Started the day a little later than usual with a short walk down to the cafe on the corner of our street and the promenade. It was called Pinocchio's and was ruled by a rather imperious Italian waiter. I'm pretty sure it was all an act for the tourists but I felt like I was getting into trouble for breaking arbitrary rules. Having to watch the angle of my chair at Sunday brunch is too much for me! Although I would have to say I had probably the best 'plain' omelette I've ever eaten. Plus a great view of the coastline and fantastic weather again as more compensation for putting up with haughty waiters. Lucky I packed one pair of summer shoes for when I've got ten days in Australia before I get back home. And I always take sunglasses and sunscreen - thank goodness! Who would have thought I'd have to worry about getting sunburnt in Europe in November?
We then went wandering in the old town again so we could stroll through the Nice flower market - very famous apparently. It looked great and smelt great. Shame we couldn't buy any flowers because they were so cheap! Big beautiful bunches of flowers for only €15! The same sort of thing at home would cost at least three times that much. Then it was lunchtime but it hadn't been all that long since breakfast so I just had a prawn salad which had a very yummy sauce with it.
Lindee and I went our separate ways after lunch. I wanted to go for a walk around the port of Nice. I'm sure there must be room for me on one of those yachts! And I can stay very quiet and not get in anybody's way. Oh well, a girl can dream ...
I also wanted to take some photos of the WW1 monument that the tourist train had gone past the previous day. But when I walked round the corner to where it was there were four abseilers about two-thirds of the way through covering the monument with a huge French flag. Getting it ready for some ceremony the next day - Armistice Day - no doubt. I still took some photos, they were just different than the ones I was expecting to take.
I then walked through the park (really a series of parks) that runs from the top of the old part of town right down to Place Massena. Hordes of people about - it was the middle of a long weekend with wonderful weather. One of the parks has some fantastic kids play equipment - carved timber sea creatures adapted as needed to make swings, a seesaw, slides, climbing frames, etc. There must have been literally hundreds of kids clambering over, under or around this equipment!
Lindee and I met back at our accommodation. It got quite cool very quickly once the sun went down and we were both feeling a bit worn out from all the walking we'd been doing the last couple of days. So we decided we'd stop to eat at the first restaurant we came across. How fortunate for us that it was a great little Italian place run by a rather sweet young couple. I wasn't actually feeling all that great (A touch too much sun maybe?) So I ordered just a mixed salad and a lemonade. Well the salad was very fresh and ... wait for it ... included tomato and cucumber. Bliss! And it got better: the lemonade was home-made. I was cured instantly and was able to have the chocolate mousse for dessert. Then they gave us each a vodka digestif for free (listed on their menu as being €6.50). They must have liked us as much as we liked them - and their food and drinks!
