.4th Chapter – Nice

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Chapter Two – Aix en Provence.

This is Chapter Four – Nice

Nice – Sunday January 2, 2022

Today we do our final preparations for our transition to Torremolinos Spain tomorrow. It is a seaport town about 25 minutes from Malaga via tram. We leave at 8:15 AM for a connection in Barcelona and then on to Spain.

Neolithic and Roman remains have been found in the area. However, the first written references to the town”s history do not appear until the final years of the Christian conquest, when, following the capture of Malaga by the Catholic Monarchs, the AREAs of Churriana and Los Molinos de la Torre were incorporated into Alhaurin de la Torre. In 1502, it became part of the city of Malaga under the name Torres de Pimentel.

Its origins and name derive from a watchtower (torre) and the mills (molinos) built here to grind wheat, positioned perpendicularly to the sea in order to harness the hydraulic power generated by the waters flowing into it.
The coast was subsequently fortified with castles and defensive towers. One of the most important of these defensive constructions was St. Clare”s Castle, built in the second half of the 18th century on the site of the old fort. The castle has since disappeared, its place being taken by a hotel complex.

The town appears on the map drawn up by the Marquis of La Ensenada in 1748 under the name Torre de los Molinos, from which its present-day name is taken.

From 1813 onwards, it was an independent municipality, returning to the city of Malaga in 1924.

A new stimulus, which was to change forever the whole face of Torremolinos, as well as its inhabitants” economic activities and way of life, came in the second half of the 20th century, when the progressive development of tourism, which had begun in 1960s, transformed the town into one of the world”s best-known holiday resorts.

We rented a nice Airbnb in Torremolinos with a great sea view for a month to seek out warmer winter temperatures. We expect to also visit Malaga and Seville as part of this journey.

Our current plans are to return to Nice in early March.

Nice – Friday December 31, 2021

Today we repacked our luggage, paring it down to two carry on bags each for our upcoming flight to Spain on January 3. The rest will be put in storage here in Nice. We refer to the two big green bags as Beast I and Beast II. He had until 4PM today to get them to the storage place before it closes for the weekend so we had to hustle.

We also booked lodging in Nice for March and April via Airbnb.

Due to Visa restrictions, we can only be out of France for a max of 90 days out of 180 contiguous days so we have to be careful planning ahead as we want to spend a month in Venice in early Spring.

Happy New Year’s Eve.

Juan-les-Pins & Antibes – Thursday, December 30, 2021

Yesterday was a beautiful day, warm Mid 60’s and sunny.

Our friends from Aix-en-Provence motored over to drop off two of our larger bags that they had been faithfully storing at their place for the last few months and drove us over to and Antibes for lunch and exploration. It was about a 30 minute drive along the beautiful southerner coast of France. It was great to see them again, visiting the town in which they were married and lived for several years.

Antibes is a resort town between Cannes and Nice on the French Riviera (Côte d’Azur). It’s known for its old town enclosed by 16th-century ramparts with the star-shaped Fort Carré. This overlooks luxury yachts moored at the Port Vauban marina. The forested Cap d’Antibes peninsula, dotted with grand villas, separates Antibes from Juan-les-Pins, a chic resort with buzzing nightlife and the Jazz à Juan music festival

After lunch we explored the area on foot visiting the old town and harbor where some of the worlds largest yachts are moored due to the deep port.

Rebecca and I caught the train back to Nice and took a short stroll among the downtown area before grabbing the #1 Tram home.

It was a very enjoyable day. Later that evening we made some additional arraignments on Airbnb for upcoming trips.

Eze and … – Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Rebecca missed my trip to Eze on Dec 20 so we decided to visit it together today.

Same drill as before catch the #82 bus downtown for the 1 EU ride, to Eze Village. We arrived to a cold, windy welcome.

After spending about 2 hours exploring the village we grabbed the #83 bus to visit the Eze beach area… or so we thought.

Eze village is at the top of a hill and the bus weaved its way down the twisting road hill toward the seaside taking a seemingly long time. The exact bus stop to get off wasn’t clear so we just rang the bell when we hit the harbor.

We departed the bus and walked toward the town.

Feeling a bit peckish Rebecca Googled “good restaurant near me” and found a real gem – Le Pointu. Our lunch with expresso came to under 28 EU, a real deal.

