PTM // Contiki: Day 7 - Nice, France
Today we had a free day in Nice. Ryan and I planned out a few things that we wanted to see the night before as we usually do so that we can be somewhat productive and have some sort of a plan for our free day. We planned on sleeping in just a bit later than usual because we’ve been waking up pretty early lately.
After we slept in a bit we headed down to our included hotel breakfast. This breakfast broke a few records for the worst breakfast of the trip so far. You had no options, literally all that you had was a plate waiting for you on a table with 1 small piece of bread, and 1 crossiant. Tea and Coffee were available, and orange juice. Enjoy! Because I sure didn’t. You know it’s bad when you have to take a second crossiant off the plate next to you because you’re still starving. Every man for themselves!
Ryan and I went back up to our rooms, grabbed our day bags and headed out to the ocean front of Nice. We walked along the beach all the way until we arrived at the Chateau, which is a look out point that overlooks the whole beach front of Nice, and there are a variety of different views at the very top. Warning: You will have to climb nearly 400 stairs to get to the top! At the top there were gardens, a small restaurant, and views over the port of Nice and more. We took a few really cool photos, and just enjoyed one of our first really relaxing days since the trip started.
We had enough of the views and Ryan wanted to head over to Cannes, to check out the Cannes Film Festival that was going on while we were in town. It was a 30 minute train ride so I figured I’d go check it out with him. We walked down from the Chateau to the markets in Old Town Nice and down a few streets to get to the train station. About half way through our walk to the station I realized that I lost my glasses. Not my replacable sunglasses, my actual prescription eye glasses. I knew for a fact that I had taken them off to take a photo at the top of the Chateau. I didn’t want to disrupt Ryan’s day, so I told him to take off on his own and that I had to at least go back to the top of the Chateau to check if my glasses were still there for my own sanity. I walked all the way back up the 400 stairs to the top of the Chateau where I knew that I left my glasses, and of course they were gone. That is basically where my day ended and it was only 11:00AM. I was so aggravated at myself for being such a fool and leaving my glasses down. I wouldn’t care if I spent a $100 on them, but when we’re talking about a pair of $400 Versace frames, it’s quite a different story.
Like I said, after I lost my glasses my day was pretty much over. I headed off to McDonalds to try to get WIFI, but of course it didn’t work. I headed down the street and picked up some WIFI at Subway for a few hours. During that time I made some calls back home, updated my website, and replied to a few thousand emails.
Our group planned to meet at 5:30PM to head to an included dinner. Not at the hotel, but an affiliated restaurant about 10 minutes walk from the hotel. This dinner was one that I wish I didn’t go to. I had heard that this dinner would be the worst of the entire trip, but unfortunately I gave it the benefit of the doubt. For starters you had no option, you simply received a piece of who knows what. Some type of pizza? With all of these different types of cheeses, olives, and again more unidentified objects. For our main course you also had no option. All of a sudden the main course was just placed in front of you. It was fish, with a side of mush, and mashed vegetables. I’m not sure if they realize that not everyone likes fish, or even the plate of mushed vegetables. Plain and simple, it was the worst dinner of the trip so far. All that I ended up eating was the bread that was left on the table. Mmm!
After dinner Ryan and I headed back to our hotel to change our clothes and head out for a walk around town on the last night of Nice. We were looking to grab a beer at one of the bars down in Old Town but after passing a few ice cream stands on the way we decided to grab an ice cream cone and head home for the night. Another long drive ahead of us to Pisa, and Florence tomorrow!
