Browsing Bradford

Saturday 27 October - Ian booked a car for the weekend so we decided to enjoy the sunny autumn weather by driving over to Bradford-on-Avon. We wandered around some of the shops and then When Mathis was ready for a feed and we were ready for lunch we stopped into a new deli/cafe, the grumpy badger for a lovely lunch followed by coffee and cake. We walked along the river and browsed at a few more shops before strolling along the canal tow path, heading towards Trowbridge. Along the way we followed a blue heron, who seemed a bit disturbed by the pram because he kept flying a few hundred feet upriver each time we approached. After a reasonable stroll in the chilly sunshine we made our way back to the car and back to Bristol.

Along the Leafy Trail

Thursday 18 October - After our visit to Donna and John's farm I was invited to come back and go for a trail ride with Donna and Katherine. I chose Thursday and couldn't have picked a better day. The sky was sunny and blue and the temperature was just right. Mid-morning I made my way over to the farm where we got the horses ready and then took off for a nice long ride through the woods, across streams and through fields. We had a most relaxing time enjoying the autumn foliage and the lovely weather. It was a wonderful way to revisit some of my childhood stomping grounds as well as some of the trails around my parent's house and to really take in an autumn in New Hampshire.

The Farm Life

Monday 15 October - Taking an opportunity to get Mathis on a horse for the first time, Randy and I took Mathis to the farm of family friend's, Donna and John. We got to show Mathis their 3 dogs, cat, chickens, chicks and rooster, turkeys and horses. We even got Mathis to sit on one of the horses, Pippin. It was refreshing to be on a farm again with all the relaxing hustle bustle of the animals and that particular farm aroma. There were 16 adorable chicks which were grey, black and silver, a lovely combination. The dogs were happy to run around and keep us company as Katherine (Donna and John's daughter) showed us around. The turkeys were quite friendly, although one was a little too interested in Randy and Mathis so we didn't hang around with them for very long.

Trails and Toadstools

Thursday 11 October - After a busy day trying to get a copy of my birth certificate, We went for a relaxing walk through the woods with Randy. We followed some of the recently finished Strafford conservation trails. On the way to the trails we saw a young fawn in the woods. Along the trail we saw woodpeckers and some vultures as well as lots of autumn flora like acorns and toadstools. Mathis really seemed to enjoy the time outside and looking at all the falling leaves. Looping around the pond we had a decent walk but Mathis was definitely getting heavy towards the end as he was getting tired.

Piles of Pumpkins

Friday 5 October - We went for a drive to Coppel Hill farm to get some gourds and pumpkins for mom's window boxes. We had a lovely time looking over all the gourds and introducing Mathis to the farm animals (horses, turkeys and goats). We forced Mathis to wear his pumpkin hats and sit among all the pumpkins so we could get some cute photos, but he wasn't too pleased about the whole process. We left loaded down with pumpkins.

Enjoying the Autumn

We arrived in the US after a surprisingly easy plane journey. Mathis was a star on the ride over, there was no screaming and he charmed all the passengers around us. It was lovely to be back home this time of year, the foliage was stunning and I really enjoyed just driving around and soaking up the autumn atmosphere.

Back Home with Baby

Mathis and I will be back in the states from the 29th Sept to the 20th Oct. We look forward to seeing friends and family. Do get in touch if you are available to meet up during this period.

Sam's Summer Spectacular

Saturday 29 August - Its that time of year again for Sam and Jez's summer party. With Mathis we weren't able to be as involved in the party as last year but we certainly had a good time. There was an obscene amount of food, Sam's mother made enough chicken wings for thirty people (which was fine since we got to take a load home with us). We had lots of laughs and a really lovely time despite some less than summery weather.

The food at the Market

Sunday 18 August - On our last day in France we knew exactly where we wanted to be, the market in Geurande. We got there early before many of the city shops had even opened. We thoroughly perused the market, picked up some treats like oysters and sausages for lunch and bought some lovely old-fashioned wooden toys for Mathis before heading back to La Baule to have lunch with Jean-Louis and then enjoy the beach.

The Chateau in Saumur

Wednesday 15 August - The day after the "do" we had breakfast at the hotel before heading out. We decided to visit the chateau at Saumur which was much larger and more impressive than the one we stayed in. From there we drove along the Loire to enjoy the chateau and sites of the valley before heading back the La Baule.

