The South of France.

[bankside]

Yes, but not only. There are 50 states in USA, 10 provinces in Canada and 31 estados in Mexico. Any of this countries is really huge by european standards but still there is an idea of unity that you can't find in Europe. Even with EU we considere ourself absolutely different. Here in Spain we still use Europe or european almost as synonym of foreigner. We are not used to the long travels that are pretty common in America either. I'm not saying that USA, Canada, or Mexico considere themselfs as an unity, I suppose they don't, but inside each of these countries people have a common identity (that's what I perceive from my limited knowledge)

Oh, I don't know if it is that different. An American is generally agreeable to me, but still very much foreign. Despite a sense of familiarity due to the proximity of Canada and the US, despite constantly seeing TV from the US, it was still obvious to me how foreign on the one trip I have made there, and it was to Seattle, a place which by many standards (physically, politically, socially) is more similar to Canada than many parts of the States. And I don't think I had met a hispanophone from the Americas until I was at university. Mexico is as foreign to me as Liechtenstein. I have spent more time and know more about everyday life in Germany than the US.

True that we will travel farther. Every year or two we will easily drive 1500 km east to see my family in Winnipeg, and there is only one city of over 200 000 in between. At least once or twice a year we will drive 1200 km west for a holiday on the coast. It takes all day to drive either trip. There is not really much difference in that region. You could call it my "local region" spanning 2700 km. But even within my own country I have still never been farther east than Québec, and there are another 4 provinces to see beyond that. And I've never been to the north either. But those differences are not only geographical. If I were travelling in the east, I would be instantly recognised by my accent, and I think the way of life is different enough that I would stick out as a tourist in my own country. Same in the north.

 

[geloge]

^ See? My longest travel by road has been about 1100 km. Traveling to my hometown, in the opposite corner of Spain, is 750 km wich is considered quite a travel for most of my friends. Even inside of Spain, not a big country if you compare it with some other, there are certain regions with their own language and with a very own identity.

But I think we are derailing this thread too much

 

[pat grimshaw]

^ David, why is it so named?

Wiki says—
Starting in the second half of the 18th century, the English took to spending the winter in Nice, enjoying the panorama along the coast. When a particularly harsh winter up north brought an influx of beggars to Nice, some of the rich Englishmen proposed a useful project for them: the construction of a walkway (chemin de promenade) along the sea


Now that is good charity!

 

[pat grimshaw]

Well finally I managed to get my stroll along the Promenade des Anglais ...The rest of the photos are here.

I'm intrigued by the object in picture 14. Is that the Belanda Tower? Is it a water tank?

And that rusty-looking thing in 6 and 7?

 

[DonQuixote]

I'm enjoying my expanding knowledge of the French Riviera.

Geloge - was my class trip in '73 considered a large one by Spanish standards, then?
It was 8days/7nights Madrid - Granada - Seville - Cordoba - Toledo - Madrid.
Since it was by chartered motor coach (bus), we didn't really pay that much attention to the distances -
I just remember the rolling countryside and the food - continental breakfasts, what seemed like four course lunches and seven course dinners later in the evenings.

Toledo struck me with its abject poverty - I did buy a suede/shearling lined jacket and a Carlos V sword, plus a cheap leather/plastic lined bota. I think our limit for bringing things back duty free was USD100 - and I was pretty close to the limit - to think what those things would cost today. . .

 

[DonQuixote]

David:

Remember the stunning gorge/waterfall picture you asked a)where it was, and b) was it real, that was Watkins Glen State Park?

With our severe cold and snow, followed by this weekend's abrupt warm-up, it was a bit less serene this weekend.

If you have Facebook, you'll be able to see this outpouring along the roadside that was posted by a local.

Before the thaw:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=700854873266098&set=vb.100000247768300&type=3&theater

After the thaw:
[video=facebook;700409899977262]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=700409899977262[/video]


As a reminder, this is what upstream looks like in the Summer/Fall:
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...r=chr-greentree_ff&va=Watkins+Glen+State+Park

 

[dpnice]

Not only have we a "Promenade des Anglais" in Nice but also a "Quai des Etats-Unies". They have just renovated it and we now have our own little Statue of Liberty.

It is signed Bartholdi and was fabricated in 1875. I think it is quite appealing, all of its 1.35m.

 

[dpnice]

Just a few with snow topped mountains.

 

[Yooper]

^^
I need to come visit.

Too bad I know I can't quite afford it this year. Maybe next??

 

[cgymike]

Flight from DIA would be long...

 

[Alnitak]

I always thought Southern France was similar to California.

 

[Alnitak]

Both are beautiful and refreshing landscapes, moderate rainfall, mild winters, but California has cold ocean temps.

 

[cgymike]

The best part of Nice is the higher areas with the views...from the Monastery it was superb! Also around Matisse museum though I was pinched by some silly children there...

Mostly I remember this....

 

[dereperez]

What wonderfully refreshing pics, David. Thank you for the update. It really makes me nostalgic and long for the days when I toured various locales of Europe about a decade ago with my family. I intend to return some day.

 

[BillyT]

Great looking pics David.

 

[DonQuixote]

Some day I'd love to take six months or so to tour Europe/UK/Ireland.
The one week in Spain in '73 while I was in high School was a teaser.

 

[dpnice]

Nice now has a copy of "David".

 

[Essex Boy]

^
Is it to commemorate something or did somebody just think it would make a good eye-catcher?

 

[dpnice]

^
Is it to commemorate something or did somebody just think it would make a good eye-catcher?

It is on loan for 3 years and part of the council's programme to display monumental works of art in the gardens and squares.

 

[Vitamin]

Putting a replica of the Statue of Liberty in France makes some sense, but David? That's just as tasteless as that hotel in Vegas that's meant to replicate one of the Pyramids of Giza.