Nice: Very Nice!

We arrived in Nice on a Wednesday afternoon, just in time to take in a perfect Provencale lunch - moulet et frites! It is one of our favorite French foods to eat in America. It was just as good in France. We had a little bit of time to kill before we could check into our hotel, Le Dortoir. Jeremy was not happy with the astronomical prices at which the majority of Nice hotels charge the tourists, and we stumbled upon this gem after quite a bit of Internet rechercer (research). Yes, it was on the fourth floor (which in France, means FIFTH floor). No, there was not a lift. Yes, we overpacked. But in the end, our place was AMAZING!

In fact, it was kind of hard to leave the apartment, at first. We spent our whole first afternoon lounging in the suite. Very relaxing! It is hotter in the South of France than we anticipated, so a couple hours in la climatisacion (air conditioning) was a treat. We ventured out for drinks later in the evening, and planned on having a late dinner, as well. But then we remembered it was Bastille Day! No time to eat dinner - must watch fireworks! I was more than happy to return to our suite to take in the fireworks from our terrace. However, Jeremy was intent on watching the fireworks with the locals. Which we did.

Funny, every song that was played during the fireworks show was American. And yes, "I danced to that song!" two different times. Really, the fireworks were spectacular. Add fireworks to the list of French things in which I am in total awe. Foie gras, compte cheese, and fireworks.

After a good night's sleep, we woke up on Thursday morning a little later than expected. We walked a few blocks to pick up some bicycles, then rode down the promenade to Hi Beach, where for 50 Euros, we rented two towels and two beach chairs. (Sigh) Most of the beaches in Nice are private, and all of the good ones are. Add Hi Beach to the list of, "Well, it IS our honeymoon" type expenses. But so worth it! We had a fabulous day on the beach. After 15 minutes, I was used to seeing topless women, except for the woman to my immediate left. Seriously, she would have worn a T-Shirt. Or even a turtleneck sweater.

Even after a long day in the sun, we enjoyed a great night on the town. We dined at a small restaurant opened by a famous, local chef as his, "now I'm a big deal, so I'm going to cook" project. This was good for us, because 1) we wanted to eat like locals, 2) we wanted to eat what he wanted to cook, and 3) now that he's already made a lot of money, his dishes are reasonably priced at 11 Euros! It was a great dinner for both of us - beignets of squash flower, ratatouille, lentils, sausage, stuffed vegetables. All fresh and delicious!

And because we were having so much fun, Jeremy and I extended our celebration long into the night. We had drinks at a little bar on La Messena, the pedestrian street in Nice, called LOVE. And, after a long night of story telling, brainstorming, and glasses of wine, we even fell in love, all over again. Ah, Provence!

2010-07-14 - Nice