We left Corsica for a twelve hour cruise to Nice. It was bumpy to start with early in the morning, but gradually calmed down. As we came closer to Nice we saw small Tuna feeding, but we decided to head into port as the weather really started to look like winter had arrived, windy and raining.
Nice Harbour is very crowded with large luxury yachts and motor cruisers. Ferries and cruise ships come and go, plus there are many small local boats.
There is swell in the harbour making us, and surrounding boats constantly rock.
The Harbour is surrounded by attractive 19th century apartment buildings and a stunning neoclassical church, 'Notre Dame du Port'.
It has been raining heavily. We walk to the old town to get our bearings. Nice is the second largest city in France after Paris. It has a large well made waterfront promenade, with a large pebble beach. No one is swimming due to the ferocious surge. The old town is full of people, lots of eateries and plaza's and plenty of small shops in narrow streets. One shop that takes our fancy sells really interesting transparent plexiglas sculptures, 'Transparence'. We will revisit this great shop later.
It looks like the bad weather is around for a few days. Therefore, instead of heading for Spain we stay here for a few days.
Thursday, the weather has calmed down when we wake up so MB takes Paul and the bikes and goes for a swim.
After breakfast JB and Mick go to a shipping company to send three boxes of ceramics and souvenirs we have bought. This is really expensive so we try to find another way to send the packages home. Afterwards we go for a long walk to the Contemporary art gallery. The art gallery is a fairly large and new complex with a monumental sculpture outside, but the approach from the street looks grubby and uncared for. However, inside the five floors display a very modern worldwide selection of paintings and sculpture. After lunch we walk to 'Gallery Lafayette'. We ride the tram back to plaza Garibaldi, close to the port. Fortunately we bought a ticket and validated it, as there were several police and ticket inspectors onboard. We arrive back at the boat just before a storm hits and it pours with rain, with lots of loud thunder and lightening.
Friday. We research the regular post office shipping and pack our goods securely for postage home. Paul, Mick and Niels visit a Chiropracter 'Lucinda', who turns out to be excellent. The boys are feeling much better. We return to the Transparence store and buy a selection of great pieces and couldn't resist a gelati, as Nice seems to be famous for these and there are many home-made stalls with delicious flavours. That night the crew have a dinner party to go to so we stay onboard and watch a film.
Saturday. In the morning we go for a bike ride up to the swimming beach and the surge is currently not too bad so MB has a swim and we ride back.
We take Paul to the old town to visit the Transparence shop, and visit the large fresh produce market in the old town. It's raining heavily again and we relax in the afternoon before going to church. Another night in with a movie as a storm brews outside with lots of loud thunder and lightening once again.
Sunday morning we leave for a 26 hour cruise to 'Minorca', Spain.
JB and Mick