Day Twenty-Five

Day twenty-five was a pretty amazing day if for no other reason than this: It was the first (and the only) day of tour that there wasn't a wake up call. Oh blessed day!! But there were other things to recommend this day.

So after a rather luxurious start I headed for the local shopping mall - a mere block away from our hotel in Nice. There I saw some protester (completely non-violent they were simply wandering around with a mega-phone). Skillfully I employed the most useful phrase in the French language - 'Bonjour (Madame or Monsieur). Excusez-moi. Vous parlez Anglais s'il vous plait? (Translated: Hello (Ma'am or Sir). Excuse me. Do you speak English please?). All said while looking suitably pathetic.

While there I seriously medicated myself with some retail therapy. Mostly so I could have some clothes purchased in France. ('What this old thing? Yeah I got it in France'). There is something pretty amazing about Nice. I must confess I kind of fell in love with the place. If it turned out that I had to live there for the rest of my life I wouldn't be disappointed.

Afterward we re-grouped back at the hotel for the afternoon excursion - a visit to the village of Saint Paul de Vence, a stop at a well-known perfume factory, and finishing the night off with a lovely meal at the top of the grand corniche.

Saint Paul de Vence is one of the oldest medieval towns in the French Riviera.

The place is simply (ugh.. I'm running out of adjectives). Beautiful, magical, lovely? Take your pick because any would apply. There are cobble-stone paths that have been there for centuries!
Everywhere you looked there were testaments to its age and place.

Again I was in photographer's heaven! I'm still working my way through all the photos that I've taken but I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

After the assault on our nasal passages that was the visit to the perfume factory the bus flew up the grand corniche with apparent ease. Looking out of the bus windows our guide pointed out to us where Princess Grace met her untimely end.

Greeting us at the top of this mammoth journey was the greatest restaurant with open fires and views that stretched on forever. The food was something like a dream! Meat that melted in your mouth, a cheese course that made me question what I had considered to be cheese before - it just went on and on. It was one of the greatest things (in a tour of spectacular)! Spent with some of the fantastic friends I made on tour with spectacular food and a great many laughs. I wished it could have gone on forever.

In Nice I fell in love with all things French! I already knew I loved the food and the language but this was just so far beyond everything I had expected. I would have happily spent weeks on end in that city. Unfortunately the tour waits for no man (or woman).

So watch out Lyon Tafline's on her way..