Sitting on the train en route to Paris.  This will be a 5.5 hour journey and we are all settled in.  It was difficult to leave Nice, particularly on a perfect cloudless day.   Mostly in Nice we were beach bums—the waves were great and even I loved playing in them (be sure to ask Delaney about my colossal wipeout), but we did take a trip over to Monaco and Monte Carlo to see how the other half lives.   Yacht after Yacht lined up in the port and Bentleys and Ferraris and Rolls Royces, oh, my!  We took a tour of the less than 1 square mile country and learned lots of rich history.  I loved that part.  Also visited the Jaques Cousteau Aquarium, and watched the changing of the guard at the palace.  Kids were fascinated by real royalty,  and it was fun telling them about Grace Kelly.  Pictures of her were all over in the different areas of town.  She really was so beautiful.

We had a delicious dinner two nights ago at a restaurant called Papayou in Nice.  It’s French/Italian/Thai.   Sounds like a strange fusion, but it was one of the best meals we’ve had yet.  We had spring rolls and a burata, tomato, basil salad to start.  For dinner we ordered the duck in a red curry/coconut milk sauce, beef with thai basil, and a chicken dish served in lemongrass/coconut milk sauce.  For dessert we had peach soup with mint and chocolate mousse.  We had a bottle of Cote Du Rhone that was perfect with the meal.  Kids had the finest bottle of 2012 Coca Cola we could find.  As we finished dessert, a group of guys started playing folk versions of Michael Jackson and Jesse J, which made us all very happy.  Matt sent them each a beer.  That made the guys very happy.

appetizers

We took some photos out on the beach one evening just before sunset and found a good Samaritan to take a few of all of us together.  I love that we have photos to commemorate our time in Nice.  It is definitely among my fondest memories of the trip so far.  We were all together, relaxed, and happy.  It was frustrating that the internet was spotty, and that I didn’t not have my phone(I know it is sitting somewhere with the lost camera having a good laugh at my expense), but perhaps that was part of the charm. 

Delaney doing her "Blue Steel"

I am anxious that our time is winding down.  Have we done enough?  Have we seen enough?  I want more time!!  But I know when the dust settles and we have been home for a while, I will look back and know that we saw and did exactly the right amount.  And hopefully, we are all just a little bit better for it.

PS.  Just got to our hotel in Paris--our first hotel experience in Europe.  We have as many towels as we like and two separate rooms.  You know what that means, right?  You got it...we have our OWN bathroom and I don't have to share hair products with those two little divas!

Au revoir pour maintenant!
xo
Leah