Transitioning from grazie to merci, sickness better and worse and a French LGBT film festival

**Note - I just read through what I wrote to capture yesterday's events. It's about the lowest energy post I've written the whole trip. And I know it's because my mind isn't on this trip right now. I'm thinking about home, about senseless gun violence. Being so far away from my country and hearing the news about Las Vegas feels isolating and also, selfishly, relieving. I know what will come. Words from the 'president'. Thoughts and prayers. Arguments about gun control. Despair at the pointlessness of it all. I'm glad I'm not there. I'm sad for our country, more and more every day. ** 

Alex and I walked down the 103 steps away from our B&B and to the train station in the early morning. We grabbed breakfast from a Tabbachi on the train station platform and then spent the next 5 hours traveling along the west coast of Italy and then France. It was hard to say goodbye to my beloved Italy. It's a special place and I know I will return again. 

Alex is sick. He's been coughing and coughing and has the ugly sore throat. It sucks. I am feeling much better, still coughing a bit but sore throat is almost gone. We have not been very lucky with our health on this trip, and it's a bigger part of our story than I wish it was.

Our Airbnb host pulled a fast one on us and moved us from the place we rented to another one of his units. He said it was because of an electric problem, but I suspect he double booked the place. So, we are in a different part of Nice than expected, but I think I'm okay with it. Just a block away is the modern art museum and we are in the heart of Giribaldi Square, which has many amenities. 

One such amenity is an art house movie theater. Yes! We've scored two of these gems in one trip. And to make it even cooler, it's holding an LGBT film festival while we are here. Of course, I had to check it out. Alex stayed back at the apartment, sick. I saw two films, 'They' and a documentary about butch lesbians, the name of which I forgot. They are both American films, so no language barrier. But after the first film there was a lively question and answer session in French that I couldn't understand at all. It didn't matter, though. I was so comfortable surrounded by Nice's LGBT community, hearing discussion that was probably similar to what we'd talk about at home. What a great introduction to Nice.