More of Nice

More of Nice

By

Stephen M. Fragale





I am still in Nice and like it so much I am thinking of staying another day. After my mid day nap I take a shower and am back out on the street. I slowly climb down the big hill from where my Hotel sits, down to the beach and the street where all the cool restaurants and bars are. I am a dark mogul A silent fuse A dark star Maybe hunger brings me closer to madnesshow else can I explain these thoughts? Am I the thought or the thinker? Or am I the bridge between the two.

When I make it down to the main street most of the restaurants and bars are already filled with people. There are children running along side fathers and mothers and young couples holding hands who stop to stare at the street performers. There are men pretending to be statues made of rock painted gold. A small crowd gathers around them to see if they can make them move. But the men have turned into stone so cant move, they just blink. I wonder what it would be like to turn into stone?

I move with the crowd, among it, and sometimes through it. Now I am waterwatch how I flow. I notice the beautiful people the same way I would a sunset sinking into the apple green sea, or the endlessness of the metallic blue sky early in the morning. I notice everything in times like these, everything has slowed down for me. Its like life is urging me, imploring me to just watch. To notice her like a beautiful bride in her white dress! So I look down and see a beautiful bird toot tooting along, hopping hopefully, carefully.

Looking for a restaurant when your alone, and a traveler is never easy. You tend to be more careful. Or more particular. Had I a beautiful woman on my arm or even a good friend I would be less anxious. A few of the restaurants I would have liked to try are already too crowded. Finally after walking down this street back and forth at least twice my feet are screaming at me, please, just sit the hell down! I choose a place that is rather crowded but I like the menu and cool, modern, chic look from the outside. Its called La Amazone. A beautiful French hostess seats me inside. Right between two attractive women on my left and two attractive women on my right. Of course I wont speak to them because they are all speaking French and I am afraid of sounding like the typical American jerk who only speaks English and expects everyone to speak his language.

Inside the restaurant was great. It had what looked like statues of Easter Island gods carved into the wall. It was dark with big rocks and beams on the ceiling and a quiet, peaceful ambiance.

Everywhere I went in the Mediterranean it seemed by the time I sat down I was dying of thirst. Beer never tasted better than it did here. I ordered a marinated, skewered chicken with the best scalloped potatoes I have ever had and a medley of vegetables that was also excellent. Great bread too! As I ate I watched the crowd that walked by and the beautiful waitresses that seemed to float in the air. When my beautiful waitress came back to clear away my plate from what was probably the best dinner I have had since I have been traveling she asked, Coffee or dessert?

No, thank you. Dont take it personally, I said jokingly.

She laughed and said, No kidding, in her beautiful French accent.

Afterwards I stumble around awhile and end up at Haagen-dazs and have some more gelato. For some reason as I sit out at a table on the street eating my gelato the lyrics to 70s rock songs float through my head. Day after day the show must go on, sang Pink Floyd. Then something about how all the young girls love Alice. Maybe too much sugar from the gelato? Or too many beautiful girls lying on white sandy beaches. I mean how much of that can a man take? Its a sin, said the Father, the Priest, the Politician. But sin is just an old man rowing a broken boat! Chew on that Father!

I remember the ringing of the church bells in lovely Hania on the island of Crete and the beautiful sound of the chanting monks early Sunday morning. I am not religious, I have transcended religion. But I am all for beauty and all for love!

If you only knew where I was now, but I wont tell you. Ill just keep it to myself. Ill keep Nice to myself and Ill keep Italy to myself and Ill keep Corfu to myself and Ill keep Crete to myself and Cyprus and I suspect I will even end up keeping Spain to myself.