Tuesday, 22 September –

I had been awake during the night and thought I wouldn’t sleep any more, but surprise!! Suddenly it was 8:30 and we needed to dress, have breakfast and meet the group by 9:15. Luckily, there’s a buffet breakfast, so we were quick.

We boarded 2 busses for a narrated ride around Nice, then got off for a short walking tour on a hillside, with great views over the city, and to the surrounding countryside. Larry and I joined the “gentle” group for that walk. We were amazed by the very old, very luxurious places, such as Queen Victoria’s “Regina” hotel and the Russian Orthodox Cathedral. 

Of course, we heard many stories of the rich and famous. This has been a winter retreat for a very long time, but before that, it was valued by Greeks, Germans and others. It seems to have changed nationalities several times. At another stop, several people, including Larry, decided to return to the hotel while the rest of us explored the old city on foot. Our guide, Marie, had lots of great stories, as she led us into what used to be the flower market.

It is now a general market. I was most impressed by the artwork that was for sale,  but didn’t stop long enough to buy any. After enjoying wandering there for a while, and having said goodbye to Marie, I walked back to the English Promenade and along it to the hotel, with a couple of other ladies.

 By then I was very hot and very tired, so I joined Larry in our room for a rest before we went out in search of lunch. We checked out several nearby restaurants, and finally had exactly what we were looking for (which may have included some beers and a latte) at Café de Paris. We headed for the beach: Larry wisely chose to view it from a bench in a shelter on the promenade. I, foolishly, thought I’d get my feet wet. Ha! It’s a rocky beach (side note – if you sit on a rocky beach in a thong bikini the result isn’t pretty) and I was wearing sandals I didn’t want to get wet.

I took them off at the edge of the dry area, but then stones started collapsing beneath me and I nearly fell in. The climb up and re-donning of shoes was most undignified, but I made it. Next we checked out a little store that had souvenirs and snacks [and beer], before going back to our room. It was only late afternoon, but felt like day’s end.

Photos of the Day