Before I left for France one of my friends requested I bring back absinthe. She enjoyed experiencing occasional hallucinations, and she heard absinthe was a good way to make that happen. Honestly, in my before-traveling-abroad alcohol ignorance, I had never heard of the drink. She explained its powerful nature and the fact that it is illegal in the states.
Upon arriving in little old Antibes in the south of France, and wandering the streets of old town amidst the local population, the majority of whom require canes for walking and sport small, curly-haired dogs, I thought there was no way absinthe existed here. A little wiki-reading I did after hearing about the drink taught me about the infamous “green fairy” people see when under the influence of absinthe and Van Gogh’s propensity for the risky drink. While this made the whole Van Gogh-ear thing more understandable, it did not increase my belief that the drink would be easy to find.
Two weeks into my five months here, however, I discovered a whole bar dedicated to the drink. I also discovered that the alcohol is no longer made in the fashion that made it hallucinogenic. So, though it is still high in alcohol content, I would not have the privilege of meeting the green fairy. Luckily, the bar, called La Balade, provides enough entertainment without any fairies.
It is small, and slightly cavern-esque, with posters of absinthe and charicatures of people under the influence of absinthe, covering the curved walls and ceiling. The tables are round and have old-style paintings on the surface. There are hats in every style hiding in the wine racks, hanging on coat racks, and lining a low wall that sets apart a small sitting area from the rest of the bar. Customers are encouraged to wear the hats, perhaps to create the illusion of hallucination…one minute you may be looking at a train conductor, and the next, a Chinese farmer.
As if the style of the bar isn’t enough, the actual process of drinking absinthe is entertaining by itself. A shot of absinthe is brought to you in a large glass cup with a metal spoon strainer. On every table, there is also a glass pitcher of water with four spickets and a bowl of sugar cubes. The spoon strainer rests on top of the glass, and then you place a sugar cube on the spoon and drip the water over it.
I suggest adding a couple sugar cubes if it is your first experience with absinthe, and filling your glass about two-thirds full of water. After a couple of glasses you may not be seeing fairies, but you’ll could be seeing double.