We continued our exploration after lunch and found the local tourist bureau. I decided to stop in for a map and suggestions on what to see in the area.

To our mutual surprise we discovered that we were in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, one town over from Eze. Ooops.

One of the tiniest villages in France – a minuscule 0.95 square kilometres – Beaulieu-sur-Mer is nestled in a curve protected by tall, grey slabs of the rocky foothills. The town became independent from Villefranche-sur-Mer in 1891, which was when the term Berlugan (from Beaulieu) was coined

Our error was also our good fortune as we discovered a beautiful place, the literal translation of Beau lieu.

As a bonus we visited an interesting villa – Villa Kerylos a reconstruction of an ancient Greek dwelling

Located on the rocky tip of the Baie des Fourmis in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, behind which stand the monumental cliffs of Eze, Villa Kérylos takes you on a fascinating journey and a tribute to Greek civilization.

An original reconstruction of an ancient Greek dwelling, Villa Kérylos is the realization of a dream – that of Théodore Reinach, an archaeologist and French statesman, fascinated by Greek civilization. It is also the fruit of an exemplary collaboration with architect Emmanuel Pontremoli who was passionate about this project.

After the visit we took the #100 bus back to Nice, capping a day of adventure and misdirection.

We are looking forward to seeing our friends the James’s on Thursday for a trip to Juan Les Pins. They have been caretaking our large suitcase for the last month.

Nice – Saturday, December 25, 2021

St Paul de Vence & Cagnes-Sur-Mer – Thursday, December 23, 2021

We have decided to minimize travel next week as we expect the Covid variant to spread on Christmas, and our flight to Spain is just after New Year’s Day (Jan 3). To that end, we made another pre-Christmas trip to a popular nearby village, this time to a walled medieval town on St. Paul de Vence. We took an Uber there for 35 EU.

This hilltop village is best known for its art shops which are plentiful.

Back in Antiquity, an oppidum was erected on the Plateau du Puy. In those days, steeper sites were reputed to be safer. Over the centuries, people set up house around the old church of Saint Michel du Puy and the château at the top of the hill. Thus evolved the “castrum” of Saint-Paul.

In the Middle Ages, the Counts of Provence administered the region and granted several privileges to Saint-Paul. In the 14th century, the village became the county town of a big district. In 1388, the eastern border of Provence was redefined : Saint-Paul occupied a strategic position and became an important border stronghold.

In 1388, the County of Nice switched its allegiance from Provence to the County of Savoy. This modified the eastern border of Provence, henceforth marked by the River Var. Saint-Paul assumed a strategic position in this new political context, becoming a border stronghold of the utmost importance.

Ramparts were erected during the second half of the 14th century. Two of the original towers can still be seen: the Porte de Vence, with machicolations still intact; and the Tour de l’Esperon.

In the 17th century, the town experienced a religious renewal thanks to the Bishop of Vence, Antoine Godeau.In 1666, the church was raised to the rank of a collegiate church and was embellished with outstanding altarpieces and furnishings.

Saint-Paul continued to play its military role and Vauban came to inspect the ramparts in 1693 and 1700.

In the 19th century, the hills were covered with flowers, vines and olive trees. As the 20th century dawned, the village’s brown stone, the coulours of the countryside and the light of the South of France attracted painters…
Artists first started frequenting Saint-Paul at the beginning of the 1920s. The trail blazers were Paul Signac, Raoul Dufy and Chaïm Soutine. They set up their easels in this peaceful village in Provence, attracted by colours and light of incomparable richness and intensity.

Through the 20th century, actors, artists and writers made Saint-Paul into a bubbling cultural centre. Some simply passed through, others decided to settle. Each in their own way marked the village indelibly. The 1950s and ’60s were the village’s Golden Age. Saint-Paul became an amazing film set, hosting French and foreign movie stars drawn to the French Riviera by the Victorine film studios in Nice and by the Cannes Film Festival.

Jacques Prévert lived in Saint-Paul for about fifteen years, occupying a tiny house right in the centre of the village called La Miette. He acted as a magnet on other film directors such as Henri-Georges Clouzot and André Cayatte. James Baldwin and Marc Chagall lived in the village for almost 20 years, but opted for the peace and quiet of the surrounding countryside.

