Nice is Nice, really

At the moment, I'm back here in Ft. Lauderdale looking for a new boat. I've been on the job hunt for three weeks now and yet I haven't found anything. Not even an interview. The going has been incredibly slow and I'm starting to wonder if I will ever find another boat -- but I'm staying positive and I've still got a lot to catch up on blog-wise that's much more interesting than me whining about my lack of employment. (Shameless plug: Anyone need a stewardess?!)


Back to Nice! I loved Nice. The first time we arrived, we weren't there for long and I hardly had a chance to get off the boat, but this time was different.



I actually had time to wander around! On land!



And explore these back streets of old town.







I caught the end of Nice's famous flower market on Cours Saleya.



This market offered much more than just flowers, obviously. It was by far the largest market I had seen. It's a shame I only caught the end of it. Mmmm berries!



Poked back out of the city wall onto the beach.



The pebbled beaches of the Baie des Anges are lined by the Promenade des Anglais, a long walkway that stretches on for miles and makes for a fantastic run or a nice leisurely stroll.



A carousel in the park.



Place Massena had an array of fountains, too. It was all just so utterly pleasant. I was stoked to be there... maybe I was just elated to be off the boat, but I think Nice is pretty nice either way.

Back to Monaco

Next port... Monaco! Climbed up the hill for one afternoon break to Monaco's castle that overlooks the more modern parts of town.

Looking down onto Monaco Harbor.


There I watched the changing of the guard... er, well, got to see a lot of people watching it their cameras with their arms in the air. Ah, technology.


Ducked into the aquarium.


Watched people watch fish. I did watch the fish too... probably for longer than I'd care to admit. Their fluidity is so calming.


Meet Mr. Pinecone fish! I found him quite amusing.


"Nemo! Nemo! Nemo!"


After the aquarium, I walked the streets of old town for a bit before settling on a bench across from the church where Monaco's beloved Princess Grace was married.


Then went inside to see where she was buried.


One night while in Monaco, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves with front row seats at a waterfront bar for part of a fireworks competition. Set to music, the show was not only beautiful, but its choreography was breathtaking. We had never seen anything like it before.

And a little side note, mostly for my own recollection.... Monaco is known for the safety of it's streets so I did a fair bit of nighttime wandering. There are many cliff-lining walkways that offer fatastic views into the crashing water at their base. Monaco was a great place to walk around (in general, not just at night). And a nice place to be on a boat in the harbor--with so many waterfront bars there was always somewhere to go after work for a drink. We were fortunate enough to have a bit of down time here. It's not a destination that I'd pick for myself, but it's a great place to be with a yacht.