A Night in the Castle

Tuesday 14 August - One of the main reasons for taking our holiday at this time was to be part of a large reunion of the people involved with Jean-Louis's student exchange to England. The "do" took place near Saumur in a picturesque Chateau. Ian, Mathis and I stayed in the main castley bit but there were also rooms in more modern buildings as well as in some wooden caravans. There were drinks and dinner and lots of chatting which we enjoyed as much as possible while keeping Mathis quiet and entertained. Luckily there was a nice grassy area and a duck pond which made an excellent walk to push the stroller around. Our room had a window which opened onto the courtyard so we had a lovely view of the gardens and we could hear the babbling of the brook that passed under the chateau.

The Promenade at Le Pouligen

We made time to visit Le Pouligen not only for its market but also to visit the promenade. One of my favorite things to do when we are in La Baule is to walk from one end of the Promenade all the way out to the jetty and back. I love all the little shops and food vendors along the promenade. Walking along the port we always check out all the boats and look for fish. We visited the Promenade twice. Once for a stroll and a preliminary check of the shops, the second time to get some ice cream and make some purchases.

Fun at the Beach

When we got to the beach after what seemed like ages getting all our things together and getting Mathis ready for the beach, we found and amazing sand sculpture being created right in front of us. Mathis tolerated the beach and taking his picture taken for a little while but then he got a bit fussy and we were overtaken by a rain storm and had to run back to the studio with the push chair and an inflatable raft.

Family in France

Saturday 11 August - We took Mathis on his first plane ride for our summer holiday in France. We flew from Bristol to La Rochelle where we got a rental car and drove 3 hours to La Baule. We got in quite late and so did not see anyone until the next morning. The Following morning we met up with Marty, Jean-Louis, Katie and Alexa at the maisonette. Alexa made this lovely "garden" for her nana in the sand dune.

Up Up and Away

Thursday 9 and Friday 10 August - We actually made it to see some balloons at the Fiesta this year. The weather was surprisingly accommodating considering this has been the wettest summer in England for the past 100 years. On Thursday we rushed up to see the balloons from the park above the suspension bridge. The Balloons were already in the air when we arrived, however there were not that many and they stayed low and were not easy to see. The following evening we were better prepared. We packed a picnic lunch and stretched out on the grass to watch the balloons. There was a much better showing this evening and the balloons hung over the bridge for a long while.

The Sights of Brighton

Sunday 28 July - Since we had the car and were in the areas we decided to finally visit Brighton, a place I've wanted to see for awhile. We parked near the Royal pavilion then made our way to the pavilion grounds we walked around a bit then gave Mathis a feed and change before we did a tour of the Pavilion interior. The Decoration in the Pavilion is spectacular, my favorite room was the dinning room which has a massive chandelier held by a huge dragon. We had lunch in the Pavilion tea room which overlooks the garden then made our way to the famous Brighton Pier. WE walked to the end of the pier and then went to the beach to see the 1800's carousel. We took a photo of Mathis on one of the ponies before heading back into town. We stopped for coffee and a cookie and to feed Mathis again before getting back on the road for the long trip back to Bristol.

A Wedding among the Vines

Saturday 28 July - Drove down to Fareham for Emma and Dave's wedding. Despite leaving extra time for a pit stop we barely made it to the venue on time without stopping. However, after all the chaos of getting there we had a very nice time. The ceremony was in an old fort on the ocean in South Hampton and the reception in a tent in a vineyard. The weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot and the vineyard was a lovely location. There was a bouncy castle, padded jousting and twister along with games and toys on every table. We stayed until after the fireworks then spent our first night away from home with Mathis at a Holiday Inn.

Painswick Poppies

July 22 - With Marty visiting to see Mathis we decided to go on a trip to the Cotswolds. We stopped first at the Painswick Rococo Gardens where there were lots of flowers in bloom. Ian and Martty wandered around while I enjoyed the scene and fed Mathis. From Painswick we made our way to the Slaughters where we had lunch at the old mill cafe followed by ice cream. Then it was over to Bourton on the water to window shop and walk along the streams before heading back to Bristol.

Back at the Bristol Zoo

July 17 - We took advantage of some dry weather to visit the Bristol Zoo. Since mom bought us a membership we went and got our membership cards then wandered around. Quite a bit has changed since I last visited, with new exhibits and animals in new locations. We enjoyed the reptile/amphibian house and watching the seals. There were lots of baby animals including tapir, meerkats and monkeys. We had a nice visit and managed to head back home just in time to miss the rain.

