Nice, France – Wherever The Story Takes Us

When there is uncertainty about the places I come across, I confront myself to keep on questioning.  It will be great if there is no simple answer. If I had already known the answer, I am clearly on the road that someone has already been to or thinking what someone has already thought of!  Isn’t it? It could be …

Our story in Nice began when we chose to just take a walk (with one luggage and one hand carry bag each of us) to Grand Hotel Le Florence, 3, Paul Deroulede Street, Nice City Center from Gare Nice Ville Train Station, which was actually only four blocks away and naturally, there should be a simple route.  But by some means, we ended up a long way to reach our hotel.  We were lost.  Great!  We see nothing if we are not lost, right?  Because again … this time we see the other part of Nice that little information we know - the part of Nice that was the beginnings of Islam.

Nice, one of the largest  ....

.... and the most visited cities in France

Through our experience – as in Marseille, France - A Far Cry From A Typical Side Of French Culture!, Nice too holds a kind and friendly approach towards travelers.  Nice, France was founded in 350BC and its history bred over times. 

This ain't Paris!

Again, we cannot expect too much of a 'cutting-edge' French culture in Nice.  In any case, at least that was our perception before arriving into the heart of this city.  Albeit the diversity in culture and way of life that could visibly be noticed between the locals and immigrants, I experienced that everyone was respectful, pleasant and accommodating.  As compared to other big cities, the inhabitants of Nice seemed to be more relaxed and contented.  I guess Nice is a happy place to be.

Promenade des Anglais area is the heart of Nice where
cafes, restaurants are lined.
Day and night

This is what Nice is famous for -
Legendary street food

You don't really need a car - public transportation
is superb

Summer time is lively and lovely time 

Under the sun.  Under the moon.
Nice is bustling with many actions for everyone

Sometimes it takes the locals who break the ice.  Sometimes it has to be you.  So, in Nice, we understand that Islam is the second religion after Catholicism in France. As an observer of Islam in France I would like to paint a picture of harmony and broad-mindedness.  And surprisingly, that was the picture existed here (minus media hype, certainly!)

Halal slaughter is not a problem in general and in
Nice in particular

Muslims came to France centuries ago, thriving with the occupation of Spain (exceptionally Andalusia) Granada, Andalusia – Through The Pages Of History and Al Hambra, Granada – If Only We Can Hold Time Still … by the Moors in the eighth century.  Anyway, only half of five million Muslims in France are of Arab origin.  The remainders are from West Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Turkey, Lebanon, India and including Asia.

And of course, halal food is everywhere!

We also understand that Muslims in France survived through employment, family reunification from immigrants, mixed marriage and the growing of the Muslim population in this country itself.  However, understanding something does not mean justifying it.  True?  The percentage of growth of this community has been the focus of political manipulating and theory.  Theory?

Ya, many can come up with many theories. But in reality, we are more likely to generalize the regretful than the virtuous.  We assume that the worst is more ‘compelling’ and ‘infectious’.  Not only in France, my friends, in any part of this world, in our societies today, rejection of absolute values has often led to a rejection of all values.  How sad!  What's more, we are intimidated more by moral uproars them by dictatorship, more by corruption than by radicalism.  That’s the power of generalization, peeps!  People generalize that French are arrogant.  People generalize that immigrants are troublemakers.  We have no idea what kind of life people have gone through.  Well, know them, then you judge.  Each of us has a good side, aren't we?  In my eyes, it clearly showed that only idiots generalize!

It is amazing that just on how by knowing people make us wiser and obviously letting us understand what good value others have, what they excel better than us and guess what …  it really makes me realize how petty we are at times in our tiny world whilst the rest of the world has no time for that! 

The French insight of Muslims has transformed considerably over the period of time and this change has been basically a result of social and political measures linked to the Muslim society and its connection to the French civilization.
     

Travel is all about learning from others.  We just love to explore the wisdom on how people ‘living their lived experience’, the experience that shape the root of character evolving of  ‘French Muslim’.  We learned that by meeting people of diverse faiths, cultures, judgments and philosophies truly make this world wonderful.  Without prejudice, I absolutely enjoy Nice and like the people. 

Nice is happening.
But whatever activities you are gripped ... he-he
Take note that Nice is an obedient city.
By midnight everyone is heading home ...

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharal Nehru

Perhaps - it's time to seriously move from what can I get to what can I give …