THE FIRST TIME behind the Iron Curtain Part 6: While riding the train on the route of Monte Carlo - San Remo, nothing interesting happened. More precisely, there was a crossing of the Franco-Italian border, or, more precisely, Monaco and Italian. It looked outrageously simple. In the car went whether customs, or border guard, in a form that resembles the shape of the conductor. Or maybe it was a customs and border officials in one person. He ran his eyes bored salon, turned and walked out. And then I thought, how interesting people live here! No, to shake up the personal belongings of passengers to check the passport regime, to catch a smuggler with extra pounds of fat ... Oh, sorry, I'm daydreaming. The town of San Remo is not a distinctive charm, as we were during the scoop, eagerly looking at the happy faces of Italian artists at the festival of song. Thus, the town itself and the town. Just the same as Europeans carefully and practical, sometimes with artistically designed fountains. Everything here was just as in the usual Mediterranean town, the same sea, the same red roof, the same harbor. And local authorities were not too lazy to plant something green in the flower beds: Since we are in another financial area, we had to change some dollars into local lira. To this end, we went to the bank, where they were surprised the increased security measures, compared with France even. At the entrance door-spinner. Controlled, ie The operator can block it and release the button. Then go to one. Thanks, though personal inspection of each are not made We've tried for dinner, but it is tried. Italian we knew exactly the same way as the French, that is absolutely no way. Hope was only on international words. Sat in a small cafe summer, such is now in Ukraine tens of thousands, if not more. Studied the menu. My companions for some reason likes the word "Scamp," and I ventured to confide in a dish "Calamari", reasonably believing that it will be linked with squid. I'm not mistaken, "Calamari" could still somehow consume, but with scampi my companions are out of luck because onymi were some crustaceans creating almost no edible parts. Garnish with no animal food for quite young people - not dinner. So, do not empty-handed, we went to explore the terrain of our usual method - "aimlessly". Having a couple of miles, we climbed a hill overlooking the city and some penetrated the atmosphere of an Italian province. Quiet courtyards, in the wasteland old church, sorry, the photo did not work. And that's kind of out on the town itself: After the walk we returned to the station and waiting for the train the first time we tried the local champagne. It is sold in small bottles of 300-400 grams, can not remember the exact amount. Let's not talk about price, and so it is understandable that at that time we were more cheaply. But the quality I do not like it. Carbonated Kislyak, and only. We would be discarded as a soured wine. Long road to Nice, without the stops along the way, my companions were predisposed to sleep. And I had a bit to practice his English was still poor with some Swiss. We discussed a little bit of everything to the best of my vocabulary. And, of course, sounded more popular then than now, the theme of the new Russian. Swiss complained that, here, he says, he works, his wife works, his two children are working, but he can not afford to watch domestic production. A Russian, they say, they are buying up dozens. Overall, I liked the guy. Like that couple in Nice (see Part 5). In general, it was one of discovery for me then. Before traveling Westerners seemed to me stiff and enigmatic. And now I understand that they are likely more friendly than we are, though less hospitable. However, over the years, the development of capitalism in Ukraine, it becomes clear that we are slowly move in this direction. Fewer go to the guests, more work and turn in on themselves in the evening relax in front of the TV. And after all warned the party of Lenin! The brutal exploitation of workers exhausting the capital! Eeehhh! When we arrived in Nice, I have enough strength, a little rest, swim the same on the beach when the water temperature 14. Well, really wanted. And suddenly here not get more? I swam ten feet and climbed out on shore to bask. Water as water, the sea as the sea. But fate gave me the opportunity to swim in the turquoise sea in August of that year. It was only then that I realized how much water in the Mediterranean is saltier than in our native Black Sea. When diving without a mask, eye cuts, even when the eyes are closed. I'm not talking about the smell of water. Nothing good to say you can not, because. The next morning we headed to the train station to visit Cannes, the more there was to open the famous festival. Relevant posters we've seen yet in Paris. Here is the train station in Nice: Full-scale Ukrainian regional center. Is that covered stations in the district centers, I have no recall. Seen all the attributes of the European way of life. Benches, flowers, vending machines. True, the past we have also now started to appear. But everything else is still hard to finds its way, alas. On arrival in Cannes, we were advised to attend one of two famous islands adjacent to the town - St Margaret, who more. Fewer of them, the island of St. Honore, in our plans did not appear. It turned out that to get to the island is not easy because of canceled flights boats, but on the other we do not immediately got tickets. As they walked out of the dock, I took a few pictures of ships moored: the pier with a lighthouse on the background of the huge cruise ship: At the exit we met a boat, for some reason without sails: The island was quite boring, if we had not had dinner, drank a little wine . And so - paths, trails. It turned out, we are the second time within 10 days of the French talked to close to nature. What is surprising, since it is paid (two francs, it seems) automatic toilet in the middle of the forest, to a tee, what we saw in Paris, and even enjoyed. In our region is not likely, alas. (Especially French toilets are also given in this material. Ca. Ed.) The only attraction on the island - well-preserved ancient fortress of Vauban. With its walls of a beautiful view over the city and the Bay: Back to travel, too, was sad, because 40 minutes waiting for a boat. Stepping onto the mainland, as usual, decided to wander through the streets of the town, which were quite nice, or even a bit romantic. With the same high point affords a good view of the jam-packed boats and yachts dock. When we returned to the central part of the city, started a little rain, but it has not prevented hundreds of people watching the incipient process of arriving stars and starlets to the Palais des Festivals on the famous film festival. Were immediately alert law enforcement officers. However, as in Europe and if bullies, then