Embassy Hopping

Monday 2 July - In order for us to have a summer holiday in France we need to get Mathis a passport. With that as our main goal we got a ungodly early train to London. On arriving we had breakfast at a cafe and then walked through Hyde park to the American Embassy. There was a lot of queueing and waiting and we spent a little over two hours there, however, in the end we were told the passport should reach us in 3-5 weeks. Next stop was the French embassy which was a walk along another part of Hyde Park and over to the Natural History museum (the embassy is just en face of the museum). At the French embassy we were told we needed to process all of our paperwork through the embassy in New York. We made a quick stop in the V&A to feed and change Mathis and look around the shop. We had a very nice, quick lunch at a turkish/French restaurant, L'opera and then walked back through Hyde Park to Paddington station to catch the 2:00 train back to Bristol.

The Secret Gardens of Bradford

Sunday 30 June - W decided to have a nice family outing so we made our way to Bradford on Avon for the open garden days. It was a lovely day with lots of sun. We were a bit disappointed by the first few gardens, and it was quite a haul getting from one garden to the next with the buggy. We found some really impressive gardens closer to the city centre. However, we missed seeing all the gardens as we had arrived late and Mathis needed a feed. We found a picturesque spot by the horse bridge, overlooking the river to sit and feed Mathis before heading home.

A Delivery from the Stork

Wednesday 6 June - After much anticipation and only 13 days late, we finally have a new edition to our family. Mathis was born at 8:48 pm, weighing 9lbs 2oz. I suspect that this will reduce the number of entries on this blog as most of our time will be taken up with taking care of Mathis and figuring out how to be parents.

Tea, Cake and Buttercups

In the hopes that the weather would stay somewhat dry we drove to Lacock. Our first stop was King John's hunting lodge where we had an excellent lunch, followed by some tea and cake. We then took a long walk around the outskirts of the village, enjoying some lovely scenery including a field full of buttercups and cows. We also saw some Gypsies in horse carts playing music and making their way to the village. We wandered around the village and visited some of the shops before heading home.

A Rosy disposition

Monday 4 June - Visited Ashton Court to see the craft and food fair happening as part of the Jubilee celebrations. After perusing the stalls we walked through the estate's rose garden and took a longer walk around the park in search of the deer.

Food and foxgloves

Sunday 3 June - taking advantage of a break in the rain, we took mom and Randy to one of our favorite restaurants, the Ethicurean, at the Barleywood walled garden. We had a lovely meal despite one unusually less than stirling service. After lunch we took a stroll around the gardens. There were lots of vegetables in the gardens but also some lovely flowers including some very pretty foxglove.

A Summery Stroll

Saturday 26 May - We picked Sam up in Swindon and made our way to Bibury. It was a lovely (rare) sunny summer day and we walked around the village, stopping to dangle our toes in the stream and admire the swans and ducks. We had a drink at Bibury court before moving onto Burford where we visited a lovely garden centre and had lunch. To finish off the day we drove to the slaughters and had some delicious ice cream at the old mill. While we ate our ice cream we took a long walk along the water soaking up the sunshine and summer scents.

Corsham Court

Saturday 19 May - After being cooped up in the house and in Bristol for the past week it was a relief to get out of the city and do a bit of exploring. We drove to Corsham to see the Manor house there, Corsham Court. There was a lecture on so we were unable to visit the interior of the house but we had an very enjoyable stroll around the gardens. The estate is populated with a number of peacocks and we could hear and see them as soon as we arrived. It became a bit of a game to spot the peacock in whichever part of the garden we happened to be. The gardens themselves were formal with lots of summer houses, urns and follies. There was a lovely box hedge garden with some interesting sculptures and some very lovely meandering paths. Surrounding the house are a number of old yews which have grown together to create one continuous living mound. We explored the yews and the stable area of the estate before heading into town to visit the farmers market and shops. From Corsham we drove to Lacock for lunch at King John's Lodge and then over to Bradford on Avon for a stroll along the canal.

