An Afternoon in Nice, France.
It’s been a couple of weeks I have been absent, and this is two fold. First, because Spring has arrived in Lisbon. The sun has become a permanent fixture, and seventy-five degrees with a slight breeze means I am outdoors as much as possible. Springtime in Portugal is gorgeous, and it must be experienced in its fullest form. There is something poetic about sleeping with the windows open; feeling a gentle breeze kiss your skin, and hearing the muffled city sounds drown into the night. Needless to say, we are enjoying Portugal to its fullest.
The other reason is due to (another!) big change we are in the midst of orchestrating. Don’t worry, we aren’t leaving Portugal. Soon, I will dish more news.
But as for now, I thought I would share an afternoon we spent in Nice, France from a few weeks back. This post will be a bit more photo heavy than anything else. We were only there for around three hours, and I don’t feel qualified to make any travel suggestions. That is, other than make sure you walk the Riviera boardwalk at sunset. It is a sight to be seen.
While we were staying in Marseille, a quick google search said Nice was only a two hour drive away. We hopped in the car, and headed east to spend an afternoon in one of the most iconic spots on the French Riviera.
Whenever we arrive in a new town or city, I try to find a few minutes of alone time to break away from everyone. When I am by myself, undistracted, I begin to feel the heartbeat of the new place I am in. Like a fly on a wall, as much as I can be with a giant zoom lens mounted on my camera, I attempt to blend in to my surroundings and just observe.
My knowledge of Nice was pretty scarce, other than it being in the south of France, and this alone warranted a visit. What I wasn’t expecting was the extravagant wealth and pristine upkeep of the area. Driving in, we noticed sports cars everywhere, and people dripping in designer clothes. Not exactly our speed, but fun to witness none the less.
While the kids and Kyle headed to the pebble beach front, I took to the boardwalk to leisurely walk. There was quite a lot to take in: the architecture of the buildings facing the water, the older women dressed to impress with heads bent together in conversation, the street musicians, the kids on bikes popping up on their back tires.
The weather was perfect, slightly cool, and the entire city had a warm golden hue as the sun lazily took its time retiring to night. Kyle, the kids and I decided to opt for an open air cafe facing the beach. Typically, we steer away from any restaurants on the main strip of any location, as they are crawling with tourists, overpriced, and generic in food. Our predictions proved to be true, but it was still fun to sit and eat fatty, cheese laden French onion soup and people watch.
As the sun set, we decided to head back to Marseille. Our encounter with Nice was short, but such a sweet way to acquaint oneself with a new city.
Au Revoir, France. You were simply a dream.
Until next time.
x. Mandy in Portugal
All photos are copyright of Mandy Hanson Reid. Do not use without permission. Several of the photos featured are available for download or fine art physical prints on Etsy. Travel Manifesto x Mandy in Lisbon t-shirts will be returning to the shop soon.
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