New Year in Nice
Finally, I've found some time to write about my 3 days in Nice.
First of all that was not a planned trip, my old friend unexpectedly invited me to come to meet the New Year with his friends and family and I had no expectations. But wait, no, sure I've heard a lot about this city (also from that old friend), that it is a paradise on the Earth, Cote d'Azur and one of the most beautiful cities ever. And if you have ever seen my wish list somewhere here, Nice was in the top of "to go" list. I mean I had no plans to visit some specific places... Just take it easy, you know, and see what will happen :) So easy that I didn't even take any photos, everything is in my head now (and I think that's better) and I will try to put some pictures I have found that match with that memoirs most.
So, I got there with the "carpolling" which was also the first experience for me. Fortunate, lucky and very positive, 5 hours of speaking in Italian with a very friendly Italian family while seeing the fast changes in the scenery behind the car window. Actually, what amazes me most about Italy's nature is that there is literally everything. Within 5 hours I saw snowy mountain peaks, green forests and plains, then palm trees and an amazing seaside of Luguria. I definitely will go there again, on the way I saw some crazy beautiful small cities (as I like).
When they kindly drove me to the city center, the first sounds that I've heard around me, when I got out of the car were in Italian and Russian. First of all, the city is very touristy (and especially on the New Year's Eve), close to Italy and Nice is the city of historical Russian immigration.
While waiting for Pierre and his mother to pick me up on the Place Maseena, I was observing the Xmas market, the huge fountain people were running around (like in St. Peterburg) and sitting guys (Pierre told they are colorful, but I got it only when we went out). Then we drove along the seaside, it was an evening and we caught the sunset, belissimo! Can't find the picture, just believe me :)
Then we went out for a pub crawl in the old town of Nice which if very... nice! Really, I liked the city, buildings, street food (which is a bit heavy, but nourishing, though) and I am glad that Pierre showed and told me a lot about typical Nice "things", that was really interesting.
On the 31st we went sightseeing and wanted to go to the Musée Marc Chagall but it was closed. But nevertheless the places around it were really beautiful. First of all, right near it there is a huge park with the palace built by some Russian guy which is a Technical University now. There is also a crazy church looking like a space ship, but I can't find the name. It was a sunny day, the sky was so blue and I was wondering if it is ever possible to feel depressed there. It seemed that in the place like that you're just always happy. And it was what I felt. Basically, we didn't have any plan for the 31st night, but in the end, we had a dinner with Pierre's friends.
But before we went to the supermarket (which was really a culturally interesting experience for me) and on the way Pierre brought me to Èze. It was already dark and the photo is exactly what I saw when we drove there (but the way there was also amazing, the view of the Nice lights, crazy). Èze is the small ancient town-castle on the hill (populated around 2000 BC).
It reminded me San Marino but without the seaside view. The panorama was really breathtaking. Also Pierre showed me the Nietszche trail "who lived up there in the late 19th century. It is said that he climbed up the trail every day in the summer and that the heat gave him the hallucinations and inspiration for his work “Also Sprach Zarathustra". It was dark, but anyway, I was very excited to know that :)
As for the New Year Eve's dinner, it was the most relaxed celebration in my life. I mean, comparing with Russia. And I tried oysters first time in my life, they were almost alive and very good :) It was a great beginning of the new year. I hope that the Russian saying "You'll spend the year how you met it" will work in that case. I was 100% happy there.
Finally, I've finished at least one travelling post! I would like to go to Nice again, some summer maybe.
First of all that was not a planned trip, my old friend unexpectedly invited me to come to meet the New Year with his friends and family and I had no expectations. But wait, no, sure I've heard a lot about this city (also from that old friend), that it is a paradise on the Earth, Cote d'Azur and one of the most beautiful cities ever. And if you have ever seen my wish list somewhere here, Nice was in the top of "to go" list. I mean I had no plans to visit some specific places... Just take it easy, you know, and see what will happen :) So easy that I didn't even take any photos, everything is in my head now (and I think that's better) and I will try to put some pictures I have found that match with that memoirs most.
So, I got there with the "carpolling" which was also the first experience for me. Fortunate, lucky and very positive, 5 hours of speaking in Italian with a very friendly Italian family while seeing the fast changes in the scenery behind the car window. Actually, what amazes me most about Italy's nature is that there is literally everything. Within 5 hours I saw snowy mountain peaks, green forests and plains, then palm trees and an amazing seaside of Luguria. I definitely will go there again, on the way I saw some crazy beautiful small cities (as I like).
When they kindly drove me to the city center, the first sounds that I've heard around me, when I got out of the car were in Italian and Russian. First of all, the city is very touristy (and especially on the New Year's Eve), close to Italy and Nice is the city of historical Russian immigration.
While waiting for Pierre and his mother to pick me up on the Place Maseena, I was observing the Xmas market, the huge fountain people were running around (like in St. Peterburg) and sitting guys (Pierre told they are colorful, but I got it only when we went out). Then we drove along the seaside, it was an evening and we caught the sunset, belissimo! Can't find the picture, just believe me :)
Then we went out for a pub crawl in the old town of Nice which if very... nice! Really, I liked the city, buildings, street food (which is a bit heavy, but nourishing, though) and I am glad that Pierre showed and told me a lot about typical Nice "things", that was really interesting.
On the 31st we went sightseeing and wanted to go to the Musée Marc Chagall but it was closed. But nevertheless the places around it were really beautiful. First of all, right near it there is a huge park with the palace built by some Russian guy which is a Technical University now. There is also a crazy church looking like a space ship, but I can't find the name. It was a sunny day, the sky was so blue and I was wondering if it is ever possible to feel depressed there. It seemed that in the place like that you're just always happy. And it was what I felt. Basically, we didn't have any plan for the 31st night, but in the end, we had a dinner with Pierre's friends.
But before we went to the supermarket (which was really a culturally interesting experience for me) and on the way Pierre brought me to Èze. It was already dark and the photo is exactly what I saw when we drove there (but the way there was also amazing, the view of the Nice lights, crazy). Èze is the small ancient town-castle on the hill (populated around 2000 BC).
It reminded me San Marino but without the seaside view. The panorama was really breathtaking. Also Pierre showed me the Nietszche trail "who lived up there in the late 19th century. It is said that he climbed up the trail every day in the summer and that the heat gave him the hallucinations and inspiration for his work “Also Sprach Zarathustra". It was dark, but anyway, I was very excited to know that :)
As for the New Year Eve's dinner, it was the most relaxed celebration in my life. I mean, comparing with Russia. And I tried oysters first time in my life, they were almost alive and very good :) It was a great beginning of the new year. I hope that the Russian saying "You'll spend the year how you met it" will work in that case. I was 100% happy there.
Finally, I've finished at least one travelling post! I would like to go to Nice again, some summer maybe.