The Subtle Art Of Being Cannois

While Christmas is far from absent in Cannes, it is a fraction of what we experience in America. Some shops have Christmas sales and certainly chocolatiers and bakeries have Christmas themed treats. The Christmas Market's entire raison d'être is Christmas and is the one place playing American Christmas music. But even then, there's not a lot of Santa and presents. It seems more focused on crepes and hot mulled wine. 

However, I know from experience that Christmas is widely celebrated and that by tonight, few businesses of any kind will be open – and tomorrow perhaps none. Just looking for a cafe for breakfast, we found maybe a third of the options we had yesterday. While department stores, groceries and "Target-like" retail stores were open, most smaller retailers were closed. Even the butcher closed early – right as Sennen was admiring his chickens, ducks and pigeons with feathers placed where their heads once were. 

Thus, we made it our goal to get a little grocery shopping done after breakfast and then to end the day at the charcutier's shop where in addition to deli meats and cheeses, they sell all kinds of amazing prepared delicacies. Oh, and there was the stop at the boulangerie for bread to go with our cheeses and perhaps a couple of pastries. Given we haven't seen a single Chinese restaurant (there's probably some outside the Croisette), we can't rely on the usual American-Jewish dinner strategy and need to go to every Jew's Plan B – stock up on more food than you probably would otherwise to wait out Christmas.  We are completely set to go with quiches, ravioli, yogurts, bread, cheeses, ratatouille, Perrier and even two arancini.

"I love how we go to all the stores – just like we're French!" Sennen told me. 

We also walk like we're French now. On the way back to the apartment at the end of the day, we took the long way around to stroll along the waterfront – one of the busiest footpaths in Cannes – because strolling is an activity unto itself for the French. Whether it's the Promenade Anglais in Nice or the Champs Elysees in Paris – the art of walking for walking's sake is a major part of French life and the Cannoises are no exception with couples and families moving in droves on a late Sunday/Christmas afternoon. 

"My calves hurt," Sennen said at one point. "That's good!"

Ailyn took photos all along the waterfront to give her food for sketching later. She also took advantage of every retailer who remained open to continue her French "shopping spree" – managing the 200 euro shopping money I gave her carefully. Today she added a sweater on a 10 euro clearance sale, a boba cup for 12 euros and a handmade notebook made of repurposed paper for 12 euros. She scrutinizes each purchase carefully and then checks how much of her allocation she has remaining. Currently, she wants to spend no more than 100 euros in Cannes, so she has 100 euros for Paris. However, she's also eager to see if Tuesday brings any good after-Christmas sales.

That said, the kids were less ambitious today than even yesterday. Everyone slept in which I thought was for the best as Sennen is still getting rid of his cold and they were both so tired yesterday. It's rare they get 12 or more hours of sleep and in this case got 13 and 14 hours respectively. Neither wanted a side-trip to Nice today. Both were looking forward to a little downtime at the apartment after a morning and afternoon of walking, shopping and eating. Neither wanted to explore a new neighborhood today – although Sennen thinks Christmas Day is perfect for talking a walk to explore the newer parts of Cannes outside the Croisette. I realized that in the end, this is vacation and resting up and relaxing is part of it. In Thailand, we always spent half the trip on the beach – what's a few hours relaxing in our very nice Cannes apartment? Not everything has to be seen and done. In fact, I think the kids often enjoy and remember what they do see and do more when they're sufficiently rested and happy.

To that end, it was in a quiet moment sitting at our breakfast cafe this morning that Sennen was just looking around when he mused, "I really don't want to leave Cannes."

I was surprised, "Even for Paris?" 

"Yeah, even for Paris. This is great!"

My heart smiled.

Later I decided to test how deep the sentiment ran. As we walked back to our apartment, there were so many buildings with shuttered flats. I asked the kids, "You see all of those apartments with shutters sealed? They're probably people's vacation homes not being used this time of year. Would you rather have one of those than a house in Patmos?"

"No!" came back in perfect unison.

Apparently, there are limits to pro-Cannes sentiment.

I think Sennen may have been expressing it yesterday when he talked about how much he likes the lifestyle. He even wondered how I could work here and what their lives would be like if they lived in Cannes. I think the key is that Cannes is an everyday lifestyle he could imagine. Patmos is another world – a vacation world. Living in Cannes could conceivably replace Westlake Village, but vacationing in Cannes doesn't replace Patmos.

Perhaps the kids see things much their way their father has. In my previous sojourns in Cannes, I have always just wanted to fit in – be a part of life here. It has never about what I do and don't do other than attempt to be as Cannois as possible. Ailyn is making herself more French with each purchase. 

In fact, over breakfast the kids talked about how weird it is that many vacationers have packed itineraries and see so little of a place – that they never get to know it. Like all the cruise passengers who stop on Patmos but while they see the monastery and walk around Skala, rarely see most of the beaches and absolutely never get to really know Patmos. 

"I don't want to travel like that!" Sennen said. 

Good news – we don't.

Moreover, if the past couple of days have been about marinating in Cannes, we're about to slow it down even more. Then we'll jump start ourselves Tuesday with a day trip to Grasse both to experience a beautiful medieval town and to learn how most of the world's perfumes and colognes are made. Whatever brand of fragrance you may buy, chances are it's made in Grasse. And for any readers looking to prep for Tuesday and who have time Christmas Day for movies, check out Perfume: Story of a Murderer.

Until then, we'll be recharging, enjoying our delicacies and wishing our Cannoises, French, American, Greek, Israeli, Thai, Singaporean and other friends a very Merry Christmas or day off, if you happen to be non-Christian.