For over a century now, Saint-Paul de Vence has been forging its identity as a hub of the arts and culture. Its reputation now extends well beyond the frontiers of the French Riviera, boosted by the famous Maeght Foundation inaugurated in 1964, and the chapel decorated by Jean-Michel Folon, which opened in 2008.

After wandering around for a few hours I stopped in at the local visitor office asking if there were any other nearby attractions on the way back to Nice. They recommended Cagnes-Sur-Mer. We grabbed the #400 bus from St Paul de Vence and were let off in the center of the town. From there he took the free shuttle #44 to the hilltop village. On exiting the bus we struck up a conversation with a nice Irish lady who moved there a few years ago. She loved living there and seemed to know everyone in the town.

Leaving her we explored the Grimaldi Castle Museum and were impressed by the views from the roof.

Originally, the castle built around 1300 by Rainier Grimaldi, Lord of Cagnes and Amiral of France, was only used as a fortress of supervision and defence in case of outsider attacks.

In 1620 the Baron Jean-Henri Grimaldi transformed the fortress as a seigniorial wealthy but comfortable domain.

Since 1937 the castle as been acquired by the city in order to transform it as a municipal museum. Following those events in 1948, the castle has been classified as a Historical Monument where temporary exhibition of contemporary art, collections of the olive tree museum are displayed and added to the permanent exhibition.

The castle itself now houses a collection of what some people call modern art. Although some pieces were somewhat interesting it was also underwhelming.

We returned home to Nice retracing the routes of the #44 shuttle to the #400 bus when connecting to the #2 Tram to be dropped off a block from our apt.

Monte Carlo & Menton – Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Rebecca took today off to rest her foot so I returned to Monte Carlo and continued on to Benton at the end of the bus line to explore.

The #100 bus dropped me off at the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo. My mission was to visit the Collection Privée des Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco.

At the end of the 1950s, the car enthusiast Prince Rainier III began collecting old cars. His collection gradually grew over the years as he acquired more and more models, and the garage at the Prince’s Palace soon emerged as too small to contain this collection of around a hundred stunning streamlined and sporty cars, from majestic body work to gleaming hoods and regal radiator grills!

In 1993, Prince Rainier III therefore decided to open his precious collection to the public.

Located on the Terrasses de Fontvieille, the exhibition spans 5 000 m2 and is unique in the world, bringing together around a hundred-odd different cars, from a 1903 DE DION BOUTON to the 2013 LOTUS F1 via HISPANO SUIZA, ROLLS ROYCE, LINCOLN, FACEL VEGA, DELAGE, DELAHAYE, PACKARD, HUMBER, NAPIER, FERRARI, MASERATI, LAMBORGHINI, ALFA ROMEO, the LEXUS used for the royal wedding in 2011, and without forgetting the racing cars seen at the Monte Carlo Rally and the Formula 1s from the Monaco Grand Prix.

Getting there was a bit challenging as there are several levels to navigate and GPS does not understand the 3D world. I finally stumbled upon it. Inside was Prince Rainier III personal collection of some amazing cars including several Grand Prix cars.

After the visit, I decided to continue on the Bus #100 line to its termination in Menton another seaport village.

Menton is a town on the French Riviera in southeast France. It’s known for beaches and gardens such as the Serre de la Madone garden, showcasing rare plants. East, the hilly, medieval old town is home to Basilique Saint-Michel, with its 18th-century bell tower, and the ornate facade of La Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs. Nearby, the Musée Jean Cocteau collection Séverin Wunderman displays works by poet Jean Cocteau.

This trip was modestly rewarding, as Menton was a rather typical seaport known for its lemons I did however enjoy a nice Pizza lunch at a local eatery for 12 EU.

I left Menton around 4 PM for a rather arduous ride home running over an hour. The scenery however was spectacular winding along the coastline and mountains.

Nice / Monte Carlo – Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Today we rented a storage box for two of our largest suitcases. We will be leaving them in Nice as we explore Spain for a few months. We need to travel lighter.

After addressing the storage issue we decided to head over to Monte Carlo for the day. We walked to the Port to catch the #100 bus to Monaco. (1.5 EU each way). The trip took about 25 minutes taking us through some beautiful sea coastal areas. The ride alone was worth it.

