Return from nice

As i'm on the train leaving nice - i have mixed feelings. Because it is
early in my time abroad, i feel as though i'm still on vacation. So
nice was a vacation, from my vacation. But it was great to see the
city. It's quite beautiful, but certainly more touristy than Marseille.
Restaurants had english-speaking staff, menus were "anglicized," and the
whole city lacked a real feel that i crave. It felt like the caribbean,
not a place to live. I think we met more tourists than French. Not like
marseille - where people are proud to be "les Marseillais"!
Tangentially, we learned that during the reign of Louis XIV, the king
had to build forts and turn cannons onto the city of Marseille - they
have historically been violently opposed to any form of rule from an
outside power. It's gone on for thousands of years!
The train ride "home" ( i use quotes because it's not quite home yet) is
tiring, but exciting - since classes start tomorrow - at 8:15 am - which
is going to be tough. But, it will be an opportunity to get into real
life again...