The Devil in Wales

From Portmeirion we made our way along the coastal roads of Snowdonia National park and over to Aberswyth. From there we took a small scenic road to the Devil's Bridge where we stopped for a quick lunch at the nearby tea rooms before venturing along the path to see the three bridges and the the Devil's bridge waterfall. The three bridges cross the ravine and were built one on top of the one another at various times. Legend has it that the smallest and oldest bridge was built by the Devil in order to gain an old Welsh woman's soul. However, she tricked the Devil and kept her soul and the devil never returned to Wales. From the three bridges a steep and many staired path winds down the ravine and offers a number of views of the impressive waterfall. We made our way cautiously and very slowly as I don not move very quickly in my current state. I was hoping that all the stairs might induce labour but we made it back to Bristol without incident

Welsh Weather in an Italian Villa

Monday 7 May - Day two of our adventure in Wales began with an early breakfast at the B&B and checkout, then we were back on the road and heading to nearby Portmeirion. As the crow flies the town is only about 3 miles away but due to the coastal inlets and marshes we had to drive about 17 miles to get to it. We took a private toll bridge across one marshy inlet which was a single lane bridge of dubious construction and cost 50p for a day long ticket. We made it safely to Portmeirion, an italian villa/village built on the coast. This ornate and colorful construction boast a beautiful garden, a hotel, a number of follies, towers and domes all brightly colored and ornately decorated. It was grey and drizzly when we arrived and the shops and cafes were just opening. We wandered around the village then walked past the hotel with its folly of an old boat to follow the the coastal path. The ocean was choppy with waves and frothy with foam. The trail looped us back to the village by which time there was some sunshine making the village look much more Italiante and inviting. We wandered around some more, enjoying the gardens and visiting some of the shops before getting back on the road.

The Snowy Summit of Snowdon

Back at Llanberis station we learned that the train was delayed by half an hour so we had to wait around for a bit hoping that the grey clouds would not turn into rain. However, we were lucky and the journey up to the summit was pleasant and dry. The trains are small and ride on a rack railway line so they do not move terribly quickly but make their way steadily up the mountain. There were excellent views of the surrounding mountains with their craggy peaks and slate covered slopes. At the summit we had excellent views all around and even had some snow falling on us while there was sunshine all around. We spent 30 minutes at the peak before hoping back on our train and making the return trip. Once back at the station we made our way to the B&B, stopping at the Royal Goat Inn along the way for a dinner of welsh lamb casserole.

The Castle at Caenarfon

From Llanberis we drove to the neighboring town of Caernarfon. Luckily the sun made another appearance and we stayed relatively dry as we wandered around the quaint medieval walled city. Caernarfon has a large impressive castle, best seen from across its small harbor. There were lots of little cafes and shops throughout the town and we enjoyed some lovely local ice cream before heading back to Llanberis to catch our train.

A Weekend in Wales

Sunday 6 May - Ian had a real itch do something this weekend so we booked a last minute trip to Wales. We left Bristol around nine and 4 hours later finally reached our first stop, the Snowdon Mountain railway station in Lanberis. We were a bit annoyed that the drive up had been beautifully sunny but began to rain as soon as we arrived at our destination. We bought our tickets for the next train to the summit which wasn't leaving until 4.30. To while Away the time we wandered around a nearby castle ruin with views over the local quarry.

A Wander through the Woods

Saturday 5 May - We have been trying to go for a walk in Prior Wood for the past 3 weeks, however, the weather has not been cooperative. Luckily this weekend we had a car booked for the Bank holiday and the weather was more obliging. We drove over to the Wood and spent a couple of hours wandering around its paths, admitting the bluebells, wild garlic and other flowers and squelching through the muddy rain drenched paths in our wellies.

April Showers and Daffodils

Monday 9 April - We once again visited Mells for its Daffodil day festival. Unfortunately, the weather was not as accommodating as last year and it was quite drizzly most of the day. We enjoyed ourselves anyway, poking around all the stalls, enjoying some falconry displays, chowing down on a hog roast and then watching the town crier competition before heading back to Bristol.

Strolling around Lacock

Saturday 7 April - We had lots of work to do to get ready for Easter but we took some time in the afternoon to make use of the car we had for the weekend and get out of the house. We drove over to Lacock through some passing showers but were lucky enough to a have a bit of sunshine when we arrived. We had a relaxing stroll around the village and the outskirts. We passed through a field full of adorable lambs and enjoyed the all the spring flowers in full bloom.

Baby Shower Tea

Saturday 17 March - Sam invited us over to hers for a tea party/baby shower. She had invited her friend Jo, who is also pregnant. As always, Sam made loads of lovely food and had a gorgeous spread. There were hot sausage roles, sandwiches, fruit and cream, cake and meringues. We had stuffed ourselves with yummy food and had a good time talking about baby stuff and commiserating over pregnancy pains.

Sunday Lunch overlooking the Avon Gorge

Sunday 26 February - It has been a mild winter and this weekend felt like spring had arrived. The sun was shining, crocuses and daffodils are blooming everywhere. We spent the morning puttering around the flat and then decided to treat ourselves by going to Lunch and at the Bridge Cafe, overlooking the Avon Gorge with an excellent view of the suspension bridge. We had a vary nice meal, and were even able to sit outside and soakup some sun. It started to turn cool and grey just as we were ready to leave so it was perfect timing.

