A Hard but "Nice" Day Shopping

Bon jour, mes amies,

I normally do my shopping the day before I leave, but I have other plans for tomorrow, and the market will be closed on Monday, so today I gathered my euros and shopping bag and set forth.  Ground zero for tourist shopping--and I am a tourist, so that's how I shop--is, of course the Vielle Ville and Cours Saleya.  It was cool and partly cloudy, but still a fine day for shopping, and it seemed that every tourist in Nice had the same idea I did.
The streets of the old town are narrow, and most of the shops are small, but what really gets clogged are the aisles in the outdoor market. This is true of every market I have attended.  People are looking.  They stop. They take photos or just stand and chat.  Pet owners have to pick up their tiny dogs and carry them, so they don't get trampled.  Fortunately no one was smoking today. Maybe this is a new market etiquette that has developed.
I had a good look around scouting out the things I thought my friends would like that are typical of the area.  I covered a lot of ground and got some good walking in as well.  I found what I was looking for although some of it took a bit of hunting.  I paid cash.  Some market stall owners will take credit cards, but even the regular shop keepers have a price minimum below which they will not.
I asked at Reception about the reed weaving I saw done.  She had never heard of it--or possibly I was not describing it well because she thought it might be non-European immigrants.  No. The people involved were definitely Europeans of some sort.  I saw a lot being done today, and I am almost certain it's a traditional craft for Palm Sunday.  A stand had been set up on front of one of the churches, and some monks were doing the braiding.  The shapes are very pretty.  I also saw people carrying olive branches because that's their version of the "palm," even though actual palm trees are abundant in this climate zone.  People do the same in Italy, and I wonder if it's the same in Spain and Greece.
I came back a bit early because a major cycling race is on today--the Hell of the North more commonly known as Paris-Roubaix, which is a one day race and difficult and therefore valued because of the stretches of rough cobblestones.  I've never ridden a bike on cobblestones.  It seems awful to me, and this race features many flat tires, crashes, and ditch landings.  To brag a bit I understand cycling terms in six languages.  How's that for dedication?
One of the things I did was stop by my favorite food stand Chez Theresa for a pan bagnat.  This will provide a hearty and refreshing dinner after my exertions.  I eat the olives first because of the pits.
And bleah.  It's turned cold and nasty again.  I needed to put the heat on in my apartment, and rain is falling.
A demain