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We spent most of our first morning in Saint-Jean unpacking suitcases, and familiarizing ourselves with our new home-away-from-home, which may well be the finest rental apartment we've encountered in our many years of traveling around Europe. Comfortable, nicely furnished and very well-equipped, the apartment's location across the street from the port all contribute to making it the perfect situation for us.
Our first order of business today, following a brief visit to the upscale tourist information office by the port, was to buy some provisions at the nearby grocery store, where we quickly discovered that we were now in a different world from Sorrento in southern Italy! The store itself, part of the Casino chain that we've encountered elsewhere in France over the years, stocks a wider variety of merchandise (and is much more spacious) than the grocery stores where we've shopped back in Sorrento. On the down side, however, the prices for almost everything were significantly higher, so we suffered a bit of "sticker shock" at the checkout counter.
After returning to the apartment to unload our groceries, we began a stroll along the promenade by the port, where classy-looking eateries and watering-holes abound. As we paused to
read the menus at the various places, we suffered a bit more "sticker shock", with prices for most luncheon dishes between $25 and $35 per platter (not including wine or other beverages). We eventually decided to have lunch on the terrace of La Goelette, a brasserie situated across from the boats in the marina.
The menu prices were pretty steep, by our Sorrento-standards, but we did manage to find some reasonably priced dishes. Dee ordered moules (mussels) prepared with a marinière sauce (butter, shallots, white wine, parsley), while I tried the fish and chips served with a bit of arugula salad. The glass of red wine I drank cost almost $10, while Dee tried to economize by ordering a draft beer (Peroni from Italy!) for $5.00. Our final tab (including my espresso) came to $55.00, which is about what we've experienced back in Sorrento.
As we enjoyed our lunches, which were very good, we could not avoid the sense that we were on the set of that old TV show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and the other resorts strung along the French Riviera, are playgrounds for the well-to-do, jet-setters of the world; nary a trace
of beggars, the homeless or working-class types around these parts.
On the way back home, we paid a brief visit to the Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the tiny church virtually next door to our apartment. I climbed the twenty stairs up to the church, which was closed, but walked around the outer courtyard where a war memorial statue was decorated today in observance of VE Day, marking the end of World War II.
Dee's Comments: Our flight from Naples arrived on-time, but the taxi driver who was meeting us at the Nice airport was late, so we did not arrive at our apartment in Saint-Jean until 4:30PM. It's a beautiful place across from the sea. By this point, we were both tired and hungry, so we walked up the street to a lovely place where we sat outside and had gins and tonic while waiting to order dinner. Our waiter was top-notch and super-friendly; he even served us a complimentary plate of shrimps before the kitchen started serving meals. After dinner, which was very good, he let us buy a couple bottles of Coke from the bar, and even offered a bottle opener to take with us in case
Le Saint Jean
A restaurant near the port we didn't have one in the apartment. Wow, what a nice gesture (we returned it the following morning)!
My initial thoughts of this beautiful French Riviera....crystal clear water, beautiful little town of Saint-Jean, but very expensive. The shops are very upscale and pricey, with food prices much more than back home. Dining out...Wow! But our apartment is great, with an oasis for a backyard! The concierge asked me to please water all the plants (even a herb garden), which I'm happy to do, because it makes me feel like I'm back home.
The best part of travel is talking to people we meet from all over the world, and learning their insights and perspectives on life.
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Jeni
non-member comment
You certainly are living the lifestyle of the rich and famous! There can’t be a bad backdrop for photos there. Looking forward to seeing more of the beautiful French Rivera!