~ Wednesday, November 19
After leaving Toulouse, I headed to a new city: Nice. I sat in my assigned seat on the train from Toulouse to Marseille. It took about four hours to arrive in Marseille, so I spent the time writing an updated diary. Each passenger was doing different things—working, studying, sleeping. Most of them were sleeping.
After arriving in Marseille, I had about an hour before catching the next train, so I decided to take a little walk. The view was spectacular because it was a sunny day. I had to go down a long set of stairs with my heavy suitcase. I couldn’t walk far because I didn’t have much time. I went downhill for about 10 minutes, but I didn’t really find anything unique, so I decided to head back to the station. I didn’t want to risk missing the train for any reason. Of course, I had to climb the long stairs again, which made me sweat a lot.
Back in the station, I decided to buy something to eat. Right after entering the sandwich shop, an elderly woman with a gold front tooth asked me to buy something for her, so I bought her a Coca-Cola along with a chicken sandwich and a pain au chocolat for myself. It was very expensive. As I left the shop and looked for a place to sit, two other young women who looked similar to the first woman asked me for money or food. I realized they were targeting travelers like me—I had a big backpack and a suitcase. It wasn’t a pleasant moment, whether they were genuinely in need or simply trying to collect money.
I finally found a spot to eat. After getting on the next train, where I could sit anywhere I wanted, I headed toward Nice.
After arriving at Antibes station, I met a Judo practitioner who would take me to his home, where I would stay for a week. His house was about 20 minutes away by car. When I arrived, I was welcomed by his wife, a tiny dog, and a baby. His house was massive, by the way. He told me to stay in a room right next to theirs on the second floor (the “first floor” in France).
I joined the Judo lessons where he teaches, and I had the opportunity to teach as well. It was a pleasant moment—teaching different students. They practice Judo for fun, so the atmosphere was similar to the dojo I used to teach at in the US.
After returning to his house, I sensed something was wrong from his mood. I asked him if something was bothering him. He said that they had never let someone they didn’t know stay in their home before, so having me there was stressful, which I understood—they also had a small baby. I appreciated that they accepted me despite that.
That night, I decided to leave the house because I didn’t want to trouble them or their baby. I quickly searched for an apartment where I could stay for the week and booked one near the beach. For some reason, I couldn’t sleep well that night.
The next day, I explained everything to him, and he accepted it respectfully. I went to have lunch with another Judo practitioner I had met the previous day. He used to work as a florist and is retired now. He invited me to go to Monaco for Judo training in the evening, and I immediately accepted—I wanted to see Monaco. He took me there on his motorbike. I had never ridden a motorbike before. It took about 30–40 minutes to get from the city to Monaco. I sat behind him as we rode.
During the Judo training, I saw a strong competitor who was incredibly passionate. He asked me to spar many times and continued extra practice after class. I think he truly wants to be stronger, and watching him reminded me of my younger self.
On the way there and back, the night view between Nice and Monaco was amazing, although it was very cold. I will try to visit Monaco next week not as a Judoka but as a traveler.
By the time we got back, it was already past 10 PM, so most restaurants and supermarkets were closed. We decided to go to a small kebab street shop. They were about to close, so when we asked to order, they looked a bit annoyed. A woman who looked to be in her 60s took our order and cooked for us. It was cold outside, so we took the kebabs back to the Airbnb. After arriving, I ate mine—it was okay. Not my favorite, but overall, the whole night had been one of the best experiences of my life.
The next morning, I went to a coffee shop right across from the beach. I ordered an Americano and a croissant. I realized that since Marseille, people no longer call a chocolate croissant “chocolatine,” but “pain au chocolat.” In Angoulême, Bordeaux, and Toulouse, they all called it “chocolatine.” It was interesting.
The coffee shop was so packed that I could barely find a seat. It was more expensive than other cities I’ve visited. Each person was doing something different—working, chatting, just eating, or relaxing. Since I came here, I’ve noticed that many people around this area are older. One reason is that many retired people live here. I heard that everything is more expensive in Nice, and that makes sense.
After that, I joined a couple of kids’ lessons in the morning. I didn’t know that kids here don’t have school on Wednesdays. Instead, they participate in sports activities throughout the day. Because of that, one of the lessons had 30–40 kids on the mat. It was surprising.
In the afternoon, the retired Judo practitioner invited me to his home for lunch and then took me on a tour around the area in his van. It was a very fun experience, though I started feeling tired halfway through for some reason. Since arriving here, I haven’t felt very well physically.
After returning to the apartment, I cooked dinner and went to bed. The apartment is very nice for the price I paid—the beach is one minute away by foot, and it has many amenities.
This morning, I woke up at 7 AM and went to the same coffee shop because I liked it, but I couldn’t stay long yesterday. I spent time studying French and relaxing—something I hadn’t done in about a week. I enjoyed the peaceful moment.
I have nothing planned today except running along the beach, so I don’t think I’ll have anything special to write about. I’ll finish my updates here.