Grand Gardens and Goodbye to Nice

From Roquebrune we decided to drop down to the coast and make our way back to Nice. We drove Cap Martin and stopped to look at the waves as they crashed against the rocks. Then made our way to cap Ferrat, just outside Nice. Our intention was to just drive around the peninsula to take in some nice views of the ocean but we came across the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and decided to stop and take a look. One of the best decisions we made on the trip we had a lovely time wandering through the fantastic gardens. Each garden was highly planned and decorated and represented a different country or region including Provence, Spain, Japan as well as a stone garden and an exotic garden. The largest of the gardens was the formal French garden where the many fountains were choreographed to accompany classical music. It was a fantastic setting and an amazing display. After visiting the gardens we toured the house. The audio guide was extremely thorough and interesting but unfortunately we had to rush through much of it as we were running short on time. We left just as the villa was closing and the sun setting and made our way back to Nice and managed to thread our way through the city with minimal fuss and make it to the airport in good time.

Relaxing in Roquebrune

Our trip to Roquebrune was exactly what I was hoping for in a trip to Nice. We arrived at the cheerful village, the car park strung with bright bunting. As we started exploring the town we came across a restaurant recommended by one of the guidebooks, Fraise et Chocolate. It was the perfect place to lunch, with a small simple menu of home made food and fresh juice. We sat out on a large terrace balcony overlooking the mountains and a tiny bit of the water. The sun was warm and we took our time eating lunch and then having coffee and cake. We then wandered around the village enjoying its winding streets and colourful houses and pleasant squares. We walked to the 1000 year old Olive tree and enjoying the views of the coast before hitting the road again.

Rambling and Ruins along the Grand Corniche

Monday 20 February - Our last day in Nice and we took our time getting up and checking out of the hotel. We bought some pastries and sat on the beach to eat our breakfast. We then drove over to the Cours Saleya to see the antiques market. We spent an age trying to find a parking space then finally gave up and parked in the garage just below the market itself. We wandered around for a bit and it rained for awhile and then we got back in the car and headed once again toward Monaco. This time we took the Grand Corniche to get some different views. We stopped in the town of La Turbie famous for its massive Roman Ruin the Trophy of the Alps. We wandered around the medieval village, visiting the church and cemetery which had a great view of Monaco. Then we went for a walk following a path that wound up a nearby mountain. Unfortunately the trail was not very clear and the views not very exciting so we turned back after about 45 minutes. Then it was back in the car and on the road toward Roquebrune Cap Martin.

Boder Crossing before Dining

Back in Menton we drove along the coast and crossed the border into Italy. We had every intention of having a nice dinner in Italy but when we stopped in one of the town, Ventamiglia, nothing seemed to be open. We drove back to Menton and wandered around by the port until we found a restaurant that struck our fancy.

St Agnes and more Stairs

Leaving Menton we drove up into the mountains and decided to follow signs for St. Agnes. When we arrived we discovered another quaint perched village. This one is supposedly the highest village in Europe (along the coast). It had lovely views of the surrounding mountains, topped with snow and draped in low lying cloud. We wandered around the village then climbed even higher following a footpath to castle ruins on the very peak of the mountain. The villagers have been making an effort to make the ruins safe and to rebuild parts of the castle. They have also created a lovely little medieval garden. We clambered around the ruins and the garden, getting great views of St. Agnes, the ocean and the mountains. Then as it was starting to get dark we made our way back to the car park and started the rather harrying drive back down the mountain.

A Celebration of Citrus in Menton

The main reason for visiting Menton was the Fete du Citron, another carnival in the region this one celebrates the citrus fruits with a parade of floats decorated with lemons and oranges. Again we arrived in good time to get a decent spot along the parade route and we gain tucked into a packed lunch of baguette and cheese while waiting for it all to kick off. Each float represented a different region in France or Italy. My favorites were the giant snail float and the one representing the Ile De Re area which had giant donkey in pj's (we saw the real thing when we visited a few years ago). There were also dancers, stilt walkers and bands as well as lots of confetti. Some how the parade always seemed to stop with the drummers right in front of where we were standing. Luckily in this parade they don't deconstruct the floats and chuck fruit at the spectators, at the end of the festival, in a few weeks time the fruit will be sold in a big market. We made our way back to the car and took and alternate route out of town to avoid the traffic.

