Mercure Grasse 3m

ok, it was more "collecting a new country" than being really interested in Monaco. Strange, when you go there from Nice airport by bus it costs you 18 € one way, when you go from Nice bus terminal it costs 1 € one way. Monaco is a very clean city. I have never seen so many big and expensive cars. I saw the casino and the castle. Nice, but not spectacular.

I know I always write the same...great weather, such a nice city, good food....but I have to say that Nice was a (very) big surprise for me, I can say that it is my favourite city in Europe (ok, number 2 after Lisbon). You have the mountains, the Cote d´Azur (when you see the water you know why the name is Cote d´Azur), the market with fresh vegetables, fruits, honey, oil, soap, you have great restaurants ...

... Not only have the donations received already far exceeded my expectations, but the kind words and general interest and support that I have received have been amazing. So thank you all. It is all very much appreciated and I can't believe that between us we really will change these little lives. It is my motto here in Antibes, but this is the ultimate "think globally; act locally ...

... of Prince Albert - no joke), then walked along the harbour. The harbour had a full fairground atmosphere with rides, games, food, lights etc. We had the most delicious kebab for dinner from a stall :-) So posh!

We then followed the curve of the harbour to gape at the boats moored there. The amount of money people obviously have is just obscene!

Next we thought maybe we would have a go at trying to win ...

... and Cannes. Dani was pumped for Cannes as this is where they hold THE Cannes film festival. Unfortunately, just as our luck would have it, the train we took was delayed by almost 2 hours, and we still don't know why. So it took us much longer to get to our first stop on our journey which was Antibes. We had been recommended to have some lunch there and apparently they have an awesome market. However thanks to the aforementioned delay, and our silly Dubcheck moves which will be revealed ...

... A party of very well behaved little girls was on a tour through the Museum, under the direction of two lovely young people, and they seemed to enjoy the experience.

After a boule of delicious chocolate creme glacee, coffee and crepes at Daniella's we left for Le Golfe Bleu. We took an alternate route and arrived at our local supermarket, Casino, by way of the Moyennne Corniche, and Monte Carlo. Much more sedate, and certainly less exhiliarating.

Leave from nice on the Chemins de fer de Province (diesel train) to Touet-sur-Var. And then the steam train to Entrevaux, city with amazing views. On the way back a quick stop in Puget-Théniers.

My camera battery died once we hit Entrevaux so no photos :(

Nice was definately for the rich and famous becuase if you dont have any money there is not really anything to do. On the first day we went to Cannes which was very similar to nice - ritzy shops, beach all taken up by the falsh hotels cordoned off with ropes, sunbeds and umbrellas, yachts in the distance and plastic surgery in your face ...

... all you Formula 1 fans, it´s the St. Devote corner. Camembert, salami, baguette. Possibly the best baguette I´ve ever had ... loved it so much I proposed to it. Perhaps it was heat-induced dementia, but I swear it giggled and replied "I will have to ask my boyfriend first." (in a Spanish accent, no less!) Weather became quite pleasant as clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped significantly. Monaco is over-rated ...

... a hosing down. We mostly kept to the tourist streets but its not all pretty and blooming as it looks from a distance sitting pretty on the hill side. The houses in most of these country towns have little imagination of design. They are generally square, three storey blocks with rendered, ochre coloured brick walls. At least they have attractive sloping, half pipe roofs here in Grasse. We stopped in the main square for lunch ...