In Nice

Me: Hey there! Im going to Nice this weekend
Pal (who loves cracking PJs): How Nice is that!
Me: Grrrrrr.....!

It was our third anniversary (it feels a lot longer than threeyears, I'll have you know), and we decided to do something special. The South of France was always somewhere we always wanted to go. So off we flew to Nice using our miles (the only thing that comes handy from travelling so much for work!) for a short get-away.

Riviera, the word has so many memories. When I was younger, I used to watch the soap "Riviera". I don't remember much about it, story-wise, but distinctly remember the title song, those rocky cliffs, the blue sea, and the expensive mansions overlooking the mediterranean. That was the picture I had in mind when I landed in Nice. And I wasn't disappointed.

One of the first things we did after we landed in Nice was to take a bus ride on the Promenade Des Anglais. Its is a 6 to 7 kms long stretch of road along side the sea, lined with palm trees. The prettiest promenade I have ever seen. Our first destination after a quick check-in into the hotel was Monaco, an hour away on the bus.

Think Monac0, think the rich and the famous. The central attraction is the Casino Monte Carlo. Flanked by Cafe De Paris on one side and Hotel De Paris on the other, its an attractive building. In the front are the casino gardens and behind, one can walk towards the sea and have a look at the famous french riviera.

After spending money in the slot machines and in the cafe (one cappucino + one cake costed 17 Euros!), we were done with Monte Carlo! I longed to be in a place where I could afford to buy dinner without having to sell body parts.

The next day we went to stroll on the Promenade. The seaside is made of a pebble beach. The weather was perfect - sunny and bright. We reluctantly dragged ourselves away from it to take a bus to Grasse, a small town famous for its perfumeries. We visited the Fragonard perfumerie, and didn't need to see the process of perfum making, thanks to the film "Perfume". Unfortunately, I really couldn't enjoy the perfume shop too much because I can't smell things too well. But Ferose had no such problem. He even bought me a perfume and some eu du colognes.

The same evening we also visited Cannes. We didn't really have to do much except see the festival hall (from outside) and snack on some crepes. The seaside was lovely, but it was all dark.

Our last day in the south of France saw us exploring more of Nice. We visited the museum of Marc Chagal, and the old part of Nice. We even walked a long distance to see the museum of Matisse, but unfortunately it was closed for rennovation.

All in all, it was a really good trip. Nice is really a lovely place. I wish I get a chance to visit it again. SAP France has an office in Nice, so perhaps on a business trip.