August 2010 - France
It’s taken 25 blogs for me to finally be in some familiar territory. Today was the day that I would return to Provence.
Driving to Nice from Monaco was surprisingly quick. We stopped once in a small town called Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat because we quite literally drove past a restaurant Mum and Dad had eaten years ago. I couldn’t believe it, they were talking about it and a few minutes later “That was it.” We found this REALLY nice public beach, barely any people in site and I am so planning on wearing my bikini when I go into Nice.
It was great, we drove into Nice from the east and having only seen the airport (which is west) it was a treat that once again I waited four years for. But I seemed to be destined NOT to go to Nice. It was midday and parking was impossible. Thomas was back again for another round of back seat fun and games but was not very cooperative AT ALL. Just as we decided to get out of Nice Dad was in the middle of a strange intersection that everyone wanted to occupy at the same time, including two buses and an oncoming tram. It was an Eckk moment.
So giving up on Nice (at least for today) we headed instead Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, to Fraganord, which would have been one of the first things I ever blogged about. We parked in exactly the same carpark (I got us there with street signs and not Thomas), we walked out right across the road from the perfume museum. It was just a shame they had stalls in this plaza area above the carpark because it was a killer view from up there.
Into the museum and it has changed from the last time I was there, there is a new building in the back but you still walk through the old building, but Dad didn’t know that, he didn’t know there was an old building, he lost us and subsequently searched for 30 minutes to find us whilst we were having a great time sniffing away and looking at perfume bottles. He was not impressed when he found us. Then he had to wait around in the store whilst Mum and I tried all the perfumes and bought half the store (normal when you are here).
By the end of the museum and the shop I had perfume taste in the back of my mouth because I had gone sniffing so much. I was almost glad for the fresh air (and ice cream).
Thomas was not cooperating again so instead of becoming lost on the back streets from Grasse to the Hotel I navigated us back to the highway and back the way I usually came into the Hotel. Nothing much has changed, you turn off, the beautiful lake is on your left, there are a few more shops on the street to Fayence but other than that it is the same. How wonderful it was to be in familiar territory, how wonderful it was not to rely solely on Thomas to show us the way.
The Hotel hasn’t changed much either but I have noticed that the trees are now taller, blocking a lot of the view that I had four years ago. You can still see but it wasn’t as spectacular as before, seeing the three villages in front of your eyes. Now you have to find the gaps so you can see one of the villages. But that’s ok, it didn’t really bother me because all I wanted to do this afternoon was head STRAIGHT to the pool.
It’s a shame that it is cooler here. The water is beautiful but above the water… lets just say it’s an all in or all out kind of thing. We headed back to the room at 6pm with two hours to burn until dinner. I showered, sat on the deck chair out on our patio in my bathrobe and that’s when decide to deliver the amenity. This beautiful strawberry and cream sponge cake with Congratulations written on chocolate. Not sure why I deserve congrats, but I was more than happy to take the cake. Dad wanted to eat it then and there but that was around 7pm and neither Mum or I wanted to spoil dinner, we would save it for dessert.
Dinner was Spaghetti Cabonara (yum) and chicken in this BBQ sauce (drool). This is the food I remembered, everything is delicious here. Back in the room for dessert and we al had two helpings of the cake. There is a small amount left in the fridge, possibly dessert when we get back from tomorrow’s adventures.
Sleep… though my bed does slope down like one of those supposed flat bed chairs in business class, maybe it is preparing me for something.