Situated on the French riviera between Cap d’Ail and Menton, just a few kilometers from the Italian Riviera, Monaco is one of those magic glamorous places that has a worldwide reputation.

Monaco is a sovereign state, independent and prosperous. It has its own government and the head of state is His Highness Prince Albert!

This tiny capital (1,95km. with a soaring economy, is built against the mountains (Monaco is nicknamed “The Rock”), and spreads down to the shores of the Riviera, 31 hectares have been added to Monaco’s surface by building several sky scrapers right on the water !

Getting off the bus at the Place D‘Armes stop. We began by wandering through the village looking for a place to have lunch. We finally settled on a little bistro. Next to us was a nice local couple with their westie dog, so Rebecca immediately began a conversation with them in French. After exchanging pictures of westies Rebecca and they had a nice conversation.

Post lunch we further explored the gardens, the cathedral, and old neighborhoods. The place was immaculately groomed.

Finally, around 4:00 PM we grabbed the #100 bus to return to Nice. the bus was quite full and we witnessed a nice sunset over the sea.

EZE – Monday, December 20, 2021

The wonderful land of Eze

Today, I set out for a quick trip to the ancient town of Eze – Village.

The town of Eze has a long history dating back to before the Roman occupation. The most ancient part of the village are the remains of a 12th-century fortified castle – La Revere fort – destroyed in 1706. Due to its strategic location on the (now) Italian border, the hamlet was “traded” back and forth over several centuries by different rulers. it only became officially part of France in 1860.

One of 16 perched villages in the Alpes-Maritimes, Eze delivers a fabulous view from the “eagle’s nest,” a vertical drop to the sea. Today, the town has very few permanent residents, but plenty of visitors making it more of a village-musée (living museum).

The trip begins by boarding the #82 bus which takes about 25 minutes east from Nice and costs 1 EU. The stops were not well marked so I missed the Eze Village stop and rode the bus 4 stops too far. Fortunately, the same bus retraces the route so after a 20-minute layover, I repeated it in revere that time with the driver telling me where to get off.

It is a short climb up the hill to the medieval village with its narrow and winding streets. The village is rather small and there were no crowds this time of day and year. I spent about 3 hours there, taking the same bus back.

The views along the way on the bus were fantastic as well.

Nice – Sunday, December 19, 2021

Sunday was a nice sunny day so I jailbroke Rebecca after 4 days of self-imposed incarceration at our Airbnb recovering from her Covid booster jab.

We took a nice walk to the English promenade and sat for a while on the iconic blue chairs while the sun began to set. While there Rebecca struck up a conversation with a local lady and her husband in French. She did very well understanding and being understood much of the time.

Together we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Nice – Thursday, December 16, 2021

Recovery Day and a visit to Russia.

Yesterday, the day after our Covid poke, we both were feeling under the weather. Rebecca was a bit dizzy with an upset stomach and I was just a bit tired. We stayed inside all day.

After lunch, on Monday I visited a Russian Cathedral- Cathédrale Orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas de Nice. The building and land it is located on are officially considered part of the Russian Federation.

CONSIDERED ONE THE MOST IMPORTANT orthodox buildings outside the Russian Federation, this cathedral is the result of the efforts of the Royal Family to satisfy the spiritual needs of the growing Russian population in Nice.

It all started in the mid 1800s when the Russian upper class, as well as the Tsars, started visiting the French Riviera during winter, as their English counterparts had been doing for some decades before. Unfortunately during a visit in 1865, the son of Alexander II, Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich died of meningitis. Some time later, after buying the land, the Tsar and the Empress ordered a chapel built in the exact spot where Nicholas died.

The cathedral was finished in 1912 according to the designs by M.T. Preobrajensky by an assortment of engineers, under the direction of a certain Golitsyn, appointed by Tsar Nicholas II to oversee the development of the project.

From 1923 to 2010 the cathedral, the gardens and the chapel were under management of the Russian Orthodox Cultural Association of Nice but in 2006 the Russian Federation claimed the right to property based on the fact that the Cathedral was on private grounds owned by the Imperial Government at the time of the communist revolution.