Something Fishy in Monaco

Next stop on our trip along the coast was Monaco. We made it easily enough into the city but then proceeded to circle it a few times trying to get to the Musee Oceanegraphique. In the end we gave up and parked by the port and walked up the hill to museum. The museum is housed in a beautiful spacious building with a grand entry, marble stairs and towering windows. We had a good time peering at all the fish in the aquarium and then viewing all the artifacts and specimens in the museum. From there we walked to the palace through the old city and then back down the hill. We drove past Monte Carlo just to say we had seen it before rejoining the main road and moving on to Menton.

Exploring Eze

Sunday 19 February - We decided to once again venture outside of Nice. We had a bit more luck getting out of the city this time, although it was by no means easy with all the one ways and conflicting signs. However, we made it onto the Moyenne Corniche, headed towards Monaco and Menton. The road climbs high above the ocean and winds along the mountains with some great views. Unfortunately the day was rather hazy so the views were not as spectacular as they could have been. Our first stop was the small perched village of Eze. We parked and climbed up to the medieval city and sat and had breakfast in its tiny village square which comprised a fountain, a small garden and a bench. After a packed breakfast of fruit and pastry we thoroughly explored the city. We visited the Jardine exotique at the very top of the mountain which gave excellent views of the city, the ocean and the aqueduct leading to the city. The garden itself was populated with a wide variety of cacti and succulents as well as some terracotta sculptures representing female figures from mythology. When we descended from the village we explored the small market near the parking and got some postcards before driving on.

Nice Carnival at Night

Returning from Cimiez we changed and had a lovely meal in the hotel restaurant. We had a busy day and enjoyed taking our time over a long meal. After dinner we decided to take a stroll along the promenade and see what we could of the lighted carnival parade which had started earlier in the evening. We hadn't expected to see much as it was a bit late and we hadn't bought tickets to the parade, however, there was no barrier to the parade route and the parade apparently makes several circuite like the earlier one so we were able to see everything. The floats were a bit creepy looking with all the giant heads and maniacle grins. The crowds were quite rowdy as well, harrasing the people in the parade with silly string and confetti. We saw all the floats then made our way back to the hotel.

Matisse among the Olives

Once the battle of the flowers was over we rushed to the car and made our way to the Cimiez area of the city which is on a steep hill. We parked and made our way through a very quaint park, comprised mostly of an old olive grove with a boule pitch and small carousel, to the Matisse Museum. We spent a pleasant hour wandering around the collection which was left to the city by the artist himself. It contained a few paintings, a number of models, sculptures and cutouts. We left the museum as the sun was setting and wandered over to the nearby roman ruins of an amphitheatre. Then we passed through the olive grove the Franciscan museum which has a marvelous garden. We strolled through the garden and enjoyed some great views of Nice before visiting the church and then heading back to the car and back down the hill to our hotel.

Bataille des fleures

We got to the parade course in plenty of time to stake out a good spot on along the route. We settled in and ate our lunch provisions while we waited for the parade to start. As part of the Nice carnival this parade has lots of performers like dancers, bands, flag throwers, stilt walkers and singers but is characterized by its floats which are decorated with flowers. The parade makes 3 tours of the circuit; on the first tour they throw branches of mimosa to the crowd and everyone can see how lovely the floats are on. On the second tour they start dismantling the floats and throwing the flowers to the spectators. This is where the real battle of the flowers begins as the spectators fight for the attention of the float attendants and with each other to collect the best bouquet. By the third tour the floats are pretty barren and the crowds start heading toward the exits.

Musée des Beaux Artes

The Musee des Beaux Artes is housed in a lovely old building with enormous rooms perfect for displaying the grand tableaux. We enjoyed strolling around the small but well presented collection. Large windows let in lots of light and it was a quiet and relaxing place to wander around. Once we had seen everything we headed back to the Promenade des Anglais, stopping in a small supermarket to stock up on baguette and cheese to have for lunch.

Up Hill and Down

Having made slow and careful progress up the hill we were rewarded with excellent views of Nice and the Bay of Angels. We wandered around the small park at the top of the hill and saw the ruins. On the other side of the park was an excellent view of the Nice port. We wound our way through the park and then back down into the old city. We stopped along the beach to buy our tickets for the Flower parade later in the day then thought we might try and catch a bus to the Matisse Museum. After a brief attempt to try and sort out public transportation we decided to visit the fine arts museum instead which afforded us an opportunity to stop at the hotel and regroup.