Day One - Destination Nice

The first week of October has always been a big day in our household. We both celebrate our birthdays and this year it was our 41st anniversary. (We were married at age 8 for those doing the math.) Throughout our marriage travel and foreign adventures have been part of the magic that binds us together.

Our destination this year is totally new for the both of us. We have spent time on the Italian Riviera, but never the French Riviera. Six weeks ago, we started looking to go someplace special we have never been, and after looking for flights to Europe, we bumped into a great deal to Nice.

So, our day began like any other. At 5 AM Janet was wide awake and being released for all the activity she can tolerate after knee surgery it was time to head to the pool. Refreshed and ready to go the car was loaded and out the door to BWI. We only made it 5 miles before we came to a full stop, with the dreaded sign blinking “Bridge Construction – Expect Delays”! And Tom, being the very patient person, he is, began beating to the rhythm of Santana on the steering wheel just a little too hard. Not sure about the song, but the lyrics were about small male dogs and their mothers, and the workmen were all single parent children. After 20 minutes we were rolling again, and peace had descended on the Fiat once again.

Crossing the bridge, Janet commented that the only thing worst would be if it was raining. Five minutes later Tom turned on the wipers and our journey continued. Thankfully, the rest of the drive was uneventful and completed at a leisurely pace. Mainly because Tom hit all 92 stoplights between the house and the airport. Parking and check-in went very smoothly only to get to the gate and find out the flight was delayed. No worries we have a six-hour layover at JFK. All first world problems in the big scheme of things – we are going to the French Riviera!

Time was passed by a of glass wine and a mid-afternoon lunch followed by a facial for Janet and a massage for Tom. We took off on time from New York and landed in Nice early thanks to a very strong tail wind. Best of all - Our seating scheme worked again!

The last few times flying to Europe we have booked aisle seats across from each other and no one has been seated next to us. It is now three times in a row that Tom gets two seats against bulkhead, while Janet gets the entire center row to herself. With her recent knee surgery, the extra seats paid off big time. The flight was uneventful, apart from a young mother in first class who brought her screaming child (and I mean screaming!) to the back of the plane to wail at 2 am. We thought it was so thoughtful of her not to disturb the passengers up front.

Clearing passport control in Nice was a breeze and a new tram system recently completed was just steps from the front door of the airport. The ride from the airport to downtown took about 30 minutes and only cost €1.50.

The tram was clean, comfortable, and dropped us only 4 blocks away from our apartment – Sweet!

This trip we passed on the normal lodging options (Airbnb/VRBO) and opted for a local rental firm, Nice Pebbles. The apartment was everything we could ask for and the online pictures accurately depicted the apartment.

The Nice Pebbles greeter arrived minutes after we contacted her on an electric scooter. She showed us how to operate the appliances and a quick tour of where everything was located. Left us contact numbers in case we needed help and disappeared as quickly as she had arrived.

It was now time to celebrate Janet’s birthday and wait for our travelling companions who arrived on a later flight. We opened a bottle of wine that Nice Pebbles had left as a welcome gift and sat on the balcony taking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood.

Our friends, Richard and Sally, arrived, and after a quick drop and go of suitcases, we headed out to explore Vieux Ville (old Nice). With no real destination we wandered the narrow streets and strolled along the famous Promenade des Anglais.

This wide boardwalk parallels the Mediterranean, and it became apparent immediately why this area of France is called the Côte d'Azur. Côte the French word for Coast, and Azur (Azure) is brilliant shade of cyan blue. The color of the sea was all that and more.

Although it was nowhere near French dinner time, hunger from 20 hours of travel had our stomachs growling. We found a bistro near the Opera House for our first dinner.

Janet went with mussels that were amazing, but were enough to feed the table. While the rest went with pizza to silence the noise.

By the time we finished dinner, the sun had set, and we walked back along the sea. It was along this beautiful promenade where a terrorist mowed down 86 people with a truck on Bastille Day, 2016. Our apartment was only two blocks from where the terrorist met his demise. We stopped and read the marker that lists the name of each victim from that senseless act.

So ugly in such a place of beauty. Turning the corner at the famous hotel frequented by the stars of days gone by, Le Negresco, we returned to our apartment and called it night.

 Early to bed – Early to rise