The French courts sided with the Russian government and the church management was transferred to them in 2011.

Nice & Villefranche–sur–Mer – Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Double header day.

The plan for today was to get our 3rd Covid jab. Our appointment was for 9:30 AM so we set out at 9:00 AM for the 15-minute walk to the center.

Unbeknownst to us at first, two forces were working against us.

First, there was substantial construction near the address we were seeking. Second, our GPS insisted that the address was in the middle of the construction with no access. We knew that could not be correct.

I ran ahead as the 9:30 hour passed frantically looking for the covid center. I finally asked a young lady on the street and she correctly identified the location. Rebecca met me there around 10 AM. Fortunately, they were very well organized so we made it through the registration with only a few glitches.

We got our 3rd jabs and updated our pass sanitaire information by around 11 AM.

We decided to reward ourselves with a spontaneous day trip and lunch at Villefranche–sur–Mer, a quaint nearby seaport town.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is immediately to the east of the city of Nice, along Mont Boron, Mont Alban and Mont Vinaigrier, and 6.2 mi (10.0 km) south-west of Monaco. The bay (rade) of Villefranche is one of the deepest natural harbours of any port in the Mediterranean Sea and provides safe anchorage for large ships from easterly winds.

The city limits extend to the hills surrounding the bay climbing from sea level to an altitude of 1,893 ft (577 m), the highest point of Mont-Leuze, reflecting on land the features found offshore. The three “Corniches” or main roads linking Nice to Italy pass through Villefranche.

Using our GPS we found the #80 bus (actually a mini Bus) and paid our 1 EU fee. The driver took off as if he were two days late, navigating the tight corniches like a figure skater on crack. It was like being on the Mad Hatter ride at Disney. We arrived in record time after a picturesque and exciting ride.

Once there we found a decent restaurant with a table right on the water. I watched a local fisherman unload his catch and wheel it to a nearby restaurant. Lunch was OK. We received Prawn pasta dish an omelet and 3 expressos for the modest sum of 33 EU. . Rebecca particularly liked her expresso. We eavesdropped on a couple speaking Italian next to us. Mussels seemed to be the restaurant favorite.

After lunch, we explored the town and fort a bit. It was very deserted.

Not wishing to deduct another year or two from our lives we took the #18 bus back, locating it with the help of a nice local grandmother who lived there and was out for a stroll with her grandson. She kindly walked us half the way to the bus stop explaining to Rebeca in French that the route to the bus stop was rather complicated. She was correct and we arrived about 1 minute before the bus arrived.

Our new bus took us through some very beautiful areas at normal speed and dropped us off 1 block from our apartment.

It was a day well spent in France.

Nice – Sunday, December 12, 2021

On Saturday I did a bit more exploring as Rebecca rested her ankle. My travels took me to the Saturday market.

We were pleasantly surprised that afternoon to receive a dinner invitation from our new Nice friends Claudia and Lauren. We met them a few restaurants down from our Airbnb. It was great to see them again and we had a very nice time chatting over dinner.

On Sunday I headed out for a walk while Rebecca rested her ankle for the day. At the port, I chanced across a flea market and snagged a weight scale for a grand total of 3 EU. Hard to beat that deal.

Afterward, I continued along the Promenade des Anglais enjoying the bright sun and the sound of the waves. I called Rebecca and returned to pick her up to return and enjoy it with me.

We wandered into the nearby Christmas Market and then returned home via the tram to conserve Rebecca’s ankle as the temperature became cooler.

Nice – Friday, December 10, 2021

Well, we have taken the decision to spend a few months in a warmer place, specifically Torremolinos, Spain for January, part of February, and perhaps March.

It is on the tram line (about 20 minutes) from Malaga Spain where we have previously visited and enjoyed.

The Mediterranean resort town of Torremolinos, located in the Costa del Sol region of southern Spain, is a sun-worshiper’s paradise. In the 1950s, this former fishing village became one of the most popular destinations for sun worshipers. The expanses of black sand beaches are ideal for indulging in a plethora of water sports and beach activities, restaurants and local attractions.

The deal clincher was a 10-degree improvement in temps from Nice and a sea view apartment. I was also able to negotiate a killer deal with the owner.

We fly there on January 3.

