A Weekend in Nice

Suddenly it is April and I have not had time to post about our trip to Nice! Last month Rory competed in the Paris-Nice race. The race finished in Nice on Aurelia's birthday, so we decided I would take the kids there for the weekend.

I had packed lunch and plenty of games and books for the drive. It is just over five hours to Nice and I told the kids that I had not brought a DVD player or I-pad, which I typically do if the drive is over four hours. However, now that they are older it is easier for them to invent games and read and such, so we don't have to rely on electronics. We really limit their access anyway--the I-Pad is off limits unless we are on a long flight and we don't watch much TV because we have other fun things to do!

The drive to Nice was easy and driving through the French countryside in spring was just gorgeous. The kids did a great job of entertaining themselves so I could focus on the road and we only stopped twice for bathroom breaks. As we drove closer to Nice Eston said, "Mom, this looks like California." and it did--traffic and all. Thankfully I use a GPS and it guided us right through the city and to the parking garage.

We stayed in a great hotel right on the Promenade---Hotel West End. The hotel was built in 1842 and was just gorgeous. We arrived right around dinner on Friday night and I was too tired to explore the city, so we just settled for dinner in the restaurant of the hotel, which was quite nice. The ceiling was antique stained glass and the kids spent most of dinner just looking up as it was so beautiful. Eston even took out his notebook so he could sketch it a bit.

Our beautiful hotel:

 We woke up on Saturday morning feeling rested and ready to go. Rory's race started at 1pm, so we had until then to amuse ourselves. We hit the breakfast buffet at the hotel (Eston's favorite thing in life) and then crossed the street so we could be on the beach.

 The promenade is a lovely spot to walk, scooter, ride a bike, run, etc. The people of Nice were out in full force enjoying the beautiful morning. It made me incredibly sad to think of the tragedy that occurred here last summer and there were tons of police and French guard milling about. 

We found this gorgeous vintage carousel in the park as we walked towards Old Nice...

 We love going to local markets and had heard good things about the market in Old Nice. The flower/plant section was incredible and I was tempted to load up the car with plants. 

 Aurelia was keen to use her pocket money to buy every tasty thing she saw---strawberries, cheeses, honey, etc. The vendors thought she was adorable and gave her little tastes of everything.

 The market was only 200 meters or so from the start area, so after our snacks we headed towards the race. 

 The race security was nothing I have ever seen. The team bus area was completely blocked off and we had to wait for Rory to come and get us and get permission from the security people. You could not go to the start area unless you went through metal detectors and had your bag checked. I know these are the times we live in, but it felt so very foreign.

 We were able to see Rory for about 10 minutes before he had to go. It is always a short visit, which sometimes makes me wonder why I drag the kids hours away, but it is important for them to be there sometimes. We watched the start and then got on with the rest of our day!

Our first stop was the Matisse Museum. Eston had studied Matisse in his art class and was keen to visit the museum. The museum is not near town, so we hopped in a taxi and made our way up the hill. I had done a bit of research and knew that the museum was not large or a solid collection, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

The museum itself is in the most beautiful villa. That alone was worth the trip! As expected, the collection was slim. However, it is actually great for children as it is a fairly quick visit that does not overwhelm them. The entrance fee allows you to visit any other Nice museum for free, so we went next door to the Archeology Museum to check that out.

The Archeology Museum was well worth a visit! The Roman ruins rivaled those in Rome and we were just in awe of everything. We were even allowed to sit in the ruins and have a picnic, so it was incredible. Highly recommended!

 Both museums are located in a spectacular park and neighborhood. There is a little snack shack where a woman makes fresh crepes and they were divine. We sat in the olive trees and watched birthday parties, picnics, futbol games, etc. The locals obviously love this park and I can see why!

 The taxi ride to the museum was not cheap at 22 euros. I saw a bus stop across the street when we pulled up, so I told the kids we would take the bus back. I was studying the map when a bus pulled up, so I told the kids to hop on. We pulled up google maps on my phone (yes, I do use some technology!) and saw we were heading in the right direction. The end of the bus line was a five minute walk from our hotel, so it was perfect! Eston thought it was hilarious that it cost us 22 euros to get to the museum and 1.50 to get back. Live and learn---take the bus!!

We arrived back at the hotel and caught the last 10km of the race on television before heading out for dinner. We found a little trattoria (in France, I know) and they were making fresh pasta, which was divine. What a feast we had!

Sunday was Aurelia's birthday and Eston and I decorated the hotel room so she would be surprised when she woke up. I brought a few presents from home and she was so thrilled to celebrate. We had until noon to wander about and the kids wanted to go back to the beach and look for sea glass. The beaches here have private clubs and restaurants right on the beach, so there is lots of sea glass to be found, though it is mainly shades of green from the many champagne bottles, hah.

 I let the kids have their search and then surprised them with a trip to the Nice Opera House to celebrate Aurelia's birthday. Somewhere in my Nice research I had read the Opera House has a matinee for families on Sunday mornings. The shows are an hour or less and tickets are very inexpensive. We walked over to the Opera House and got in line for tickets. Now, I know about twenty words in French, so I was able to say "three, please" to the ticket woman. She came back with some quick French and then we both looked at each other and laughed. She kindly explained that seating was first come, first served and then we had our tickets!

The theater was amazing. I mean, stunning. It was originally built in 1714 and we couldn't stop staring at every last thing. The orchestra started and we were still staring, hahaha. The show is perfect for children of all ages and a great introduction to cultural events. The kids recognized several of the composers from their music class and we really enjoyed the hour.

