Menton, Monaco, Nice, and back to Amsterdam

It was pouring with rain by the time we got from Ventimiglia to Menton - just 10 minutes down the train track. We had one umbrella to share between us only!  That was enough though to keep our cameras dry to take some photos, and the wet pavement gave off lovely reflections of the colourful buildings as well.  With the rain, it wasn't that warm either, so we tried to walk briskly to keep warm.

Menton is beautiful - one of my favourite places along the Coast in this part of France.

We stumbled into a Lemincello shop that were giving tastings.  So we tasted everything which made my bad cold feel better, and also warmed us both up. I would have loved to have bought a bottle it was so nice, but unfortunately we were travelling light - no checked in baggage so it was out of the question!

Some of the bottle sizes were ginormous!

We wandred down to the waterfront and to the pier and took photos of menton reflected in the sea.  Such a beautiful town

We had bought a french pastry which here is still wrapped - it's a chocolate meringue but with a very hard outer. It was wrapped in plastic.  We devoured it at the train station later and I made a real mess! Chocolate meringue everywhere!  But it was very yummy!

We decided to climb the hill towards the big spire to see what that church was like.  So this is going through the colourful alleyways.

We found the spire!!!!  I must be so fit now compared to when I left NZ with all the hills I've climbed!

Back down to the bottom of the town then we walked back to the train station to catch a train to Monaco, our 3rd country in one day!

Monaco was very pretty - starting right from the train station.  Anne said 'Look - the window shutters are dirty' then realised they were marble and not dirty at all!

By this time it was pouring with rain and we were wet and miserable, so we walked straight to Monte Carlo Casino. The gardens were beautiful...

No photos were allowed in the casino, and this is the only one I got of the casino  - it is a reflection in a glass ball sculpture outside.  I did have a flutter though, and won 20 euros.  I gave Anne 5 euros and she lost that. So 10 euros up - I was happy!

We then wandered back to the train station along the waterfront.  Huge super yachts were parked there, gearing up for the Grand Prix.  Signs of the Grand Prix were up along the streets, and seating was being put in place as well. 

We found the pedestrian subway to get to the train. Pretty fancy with marble and mirrors!  So we had a play!

The the train station pedestrian subway itself - a very long tunnel all in marble.  Very flash!

Just a few minutes wait for the train and we were off back to Nice.

We picked got changed into dry clothes, then packed our bags and headed for something to eat, before going to the airport and flying back to Amsterdam.  A great Weekend!

Cannes - Nice

After leaving Antibes, we took the train down to the next stop - Cannes. Home of the film festival.  Following are the images I took as I walked through.  First up is a street not far from the train station...

It was only a hop step and a jump from the train station to the waterfront...

Anne on the red carpet where the stars arrive for the awards...

The big luxrious hotel of Cannes...

Brightly coloured mural on a building...

We climbed up the hill where the museum was to get a good view of the town...

I loved hte orange rooftops.  We climbed back down, stopped and sat and had a beer, then headed up the main road looking at alll the shops...

We caught the train back to Nice, and got there just as it was starting to rain. Walking back from the train station we found a big cathedral and popped our head in to take photos...

We dropped our things at the hostel, then headed out to find somewhere for dinner.. On the way we passed this water feature.

After dinner we headed back to the hostel, stopping to take photos.  As it was raining it made interesting photography with the lights reflecting in the pavements.

Nice - Antibes - Cannes

I'm really behind in the blog now.  Several reasons - firstly I lost my reading glasses and couldn't see even to type, let alone to see the actual images. Secondly, I was without an internet connect for a while, and thirdly, I've been too tired at night to organise everything, and didn't want to seem to be rude to the people I was staying with, by working on the computer!! 

Anyway - We arrived in Nice on Friday night.  I was pretty unwell with a bad cold, so Anne let me sleep in that morning, so we didn't get to start exploring until 9am on Saturday.  First up - on the way to the train station to catch a train to Antibes, I found this shop that did childrens clothing with the name of Lisa Rose. My cousin.  Very upmarket and very expensive.  And gorgeous quality and clothes.

We stayed in a hostel in a very nice area of Nice.  All around us were the shops - Louis Vuitton, Armani, Cartier, etc...  The hostel was cheap in comparison!

We arrived in Antibes by train and wandered down to the waterfront...

Little cobblestoned streets...

We found a covered market selling all sorts of food and had fun tasting everything... Macarons...

White Asparagus (we didn't taste these!)

I found a whole cart of courgette flowers for sale.  I've found a new market for our shops in New Zealand - I will start picking the flowers!

More little alleyways with lovely boutique shops along them...

Like this shop for of olive oils.  They looked so nice with lots of different flavours...

By the church, we found the Picasso museum, but unfortunately it was closed so we didn't get to see it.

 

On the way back to the train we went through the market again, and decided to try this dish.  I think it was called a Nicoise or something similar.

That's our piece she's cutting and seasoning - note it's steaming hot.

On the way back to the train station, still more shops with gorgeous cobblestones on the street..

And a fabulous choclate shop.  The cakes and chocolates were amazing.

And an interesting water feature not far from the train station.

Next stop - Cannes...