July 21

7/21 - Nice

We slept until around 5:50 or so and got on a 6:17 train to Nice! Sleeping was not too uncomfortable and we were actually warm enough!

We arrived in Nice just after 7 in the morning and didn't really know exactly how to get to our hostel... We looked at the transit map and saw stops that would get us closer, but we were still unsure.  We looked at the map scale and realized we were less than 1 kilometer away so we decided to walk.  Well, that 1 kilometer was if you went straight... Not only was the road not straight, but it was also all uphill.  It took us nearly an hour to get to the top, but after resting once, stopping for directions twice, and seeing the gorgeous view over the city of Nice, we made it to our hostel.  

 

We walked in and the receptionist told us that we couldn't check in until 6 p.m., but (and we think this was because we looked desperate and gross) we could shower and leave our bags.  We did so and made our way by bus down to the Promenade - the beach!  It. Was. Beautiful.  

The water was as blue as blue gets, and you could see for miles each way.  

One of the first things we noticed is that we were certainly on a beach in Europe - many of the women on the beach were topless.  This took some getting used to, but eventually it wasn't as... striking.  We found a place to sit on the rocks (large, smooth rocks instead of sand) and started our rotation of laying and swimming.  

  

 

 

 

We then went parasailing! We used the $20 we each got from Maryanne's Aunt Mary to pay for most of the cost of getting the best view of the Mediterranean! It was lovely - they even dipped us in the water twice and dragged us the second time!  

 

 

Now we are a little red from the sun but also refreshed!

We ate and made our way back to the hostel.  On the way, we met 3 people from Switzerland, primarily because we all missed our stop on the bus!  At the hostel we drank much-needed water and hung out in the common room.  In our room we met a mom from Montreal who was traveling with her husband and 18-year-old son to "show him how to do it."  There was also another woman from Paris.  We cleaned up, got situated, and went to bed.