Each of our previous stops has been to explore a different living environment, as we search for a more permanent base in France.

Montpellier was a lively college town within biking distance to smaller seaside villages, staying in an area a short tram ride but outside the city center.

Aix en Provence was an upscale, more mature city very close to the center of the town, with a manageable train ride to Marseille.

Paris was, well just Paris, for enjoyment.

Nice was for a warmer Winter climate on the sea at great Airbnb in the city center.

Torremolinos will be an even warmer Winter climate with a sea view in a smaller town but an easy tram ride to the city center of Malaga.

Nice – Wednesday, December 8, 2021

One of the interesting buildings in Nice is called La Tête au Carré or Square Head. It is an office building that appropriately serves as the administrative office of the Bibliothèque (Library)

It is the first monumental habitable sculpture in the world. Officially named La Tête au Carré (The Square Head) it is a brainchild of Sculptor Sacha Sosno and Architect Yves Bayard.

Yves Bayard and his partner Henri Vidal had for many years (1985) planned to convert the idea of Sacha Sosno into reality by building a giant “Square Head” which could house any building, commercial or administrative.

Opened on June 29, 2002, the library consists of two separate buildings While the library is open to public, the entry to the head is restricted.

The sculpture building is 30 meters high, has 7 floors, (3 in the neck and 4 in the cube) and accommodates 40 administrative staff members. The cube measures 15 x 15 x 15 meters.

The entire framework of the building is made from aluminum and is covered with finely perforated aluminum mesh so that no one can see the inside from the outside, but conversely, the staff can view the outside. It has been given a matte light grey finish to blend with the nearby Museum.

Nice – Tuesday, December 7, 2021

The best view of Nice is from La Colline du Château otherwise known as Castle Hill

The top of this great rock, 93 meters high, was first inhabited by prehistoric men, then the Phocaean Greeks …

It was in the 11th century that the Castle was erected there, around which a large fortified medieval town developed for 7 centuries.

After having resisted two sieges, the Castle capitulated on January 4, 1706, destroyed after 54 days of bombardment by the armies of Louis XIV. The King of France orders that the lands of the Chateau be cleared of the smallest stone “to the foundations” then turned “so that nothing remains”!

It was not until 1830 that King Charles-Félix decided to build a public garden there, embellished with walks and a waterfall … the park then became the “cradle of the sun”.

I made the climb up the stairs and was rewarded with this view.

On the way down I discovered The Cimetière du Château and did a bit of exploring.

The Cimetière du Château in Nice, France, stands on the old citadel of Nice. Today, some sections of the massive walls of the ancient fortress remain. The fortress, which was built in the 16th century, was once one of the most secure strongholds in France. The cemetery itself was founded in 1783 and has 2,800 graves.

I continued my descent and met up with Rebecca on the Promenade des Anglais. From there we headed into the city for lunch at The Fat Mermaid for some fish and chips.

Post lunch we wandered around Nice a bit more before grabbing the #1 Tram back to our hood.

Nice – Monday, December 6, 2021

It was all a mistake…

Just a quick story today.

I went to the supermarket to buy some things and left with an overstuffed bag of groceries in one hand and a carton of eggs in the other. With my hands full it was difficult to read my Google maps directions to find my way back home. I walked for a block or so and then reversed myself retracing my steps.

As I was walking back toward the store a man came up to me and started talking quickly in French. I asked if he spoke English and he said “little”. Then he said “you made mistake”

I was puzzled. I looked at the eggs and said “these”? He shook his head and then repeated himself “you made mistake”

He then added – “You walk one way then backward”. I was still confused so I told him my street name -Cour Bonapart.

He struggled with that for a minute, shrugged, and said “Have nice day”. He then smiled, patted me on the shoulder and continued on his way.

I finally figured out what he was trying to say a few blocks later.

He had noticed that I had changed directions and was asking me if I was lost -“made a mistake”.

He was trying to help a stranger find his way.

That is what France is like.

Nice – Sunday, December 5, 2021

Today was a rest day for Rebecca and an explore day for me.

It began with a morning walk to one of the Sunday markets near old town.

On the way back I noticed some sort of observance perhaps in advance of Armistice Day, Dec 11, which is a national holiday in France.

