The Nice Diaries: Day 7 - Sunday 21 September 2008

Our last full day in Nice. Sunday in Nice is always a good opportunity to chill out and do very little. Unlike at home, most of the shops are closed although the souvenir shops are still open.

The day began with rain battering off the window of our hotel room, but it had subsided to a slight drizzle by the time we left after breakfast. Stopped for coffee then went down the promenade. Looking out to sea we saw a number of yachts (above) sailing down the coastline: turns out they were part of a regatta.

One particularly iconic image of Nice is the blue seats on the Promenade des Anglais. Unfortunately no-one was sitting on them today as they were still in the process of drying out from this morning's rain shower.

We walked as far as the Hotel Negresco, the most famous hotel in Nice (below) which remains a distinctive and stunning sight.

The rain had stopped in time for lunch. There are lots of lunchtime meal-deals which are good value if there’s something on the menu which appeals to you. Luckily that was the case today, and delivered a more quality lunching experience than yesterday’s nightmare.

It was "open doors" weekend in France. This is a big event when many buildings not usually open to the public throw open their doors for us to visit. We’d seen the Russian Orthodox cathedral (above), in the west of the city, for the first time five years ago and it still hasn’t lost its wow factor. Today for the first time we’d get to see the interior of this small but outrageously ornate building, and it didn’t disappoint. Altar? Call that an altar. Sadly I don’t have any photographs of the interior: but just imagine gold, and more gold, and flowers, and icons, and more icons, and more gold.

Back to hotel and watched Star Academy. Two days in and already I’m getting a little suspicious of the editing - it’s more "reality TV" than ever.

Out for dinner: nothing too adventurous tonight, yes more pasta ‘au pistou’. Fell in love with a waiter, much to faithful travelling companion’s amusement. Well it was my turn tonight: he’s had lots of female eye candy to keep him happy!
As usual, we wound up our night at a local bar, before heading back to the hotel, this time to continue packing. Going home tomorrow :((