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We awoke to yet another questionable day weather-wise so without an agenda, went back into town to check out the shops and boutiques, umbrella in hand. The usual brand name boutiques were there, along with some kitschy souvenir shops, all scattered between narrow alleyways through which large luxury vehicles carefully and skillfully navigated their way. We were planning to have lunch at Le Dit Vin, but it hadn't opened yet (we still
Have not gotten used to the restricted eating hours in this country). So we wandered some more until noon, and decided that we'd stop at the nearest spot for a meal instead, at Leroy's Kfe. We decided to sit outside while the weather held up and found ourselves teetering dangerously on the narrow sidewalk in front of the cafe, on stools and a high table which wobbled menacingly on the the cobblestones. Once I found my balance, I was okay and enjoyed my shrimp and bean salad. The copain had a lamb pasta dish and a glass of wine, and we both finished with a cup of "American coffee," which I think they mean is bigger than an espresso and with more water. After settling our bill, however, the downpour started. We watched as the raindrops bounced off the stone below us and people cowered into stores and restaurants and covered doorways. We were protected by a small green awning above us so we decided to stay put and wait it out. The copain snapped pictures of the rain drenched street and we both amused ourselves by laughing at the vehicles that had to keep reversing and then advancing, then reversing and advancing again, in order to make the tight turns around the street corners. 2 more coffees, 1 shared pistachio and raspberry panna cotta dessert, and 3 hours later (yes, a 3 hour lunch!) and the rain had finally stopped, so we decided we would move on from our sheltered spot. After another brief stroll (as well as linen shirt for the copain and a pair of - ugh - winter boots for me that we picked up along the way), it was back to our hotel, but this time we were smart and phoned the Sezz for a free pick-up. It was a bit of a lazy day already so we thought we'd top it off with some poolside lounging to try and catch a bit of the sun, which was just
visible through the menacing clouds.
After the experience at dinner from last night, we decided to cancel our reservation at L'Escale, which was yet another "see and be seen" spot, infamous because it's floors were covered with sand. Instead we braved the narrow streets and drove to our chosen restaurant for the night, La Ponche, located at a four-star hotel by the same name, that had been recommended to us by a young man at the tourist office who had recently taken his wife there. The vibe was completely different here, we were amongst families and seniors. We sat out in the terrace which was in a small square overlooking the sea, with a clear view of the yachts. It was brightly lit, and had a traditional style with white tablecloths and fresh flowers in small vases placed neatly on the tables. The food was good, simple and honest, no bells and whistles, and just what we needed. The copain's starter was referred to as "compote of baby rabbit" on the menu which made me cringe at the thought of fluffy, white, cotton-tailed baby bunnies being munched on happily by the copain. I had the lamb tournedos with mint butter for my entree, while the copain opted for the steak topped with fois gras, or what I referred to as a heart attack waiting to happen. It was a hearty meal, topped off with a delicious house-made lemon tart. Yum!!!
A bit tired of the showiness of the waterfront that we had witnessed the night before, we strayed away from there, peeking into the windows of the closed shops before driving back to the hotel, with the top down and the moon and stars above us.
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