Sad. Sad but necessary. Janny and I returned earlier this week from an overnight to Nice, to visit her Mom at Baycrest Sur Mer. There was nothing else to do in Nice while we were there, quite literally. Closed up tighter than a drum, like all of France. Sad.

We realized that one of our local boulangeries in Mazargues (Marseille) with three bistro tables set up outside may be the only “restaurant” open in all of France!

Nice was eerily deserted. The Pieton, the pedestrian mall, was empty other than for food delivery scooters. La Pizza Cresci was doing some take away business, but only pizza. Not even a salad could be purchased. And the famed blue chairs and benches along the Promenade des Anglais had all been trucked away. Sad.

I am guessing there were maybe 10 occupied hotel rooms in our hotel that night, not that we say any other guests. Most hotels including the famed Negreso and our usual little hotel aptly named Hotel Jay were shuttered and closed completely. Sad.

The only good news is that I was able to find parking on Level 2 of the public parking located right by the elevator to the hotel. There was only one other car in sight as I was walked to the door.

Janny’s mom, at 90 years old tested positive a few weeks ago, but has been asymptomatic. Imagine that! We were able to visit her briefly and in keeping with necessary protocols, it was outside, masked-up of course and we had our temperatures taken berforehand. Now, Nice in November is certainly not Toronto in November, weatherwise, and the sun was delightful. But it is no longer summer. In the shade it was cool and Janny’s mom was down right cold and covered in blankets and coats to stay warm. Sad

As our visit ended and Janny’s mom went back in the building, another resident was coming out the door to visit with her daughter and son-in-law. I was told afterward this woman had had COVID not once, but twice! At sight of her daughter through the door, she rushed outside and, like a little girl on camp visitor’s day, threw her arms around her daughter and just held on. Mother and daughter. Standing outside in the cold. Masked up. Hugging. Sad. Sad but necessary