Nice is nice!

Today if my spellings off, it's because they've given me an english keyboards, which has thrown me completely! Amazing how auickly you get used to the french one...

Yesterday I caught the tourist train down the mountain to Nice. It follows the mountains, mainly along the river, past small towns. Took 3 & a half hours & stopped about 15 times at villages. Just one carriage! But for people living in those towns it would be the only public transport down to the big city. Some of the hillsides had turned completely orange & red. And Villages perch on ridges or hug the slopes. About half way down 2 girls got in who spoke English - ended up being a Kiwi & a Canadian who are perpetual travellers. You think I'm bad for going away twice in 2 years! They have plans to travel continuously for the next 3 or 4 years... do the summer Med thing hostessing on boats to earn money, spend a month in India, go home briefly to see the folks, back to Africa etc etc. Unbelievable!

Anyway, they showed me the way into the main part of the city. Found a hotel (actually Lyn recommended it) which is close to the beach & the old city. gave myself the afternoon off & pretty much lay on the "beach" for an hour or so, then walked along the main drag. The beach is made up of what look like riverstones. Not too comfortable to lie on, but one can't be picky. Put my feet in the water which felt great but it could be too cold for the rest of my body.

Nice reminds me a lot of Paris. I've been staying in smaller places where facades of buildings are dead flat when shutters are closed. Nice has ornate facades that are carved or decorated, and lots of little balconies with wrought iron lacework - like Paris. Buildings are quite colourful on the outside - they're painted bright yellows, oranges etc, with white shutters so it's quite striking. It's also a bigger place so the main city area is full of tall buildings.

Booked 2 nights to start with so today I could sleep in a bit - no point in rushing to see things as they don't open until 10am anyway. Caught the bus up to the Archeological Museum & Roman site (baths) which was great. They even had some milestones which were taller than me! And it spanned bronze age to roman to greek. There was even a temporary exhibition on the development of the various alphabets of the world, & even though it was all in french, I could make out a lot of it.

They have a bath complex within the museum grounds, which is mostly foundations & the walls of one building, and an Arena just outside that's open to the public. The nieghbouring Matisse Museum was closed for renovations (of course). Summer crowds have gone, so I guess all the work is starting.

So I got the bus down the hill to the Chagall Museum. Had never heard of this guy, but he was an artist. There wre mostly paintings & drawings, one huge woven mat with a wall mosaic thrown in for me. He does quite bright paintings that are a little naive in style, quite sweeping lines & fantasy like in a way - & yet they were all religiously based.

This afternoon I went to the Old Town. Was not really expecting it to be too different from other ones, but it was a bit more lively - lots of restaurants & shops & people. Walked up to the old chateau complex on top of the hill, sorry MOUNTAIN - about 150m up stairs & walkways. It's pretty much all gone now excecpt for a few old bits & pieces. Is mostly gardens & a playground. But there's a huge cascade, a lookout with the Bellanda Tower (which I think they just mispelled), an old cemetary where Garibaldi is buried (I skipped that one) & some foundations of a building. You get a fantastic view over the Old & new Towns, right back to the mountains, & also right along the coastline. Not bad!!!

Came back down (much easier descending stairs) & through different streets in the old town, had an hours rest & am back out for dinner. There are heaps of restaurants in there so I plan to find one on the main drag. Have decided to stay another night & leave Monday morning for Genoa. There aren't many trains Sunday & I figure there are worse places to spend another day. Will be nice to have had 3 nights in the one place. It gives me 4 nights to get to Venice & Kay, so will play it by ear whether I have 2 0r 3 nights in the Cinque Terra.

Anyway, some fashion tips for the girls. Shorts & stockings are in. Jeans with skirts over the top (? attached) are in. Mid calf or knee length boots are in - with anything: shorts, skirts, shorts & stockings!

Lol,

Belle xxx

Adit, Sunday... wrote that last night but it wouldn't publish onto the blogsite, so will just continue on. Wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do today, but decided to go to a nreaby township on the corniche (I'm still not sure what corniche means, but maybe landscape filled with headlands?). It was onlt a 15 minute bus trip towards Italy, but I wanted to walk on the Point (Cape Ferrat). Initially didn't think I'd make it because there were no buses there on Sundays, but the one that goes all the way along the coastline was frequent & turned out to be better anyway, because it went to Beaulieu on the coastline which was the best place to start the walk. Took a few hours, and there's a pathway along the coast. Fortunately it was pretty much flat for once. You could go down to lots of little beaches and then around the headlands. Great view of the mainland with Beaulieu & other villages on the caost framed by tall mountains & cliffs. Sailing boats & rich people's yachts in the water... not bad. Ended up back at the main beach & braved a swim. Cold, but I was quite hot so didn't care. It was just a quick swim!

So, am off to Genoa tomorrow, & then the Cinque Terra Tuesday. Will catch up then.

Belle xxx