Bonjour France and Greggy!!!

I got into Ventimiglia at 11:30 p.m. on the 28th and saw Greg for the first time in over 4 years! It's been awesome to be with someone I know, especially since it's Greg and he lives here in France! We got back to his awesome house in Nice and hung out for a bit with some German friends who had been visiting for some big car race and the Film Festival of Cannes (can't believe I was so close and missed it!!!).
So, to bed and to rise, and in the morning I reconnected with Greg's signature breakfast: toast with butter and jam dipped in hot chocolate in a bowl. Ah, Greg.
Greg drove me around Nice, Eze and the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, and we lunched/walked by the sea in Nice, and I have to say this: it was very nice. :)
Odd foreign thing: my pizza came with an egg in the middle. Just an over-medium egg right there hangin' out. Okay, Frenchies -- I know we all like to have our special little twists on someone else's original creations, but an egg? That's kinda random. I can't say it tasted bad, though.
Afterwards, we drove the 2 hours through the rolling hills and vineyards of Provence to the Mirabella house in Pennes Mirabeau, about 20 minutes outside Marseille. It is beautiful here. Pool, palm trees, an immaculately clean and nice French home ... and Greg's family, who are incredibly kind and hospitable. Christine (Greg's mom) did my laundry, much to my opposition, and anyone who would do a backpacker's laundry is a kind, kind person worthy of a lot.
A combination of Paco the dog; Christine's home cooked meals and chocolate chip bundt cake and settling into Greg's old room - full of Woodbury High School and Minnesota paraphanalia - has made this girl feel quite at home in France.