Nice

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Train Travel Day

This morning we left Paris, on our milk run to Nice. We first stopped in Lyon, then Marseilles before finally arriving in Nice. (Ate some interesting gummy candy enroute - cola spaghetti - who knew!?!?)

Once in Nice we took the tram to our hotel. Our hotel is very American - big, loud, full of English speakers. The advertisement said it was in the ‘heart of Nice’ - not so much, we’re not really near to the tourist area, but that is OK - the restaurants are cheaper and nicer out here. Our room is huge and posh and the Air Conditioning is a huge welcome considering the scorching temperatures!

We spent the evening relaxing on the rooftop pool and eating French-Mexican food. French beers are quite tasty - and intoxicating!

Nice - Day 1

Today we slept in (until the lovely sounds of drilling in our hotel woke us up). We walked down to the promenade des anglais and to the beach. IT IS STUNNING! It looks like a postcard, or a movie. We notice that everything here has much Italian/Spanish influence.

We spent the majority of the day on the beach - the pebble beach! There wasn’t sand and the pebbles weren’t the small variety one might see in gravel, no they were rocks. We said on our towels wishing we were smart like the locals who brought foamies or cushions to put under them.

The ocean was so beautiful and turquoise, with only a minimum of waves. The sound of the waves moving through the rocks was mesmerizing. I could have stood there forever!

There was this little old French lady and her thong sporting middle aged friend tanning down from us. They were brown like leather - and because they tan topless here we were able to see their brown boobs as well. Leathery old lady topless is definitely something Tim always dreamed of seeing - I am sure he still sees it when he shuts his eyes at night.

On our walk back to the hotel we found this beautiful, secluded, stone beach. There were huge rocks that you climbed over to get to the water (but no actual shore). You could see sailboats off in the distance, and if you really stretched you neck you could see the bay where the yachts and cruise boats parked. This place was somewhere my mother would have loved, so we left her there, swimming in the Mediterranean for eternity.

We spent the evening eating some local cuisine at a restaurant where the local woman spoke as much English as Tim speaks French. If was entertaining trying to negotiate food relations in another language - next time is Tim's turn! I am noticing that the longer we are in France, the better my ‘French’ is becoming.

Nice - Day 2
Today we decided to venture away from the beaches of Nice and off to the glitterati coast of Monaco and Monte Carlo. The train station amazed us so you can only imagine exactly how awesome the rest of the area was!

We walked along the pier (looking at billion dollar yachts along the way) and through the tunnel to Monte Carlo. The casino, and surrounding area, was like Rodeo Drive only warmer. The people were dressed to the nines, we saw no fewer than ten Ferraris (all red oddly enough). You will be pleased to know that in the casino Tim and I made our five Euro contribution.

After we ate on the pier while watching the boats move in and out. We left eventually and roamed the streets of Monaco before heading back to Nice in time for dinner. We ate our dinner at the rooftop pool of our resort, and enjoyed taking in the last few minutes of the days heat.

Now, we’re enjoying a beer (or two) in the hotel bar before turning in early.

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Comments

[Julia]

French
Great blog! I imagine Tim's fluent french is courtesy of Mr. Pare! Didn't we all drop French as a result of him? Don't hitch your wagon to a fencepost (lol), but have a great time, what a fantastic trip!