I also walked by the port which has several large yachts and one superyacht Mimtee which is owned by the billionaire and former Prime Minister of Lebanon. It is basically a floating hotel.

I returned home and Rebecca and I had lunch in.

The day warmed up a lot (high 50’s) so I went out again for a walk back through Old Town and then along the Promenade des Anglais. One of the iconic features of Nice are the blue chairs on the Promenade.

As many people know, the beaches in Nice are covered with rocks, not sand.

Here are a few shots.

Nice – Saturday, December 4, 2021

Today we slept in.

Rebecca reached out to her sister’s friend Remi who we tried to meet up with in Paris. It turns out he is in Nice for the weekend visiting his mother. He is married to an American woman and they have a house in Ft. Wayne Indiana her hometown. We agreed to meet up with him in late morning.

Remi arrived with his electric scooter and we met for coffee and later lunch. We visited a well-known Socca restaurant- Chez Pipo, a local specialty.

We had a delightful time with Remi discussing various French issues and hearing about his adventures with a few nefarious characters whose plans he foiled.

After lunch, Remi headed over to his mother’s house a few blocks away from our condo and we wandered to the port. We were met by a strong cold wind so we returned home.

Montpellier/Nice – Friday, December 3, 2021

A long posting for a long day.

We left about 11 AM for the train station via Uber arriving in plenty of time for our original 12:45 PM departure. Well, at least that was the plan.

Awaiting us was our first surprise.

At the train station, we noticed that the first leg of our train ride (Montpellier to Marseille) was running late which concerned us as we only had a 20 minutes gap before our second leg (Marseille to Nice) was to leave. As it turned out the train left 40 minutes late which killed our chance of making our connection. To complicate matters all announcements are in French so you have to pay close attention.

Fortunately, Rebecca was on top of the game and suggested that we go downstairs to platform B for our train. We arrives about 1 minute before the late train arrived. The conductor was urging everyone to immediately board. I loaded our luggage in record time and the train took off after only a 3 minute stop as it was running late. That was a close call.

The ride to Marseille was smooth and fast.

The second challenge was to make our connection for the Nice trip. The good news was that the french trains allow you to use your current ticket to board a later train.

We had about a half-hour before our second train so once the Nice train track was announced we hustled over to make the connection again dragging our 5 pieces of luggage with us. Again finding storage on the train for the luggage was a challenge. As I loaded our stuff on the train Rebecca stood guard over our last piece next to the tracks. As soon as we got it on the train took off for Nice.

Seating was total chaos with everyone just grabbing an open seat. We found two together and relaxed. At the next stop, two younger guys approached our seats with tickets in hand. I suspected that we were in the first-class seats. We ignored them and they moved on.

This train was a bit slower.

We arrived around 7:00 PM in Nice and grabbed a taxi to our Airbnb for our third surprise. The taxi was 35 EU for a rather short ride with the luggage. Oh well.

We were met by the rental agent at the Airbnb. Inside the front door, we were informed that our unit was on the third floor, with no lift.

BTW – In France, the first floor is up one from the ground floor, so the third floor is what we would call the 4th floor. OK, another workout for Patrick

I dragged our stuff up the flights of stairs to be met with our fourth surprise.

The Airbnb unit was wonderful! Really great. Located right in the thick of things, near the port, spacious, and well furnished. It is our best Airbnb so far.

After a few minutes of recovery, we headed out for a bite to eat and were met with our fifth surprise.

We were ready to have dinner, so we selected a restaurant the Asian Factory, a few doors down.

It felt good to relax after a day of travel. At the table next to us was an attractive couple speaking French. I ordered what I thought was some spring rolls. A set of maki was delivered, which technically counted as a cut-up spring roll. My disappointment was quickly banished as it tasted marvelous.

Just before we called for the check (l’addition, S.V.P), I noticed that a guy a few tables over actually received a traditional spring roll. As I mentioned this to Rebecca the lady next to us began a conversation with us in English.

That short comment became a several-minute discussion with her (Claudia) and her date (Laurent), France, kids, and several other topics. They were delightful. We discovered she lives here in Nice and he in Eze a lovely town about a half-hour to the east toward Monaco, where they both work.

As we left the restaurant, we exchanged numbers. We are looking forward to seeing our new Nice friends again.