the whole world, so special policemen in the crowd do not stare, as is customary with us. Kulturnenkaya police in France. Differences in police outfits from our police officers are that a personal weapon - a gun - they have to shnurochke not to steal. In addition, many have special flashlights that turn out to be more and telescopic batons. From the VIP-guests of the festival we saw Gerard Depardieu and Claudia Schiffer. She's in a yellow dress, although the photo a bit "blurry". While looking at the passage of the festival guests on the red carpet, with two missed each other by our comrades on the trip. To meet again, had to ask some French call on the Ukrainian mobile. Here we once again feel the difference of French and Ukrainian levels, because sympathetic Frenchman gave us permission to call without any hesitation. Now, of course, and we have mobile communication is cheap, but then for us it seemed like an extraordinary thing. On the way back in the train compartment with us riding a pretty American student. Naturally, I did not fail the opportunity to communicate with it, the more I used the Americans did not say never. Particularly interesting is no telling, said that studying at a state university for nine thousand American rubles a month. Now it is time to share their impressions of the city of our stay - Nice. Of course, written a lot about him. From personal experience the most severe left walk along the pedestrian zone near the waterfront. True, the ubiquitous motorcycles are also present. We ate in a nice guided by our Parisian experience - from the Sino-Korean friends of the Soviet people. Here, perhaps, the choice was more than in Paris, and the beer fresher. Speaking of beer, me, and now, after 9 years, I remember liter mug of beer for 66 francs, however, this amount includes other nuts. This is a huge amount for a liter of beer - more than UAH 50. Then, for the money you could buy in a supermarket bag chubby drinks and snacks. But Che's something I have this beer is not met, despite the considerable range of it in our days. Attended, of course, we ordinary French cafe. At one point in the pedestrian area of ??these cafes merged into a single sea of ??tables and chairs. Played together four or five musicians in different places, of course. In general, such joyful festival holiday oasis of life in and so is not very grim routine. Especially I liked the team, which played something shotladskoe, as I then thought. I spoke to three minutes with one of the group, in a break between songs. These were musicians from the UK who are rested and at the same time creatively communicate with the public. From exotic food especially do not remember anything. Seen many times, as local audiences ordered signature dish - a huge mountain of ice, and it inserted all sorts of marine crustaceans. We are at this excess did not dare to even know the price did not. Not by bread alone, as they say. On the morning of the last day of our stay we decided to stroll through the nearby neighborhood of Nice. I ended the last film, and buy another was no longer much point and time. The first shot I made near the harbor for small vessels. If anyone remembers the film "Ronin", these buildings were in the frame: And here is the same building, but from the boat "parking" But this same "parking" on the background of the sea: One can see that the rest of the harbor and the promenade separates the picturesque hill. Especially beautiful this hill looks like from the sea, the evening when lights are lit. But I see it is only three months later, when the newly'll get here, already on a cruise ship. But we decided to walk on this hill, and from there I made good shots of the city, the waterfront and the bay. On the other side of the hill you can see the entrance of the port with a triangular parking lot. At this point I ended the last film, but not the end of the event. We continued to walk up the hill and found on top of a nice park, but on the way back went to the historic cemetery and the graves have read a dozen Slavic surnames. Yet, here was one of the "nests" of Russian emigration, and even before the revolution of our compatriots did not leave this place without attention. Back at the hotel and after dinner, we were divided. My companions decided to explore the local supermarket, only to view, especially do not buy anything. And I made the purchase and realize the dream of his childhood - roller skates. Moreover, in addition to commercials bought and knee pads, elbow pads and PDAs. Pinned it all on himself and took a walk around the city skating. As I expected, no one paid any attention to me. Why? After all, I did not do anything wrong to anybody. Only when twisting the smallness careless trajectory, passers-by glanced at me, worrying about their safety. And so - no reaction. Another thing, when I got home and tried to ride through the streets of his native city. Not only that I was constantly attacked by the local mutts, so even some of our fellow citizens twisted his finger to his temple. Say, a hefty "forehead", and "vypersya" on skates. Hmm! But at Nice, I saw three men already quite elderly, recovering from a roller kilometers along picturesque local waterfront. In general, a souvenir of France getting "right"! Early the next morning we flew via Paris to Boryspil airport, Charles de Gaulle. " Around four in the morning polite voice on the telephone receptionist booked us realized "veykap call, and nine in the morning we were in Paris. Luggage handled without our participation, we simply moved from one aircraft to another. Air France "brooms do not knit." During the flight from Paris to Kiev us well fed and, as during the flight "there", even treated to liquor, that the Soviet and post-perestroika was the reality, at least, surprising. I was a little standard 100 grams, the mood was excellent, but the stewardess, who speak English, I politely refused to "supplement". Then I translated it in general terms the history of the novel, Voinovich (see part 1) about how the hero drank alcohol in the liner "Lufthansa". She listened with rapture, crouching down beside me and propping up the index finger on the cheek. After the end of my short stories, she said, "Just e time, had gone away a while and brought a small bottle of" theirs "champagne, exactly the same as I tried at the station in San Remo. "This is for you from me and our crew" - she said. Champagne was consumed at home, but it turned out, however, such as fizzy "Kislyak, as well as San Removskoe. However, the warmth in this bottle was enough. By lunchtime we were in Kiev. Immediately wafted the familiar Asian breezes. Customs' shmonala "ordinary people so that as much" gai boomed. " But this is outside of this story. Thanks to all who read to the end! Start material: See also: How to rest in August
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