We arrived on Monday after a flawless trip on Brussels Airlines where we had the exit row and an empty seat between us; it was just like first class without the service. After our climb out we experienced something called SUNSHINE and it made us smile for the remainder of the short trip. Soon after flying over the snow-covered Alps we were over the Med and Nice was shimmering in sunlight beneath us. Within an hour of landing we were in our lovely apartment and soon we were as giddy as newlyweds as we walked hand in hand on our beloved Promenade. Blue sky above, blue water below, all bathed in that glorious sunlight that has attracted painters, poets and Embees for years. The sunset was radiant and lit up the sky over the airport in hues of red and orange and purple for twenty minutes, a wonderful way to start our month-long adventure.
As soon as it became really dark we headed to our favorite café/bar and received ever so warm and welcoming hugs from the owners, whom we have known for three years. We caught up with one another, saw videos of their ten-year-old daughter’s tennis matches and enjoyed our drink. We said our goodbyes and headed to the restaurant where we have always had our first and last meal in Nice for the past five years. There is absolutely nothing special about it, the ambiance is minimal, the food is fine but nothing special, but the smiles and the service are what keep us going back. After having endured such horrible service in Belgium, we were somewhat taken aback by how quickly they came to take drink orders and we had to tell them to come back in five minutes since they wanted to take our dinner order right away. Once they knew we were in no hurry, everything went well and we had a lovely first night dinner followed by a long walk home.
Our apartment is quite lovely, but as with all the apartments we have had in France, a bit odd. The living area and dining area are modern and filled with light, no problem there. The kitchen is small but open, and the only issue is that I keep hitting my head on the overhead fan/light for the stove top. It is suspended from the ceiling and could have been a foot higher,= but it is less than two feet above the range. I could understand this if it was a venting issue, but there is no vent to the outside, the fan just blows things around. The bathroom in our bedroom is too small for one person, even a petite person like Cindy. The only toilet in the apartment is outside our bedroom and across the hall from the second bedroom. Then there is a spectacular large bathroom farther down the hall towards the kitchen with a double sink, huge walk-in shower and a towel heater. I just took a shower in this lovely space and the ‘rain forest’ overhead shower came out from the ceiling and sprayed water all over the bathroom. I suppose the treks from toilet to shower to bedroom and back are a great way to increase the number of steps we get each day. Two photos from our front and back balcony show that it is all worth it, and the unit is blessedly quiet. Here is the link to the apartment:
The link will probably open to the Pebbles rental agency not to our apartment; if so type the keyword Imperial in the space on the left about halfway down.
One of the great surprises after arriving was when we realized that the prices for food, drink and groceries were about 25% to 35% cheaper than Belgium. We never thought of Nice as a bargain before, but wow, after Belgium we feel like we are in a duty free paradise!
With best wishes, Cindy and William
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