in the sun.
98. Going anywhere and bathing in the sun.
99. And taking my sister with me so she can bathe in the sun.