Nice, Nice and more Nice

   If you couldn't tell by the title we stayed home this weekend. It was nice to just relax and get caught up on things, but unfortunately there isn't really anything too exciting to report. Basically Bryce did work and I did school all week and then on Friday we went out for dinner at a American food restaurant that had good ratings. We get much excitement from trying new things here, but this time I just wanted to go somewhere I knew we could trust. We got burgers and fries and delicious juice and ate until we were stuffed, we slept well that night.
   Saturday we were going to go to the Nice Soccer game(they are one of the highest ranked teams in France). Unfortunately we discovered it was an away game so we went and visited the Nice observatory instead. The observatory was HUGE and still in use so we got  to see them open a part of the roof up and then spin the entire roof around so that the opening was facing in whatever direction they need. They also had a huge reflector that stretched the entire length of the observatory. It was very interesting and even though the tour was in French the tour guide would explain things to us in English as we would walk from place to place.
   Sunday we went to church for the first time in awhile. We got there early which we were a bit nervous about because we knew someone would come up and try to speak to us in French and then we would have to quickly end the conversation by saying we did not know any French. However the first man that came up to talk to us said "welcome home", and then continued to ask about us in very good english. Next the bishop came up and talked to us for a bit, he had so much love for us and was so glad we could come. Following him another man came up and told us he would be our english translator and pointed to where the headphones were. On our way to get headphones the sister missionaries caught us and started talking with us as well. One of them was from Forth Worth, Texas and one was from Italy. We were lucky to be there on fast and testimony meeting so that we could hear so many testimonies and stories of the awesome people in the ward. Most of them were converts, one woman was even getting baptized in a week. Their testimonies were very humble and simple but very touching. On our way out a man caught up to us and thanked us for coming and offered us a ride home. While we love our time here, it has been hard to be in a place that is so different in culture and language. Most of the time we feel like we stick out like a sore thumb where ever we are. While there is nothing wrong with standing out, it felt so good to go to a place and know that no matter who you are, you will be welcomed and loved and taken care of. We are very grateful for the example of Christ's love that ward set for us.
   We don't really have any pictures except for the few Bryce took on his phone of the observatory. However, seeing that I haven't really done a photo shoot for awhile I have resorted to photoshopping old pictures I have already photoshopped, and using the new techniques I have learned since then to make them better. Its might be a waste of time but its fun to see the difference. Any who so I have just a little collage of some people you might know. To see more and get full size images go to bozar.dyndns.org

Eurolols:

- Today I saw an older gentleman on the beach drying out in his speedo.  Nope, it was a grandma.
- Chelsea let out a chirp as she fell down the last few stairs, landing on her rump.  I picked her up, brushed her off, and asked how the european trip went.
- Stayed up till 2 AM Sunday night to watch the superbowl, then found out CBSSports doesn't stream to Europe.
- Eating at McDonalds (again, I know) Chelsea left me to get ranch dressing for her salad.  She came back with something I can old describe as two thin dry breadsticks in plastic wrapping and said, "at least I didn't have to pay for anything".  She enjoyed her dry salad.

Rome

   This last week we spent most of the time working and getting all caught up so we could enjoy our trip to Rome over the weekend.
   We took a plane from the Nice airport at about nine Saturday morning and got into Rome about an hour later. We ate at a pizza place in the terminal and then went and saw the Colosseum, Roman Forums, and the Mouth of Truth. After that we retired to our hotel, a hotel we booked because Chelsea was so intrigued by not knowing what hotel you would stay at until after you booked it on hotwire.com, that she just had to do it. Fortunately for us it ended up being pretty good. We watched some documentaries about the Roman empire and quickly fell asleep.
   The next day we went and saw the Vatican, Pantheon, and went to a fun little ride/movie thing that talked about the history of Rome. We ended the day in Piazza Navona with a Bernini fountain right in the middle and painters selling their artworks of Rome on either side. We grabbed some gelato and looked at the paintings and then went to a restaurant in the plaza. We finished the night by going back to the hotel and watching some Downton Abbey.
   The next day(yesterday) we flew back home to Nice. We ended up sitting by a elegant, eccentric woman who spoke a little english. We soon found out she was a photographer who takes pictures of celebrities. She kept naming off names of celebrities she had taken pictures of, most of them we gave blank stares to, not knowing who they are or at least not through her accent. She would chide us asking how we couldn't know so many famous hollywood actors(most of them were before our time). However we did know Gregory Peck, Jane Fonda, Alfred Hitchcock, John Wayne and Elizabeth Taylor. Having a difficult time communicating after awhile Bryce pulled out the I-phone and started showing her pictures of violet. She grabbed the phone and thumbed through the rest of the pictures. She also told us about her sturdy shoes that she had bought for $150. She ended up pulling them off and had Bryce feel how sturdy they were. Bryce quickly pointed to our matching shoes Kaylee had made for us for Christmas and said "designer shoes." Bryce carried her bag until she could find a kart inside the airport where she patted our cheeks and said goodbye. If your interested her website is: http://www.chiarasamugheo.com/
you may have to look through it with caution, these Europeans don't mind a little nudity here and there.
   Hey just so you know we bought our plane tickets home and we should be back Feb. 20th so not too far away. We love you and miss you guys!

