Coaraze

A beautiful spot.

Went to Coaraze. No need to go to Italy to see an Italian style village. It's closer but takes about the same amount of time to get up to though.

The highest part of town has a great area to play.

Before in the main square, plenty of kids playing.

After, but mind you it was Sunday.

One and a half days in Nice, Cagnes really.

Racing around in Sanremo.

We mistook the day of the flight, so had a day less than we thought. One day we went to Italy, which is 45 minutes drive, and onto Sanremo. I'd never managed to see the old town, so it was nice to get up to it at last. Super interesting.

Then some time walking along the stony beach around here, and off on the plane again back home for John.

Village of fishermen, Cros de Cagnes

Beautiful village, shame about the 80s onwards.

Lucky last day - Arles

A sunny day in the arena at Arles

Arles is a nice little town, very important back during Roman times. There's a ruined little theatre, churches, town houses and an arena like the Colliseum. We went for a look, and luckily enough were there just when the gladiator show was on. Ten or twelve gladiators fought in pairs for our entertainment. The main man is a historian who said that gladiators cost a lot to train and equip. So they were usually not killed, and did not kill.

The modern gladiators fought hard for real.

If they killed someone, then they would be punished by, you guessed it, death. The arena at Nimes says the opposite, that they all went sometime unnaturally. But the well trained story makes sense.

Meeting the gladiators afterward.

Explaining how to score a point without injuring anyone.

Trying out the kit. That helmet is heavy!

The main man chose to be a Retiare, the most successful.

They've renovated a fair bit. It's in good condition.