 Thankfully Rory's race started about 45 minutes after the show and it was only a 100 meter walk! How is that for planning?! We once again had to go through the whole security thing and Rory had to walk down the street and meet us and walk us back to the bus. Unfortunately, we were a bit stuck once there. Rory had a team meeting to discuss the plan for the day and obviously we need to stay far away for that. I always have little things to keep us busy, so Aurelia got to work with her beads while Eston played with his camera and taking some still shots.

After lunch we decided to hike to the Parc de la Colline du Chateau. This park has the most beautiful views of Nice, truly. There are walking paths, a restaurant, and old castle and fort, a waterfall, and a fantastic playground. 

You must climb many, many stairs to get from Old Nice to the park (it is on a hill overlooking the city). Aurelia did it without problem, so it wasn't a big deal. I didn't bring a stroller on the trip and she was absolutely fine.

 We found the waterfall!

 So many cool tunnels to walk through!

 Beautiful views of the port of Nice...

After playing for a bit on the playground I realized we needed to high-tail it back to the finish line to catch the end of Rory's race (a two hour lunch and walk will make a race pass by very quickly). We ran down the steps and back to the city and found a good spectating spot. Rory had a great day and the kids were thrilled to see a bit of the race. 

We really enjoyed the weekend and I would return to Nice again. I found everyone to be friendly and helpful and it is a beautiful city. There is plenty for kids to do and we look forward to returning in the future.

Rome!

There are several holidays (AKA no school) here in Spain at the beginning of December, so we try to take advantage and enjoy one last family trip before the racing season begins. This year we took the kids to Rome for a few days and it did not disappoint!

The kids are well-seasoned travelers and they love packing their own carry on bags. I can remember the days of flying with Eston when he was a toddler and I brought enough activities and food to last a week, hah! Now I don't even pack snacks and the kids handle their own carry on, though I do help them pack their clothing.

 We left Barcelona on Saturday evening and landed in Rome after a quick 1.5 hour flight. The car service picked us up and we were on our way to the city center in no time, but traffic was not cooperating and it was 9pm by the time we arrived at our hotel in Piazza Venezia. The hotel recommended a restaurant around the corner and though we didn't expect much, we were pleasantly surprised to find a family-run trattoria with amazingly fresh food. The owners loved the kids and we didn't leave the restaurant until nearly midnight because we were all having so much fun eating and laughing with our server, who spoke perfect Spanish.

Needless to say, we did not wake up until nearly 10am on Sunday morning. I guess we are more Spanish than we think! We ate some breakfast and walked from the hotel towards the Colosseum and Forum.

Years ago I used to make my own scavenger hunt books about the cities we visited, but then I happened upon the MISSION series. Paris, Rome, Barcelona, London, etc. The books are inexpensive and kids love them, so that is what I purchase and it serves as a great tour guide for us as well. Eston and Aurelia loved the missions they were sent on at every major attraction and we learned so many new facts along the way.

 The kids and I had spent several weeks reading all sorts of books about Rome and ancient Romans. Eston was so thrilled to see the ruins and the Colosseum. Aurelia wanted to hear all about the gladiators, of course.

After our morning tour we decided to wander about a bit, which is one of our favorite things to do in any city.

 We stopped at the Trevi Fountain to make a wish! Over 3,000 euros per day are thrown into this fountain (fact from Eston's cool book). Don't worry, all of the money goes to local charities.

 We left the fountain and ambled over to the Spanish Steps to meet some friends of ours from Boulder who now live in Rome. It was so much fun to see them after so long!

 We went with our friends for a walk around the city and they knew of a hotel with a fabulous rooftop deck, so we headed there. We stopped to get the kids some gelato along the way, but for the most part they love walking and exploring. 

 Julie managed to remember where the hotel was (she had only visited once) and we were rewarded with this amazing view:

 One must make reservations for the Vatican and St. Peter's.  Well, I take that back. One should make reservations. I had made reservations well in advance, so we were good to go and arrived before our appointed time. The people at the Vatican were lovely and did not make us stand in the main line with the kids. We were immediately taken in a different direction that was completely closed to the public as it was easier to navigate with the stroller. We then took the long way through the museum as we made our way to the Sistine Chapel.

 Photos are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel, so I followed the rules. You could take photos in the museum, so we did that. I need to download Eston's camera because he took some lovely shots of the museum.

We bought some postcards so we could mail them from the Vatican, which is fun because it has its own stamps and post.

 Walking from the Vatican to St. Peter's:

The kids were mesmerized with the Vatican museum and St. Peter's. I think Aurelia was a bit overwhelmed by all of it. She stared at everything intensely and quietly for a long while and then decided to take a ride in the stroller and watch from there. Can't say I blame her as it is pretty intense.

It was such a nice day on Monday! We left the Vatican and wandered through the Trastevere neighborhood, which I could compare to the Village in NYC. Super cool and hop restaurants, stores, book shops, etc. 

Lunch time! They devoured it:

 We walked for about two hours and then took a break for some gelato.

 More wishes in another fountain! 

On Tuesday morning we woke up to rainy skies, so we packed the umbrellas and headed to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

 Aurelia inside the Pantheon:

 We left the Pantheon and Piazza Navona after a couple of hours and went back to the hotel to get our taxi to the airport. What a fun-filled weekend we enjoyed!

We flew Alitalia and they were so great with the kids. Families don't have to wait in line when checking in at the airport (both Barcelona and Rome). They wave you to the front immediately and tell you there is no waiting for families. And nobody gets angry or says a thing, they just smile at your children. Lufthansa also has a family check-in so you don't have to wait. Now, I don't mind waiting as it is an important skill for kids to learn, but it is awfully nice to get the bags and such sorted as quickly as possible. Are any airlines doing this in the USA for families?

Happy Holidays to everyone!