Lots of armed soldiers near the station, outside and inside. Very serious standing there with machine guns (not very approachable when asking directions to a platform either!)
Anyway on board and next minute zooming up the country to Milan at 300km an hour, smooth as, for 3 hours. I went to sleep most of it!
Milan station - no security - no checking of tickets before you go on the platform. We had 10 min to change trains and had to go from Platform 4 to 18! Talk about Brenda power walking with her bags! Then our carriage just right at the end of the train - Carriage 18. However - one problem. Carriages went from 17 to 19 - no 18. Dave at least got us on the No 19 carriage and then asked a conductor where carriage 18 was, and he said 'missing!" OK - you have lost a carriage? Anyway he gave us new seats so all was fine. Slow train however it took 5 hours to get to Nice. /Some spectacular scenery - especially the last part going down the coast. Lots of cliffs and sea and small towns perched on rocks.
Just before Monaco you cross the French border. The train stopped and police got on. Marched through the train just looking - not checking pass ports or anything. As we took off I could see about 10 police on the platform surrounding 2 guys they had got off the train, that looked like they were refugee types.
Nice is lovely. We got a hotel on the promenade des Anglaise on the waterfront, and up-graded to a sea front room. This was a good call, as we are here for 3 days, and can look down over all the hussle and bussle. The promenade is where the truck driver shot all the people in July. Right opp. our hotel is where the memorial is with lots of flowers, and bears, and signs and flags etc. We went to have a look and it was quite moving.
After a good nights sleep recovering from 2 major adventures and a day long train trip, we went to explore Nice for 2 hours in the morning.
We walked by the sea right along to the end, (not many people on the beach, which is pebbles) but a few brave souls were swimming)
went into the old town and found a flower market which was amazing what it sold (also fruit and veges, fish, chocolate ...)
By the time we walked back we had found the exclusive shops with some very expensive jewelery right in the shop windows!
That afternoon it was a tour of Eze (perfume making town above the hills of Nice).
We toured a perfume factory which was fascinating - they make oils,soaps, creams as well.
Then up to a tiny medieval castle town high on a hill overlooking the sea- once again lots of steps up and down.
After that was Monaco. Our driver was just that - a driver - not a tour guide. We were with 4 other people (Brazilians) and had to keep asking him questions. We drove along a narrow coast road to get there (about 20 mins from Eze) with houses all the way (very rich looking) so you didn't know when you were actually in Monaco. A big sign came up and there you were!
The houses were beautiful - lots of pastel colours, wrought iron balconies and shutters.
We saw an old castle which is now the Museum of Oceanography, a garden overlooking the sea, the church all the monarchy got married and died in (found Prince Rainer's tomb), Princess Charlottes house she lives in still, Prince Alberts palace that he lives in now ......
We then looked down on the yacht marina - bit disappointed. I was expecting it to be bigger with lots more super yachts, tho it is the end of the season.
We drove along the grand prix circuit where they start the cars and the start line. Pretty narrow roads for the cars to go on.
Then it was the casino. Once again very small outside (and app. in as well). We couldn't stop but the driver drove round the roundabout outside twice so we could get photos. No famous faces but saw a Ferrari and a rollsroyce parked outside. Lots of security standing round shooing away tourists that were just there for photos.
So generally speaking - lots of people and cars, lovely buildings and scenery, but I was shuddering to think what it would be like in summer!
On the way back we went to Nice over this 3 lane each way super-highway, with tunnels and tolls all the way. I was in the front seat and our driver was going at least 130km at one stage! but so were all the other cars! Mama mia!
Today was our first rain day, so it became a lovely blob day. We braved the rain to go shopping, got soaked, stayed in our room, read books and slept. Just a nice chill-out day.
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