Eurolols:

- A train engineer walked around our cart checking if the passengers had tickets.  We did, but as he inspected them he pointed out (not verbally, but with gestures, like a game of charades) that we lacked a special stamp.  I feared imprisonment and handcuffs, but the fine was only 5 euros.

- Being venturesome, I chose a random cheese at the supermarket.  I took it home and unfolded the paper wrapping.  The smell hit me in the face - the term "stinky cheese" does not do justice.  I hid it in the fridge for Chelsea's breakfast, but it ended up in the garbage can before any good use came from it.

- I spent all my free cash getting into the colosseum.  I knew Italy had a major 'cash-only' affliction, but I didn't think a major tourist attraction wouldn't accept my stylish chase-sapphire preferred card.  Later that night we ate dinner, then discovered they also did not accept plastic, and found ourselves short 10 euros cash.  I jogged up and down a good many italian roads looking for an ATM, while Chelsea sat hostage.

- We cannot find ranch dressing and we already bought lettuce.


Colosseum:

Roman Forums:

 

Vatican:

     

 

 us and more nice:

Chelsea is in antique heaven

Chelsea had a bit of a freak out when she realized Laocoon was here

Morning runs in Nice

Bryce and our new friend

Nice and Marseille

   Week two and we are starting two get a lot more comfortable and familiar with Nice and living in France. Bryce started work again beginning last week. Our schedule usually consists of waking up way too late because of our jetlag, running by the beach, and then usually seeing something new in Nice. Then at 2:00pm we get started with our work and school until 10:00pm where we then retire to our bed to watch an episode of Downton Abbey(very hard to do when Netflix and Hulu dont work here). Then we TRY to sleep for a long time only to fall asleep about one or two. 

   Every weekend we are going to try to visit a different place, so last weekend it was Marseille and this upcoming weekend is Rome.  It was pretty windy and freezing and then later rained in Marseille, but was still a fun experience. There were two major places we wanted to see: the Cathédrale de la Major, a huge byzantine-roman styled cathedral built in the 1800s, and Chateau d'if, a prison that was built in 1524 that became famous as the prison Edmund Dantes went to in The Count of Monte Cristo. We were however unable to visit Chateau d'if (after asking four different times:) because of the bad weather. I should probably mention it is on an island that you have to boat to. We were able to visit the Cathedrale de la Major and took a tour bus that lead up to Notre-Dame de la Garde, a basilica on top of a hill that overlooked the city. We also we able to try some fine French cuisine.  
    A lot happens in one week as you can tell so we might be doing two blog posts a week. We will keep you updated. Hope you enjoy the pictures and all is well back home! more pictures on bozar.dyndns.org


Eurolols:

 - Tried my steak 'medium' today, "because I am in France, I should eat like the French."  I will be having 'well done' for the rest of my life. 

- Chelsea and I were determined to beat jet lag today and wake up on time for church. We got up 3 hours late then visited a catholic cathedral, which counts as church.

- Got a fountain drink today that had no syrup.  Can't tell the cashier because I don't know how.  I enjoyed the carbonated water. 

- Dirty Eminem song playing at McDonalds.  Children love the beat.

- Turned on the tap to wash my lunch plate because I am a good husband.  No water came out, so I laid it in the sink.  May everyone know I attempted to do dishes.

- I said my first successful phrase in french: "je ne parle pas francias".  I'm so happy.

- The toilet made a sound resembling a 747 during takeoff.  Chelsea ran out of the bathroom stark nude and yelled at me (as if we were in an earthquake) to investigate.  We have three explanations: 1. someone dumped a crapload of poprocks down the toilet, 2. the toilet drainpipes were being cleaned, or 3. the toilet is haunted by an obnoxious moaning myrtle.

Places:

Cathédrale de la Major

Model of the Cathedral

Notre-Dame de la Garde

Chateau d'if 

As close as we could get to it

Boat to Chateau d'if

Food:

Bryce's Steak

carmel crepes and what Bryce likes to call chocolate soup

Pizza place right across the street from our apartment, and the only drinks we could communicate

Random Places and Things:

Visited the contemporary art museum in Nice,  almost all the art there was 100% terrifying

 

Us last week: