Hello from Nice

Thursday, May 23, 2019
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Nice, capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera, sits on the pebbly shores of the Baie des Anges. Founded by the Greeks and later a retreat for 19th-century European elite, the city has also long attracted artists. Former resident Henri Matisse is honored with a career-spanning collection of paintings at Musée Matisse. NIce has a population of 340,000.
 Nice has the second largest hotel capacity in the country and it is one of its most visited cities, receiving 4 million tourists every year.It also has the third busiest airport in France. There have the most private jets at Nice Airport than we have ever seen before. The old town is lined with restaurants, bars, markets and is really busy. We spoke to a couple and they have flown here for 39 pounds from  Bristol in England. Cheaper to come here than fly to London!!!
In many of the restaurants and bars service here is typically french. They really don't care if they serve you or not.
The streets in the old town are very confusing and you can easily get lost. Nice beach is long and in its own way beautiful, no surf, pebbly beach and full of people walking the boardwalk.
We have had some great food and wine here, they have good seafood and every meal is completed by really nice bread. We walked down the Avenue Jean Médecin (a street located in the centre of Nice), one of the city's main north-south traffic arteries. In Nice, it is officially named the "avenguda Jouan-Medecin, consòu de Nissa". It constitutes the city's main shopping street and is called "The Avenue" by residents. A bit like the Champs- Elysees in Paris. It was so busy it reminded us of Christmas Eve in Pitt Street in Australia.
The Old Town Markets are busy here and you can buy everything from fresh flowers, fish, cheese, bread, cakes, fruit, antiques, vegetables, jewellery and home made craft. Mark has been looking for a stubby holder as he left his at home. First time ever!!!! It seems they don't sell stubby holders in France. Nice has a really nice atmosphere here but we are on guard, particularly when you see oldiers with AK47's walking up and down the streets. 
The food has been really nice here and the French are food specialists. They take so much pride in what they do. Our hotel was close to old town and we have been lucky to walk everywhere. We did get the hop on hop off bus which was great. We saw the hotel that Queen Victoria stayed whilst on holidays here in Nice. Lots of beautiful architecture and Nice Port. Such a beautiful place. We have really enjoyed our time here on the French Riviera.
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