The Nice Diaries: Day 3: Wednesday 12th September 2012

After a little late morning stroll it was time to revisit one of the things we did on our very first trip to Nice in 2003: take the "Petit Train" up to the Castle hill. 

The little train leaves from the promenade, and the round-trip takes about an hour.  Have a look at http://www.trainstouristiquesdenice.com/ for more information about the route etc. 

Once again I'm feeling very tired and washed-out so welcome the opportunity to take the weight off my feet and let the train take the strain, as the old advert used to say.  The little train goes through the old town, round the port and then climbs up to the castle hill where you get 15 mins or so to grab a quick drink and take some panoramic photos.  Here's what you get to see from up there:

It was a bit cloudier today, and around lunchtime we had precisely four drops of rain before things brightened up again.  The weather during this holiday has been just perfect - very warm, mid to high 20s, but not unbearably hot.  (Apart from the issues with my own personal "central heating" - which I won't go into here!)

Pizza time!  There are lots of good pizza restaurants on the Rue Massena, with their wood-fired ovens for that all-important authenticity.  We had lunch in one of them, then went for a walk around the Place Massena and the streets on the other end of the Avenue Jean Medecin.  We love our coffee, and we love our late-afternoon coffee stops.  Today it was the turn of the Grand Cafe de Lyon on the Avenue.  http://www.cafedelyon.fr/

It's not cheap, but as a people-watching spot it's first class.  Especially when you see an impossibly-gorgeous guy riding past on one of those "rickshaws".  Hot Rickshaw Guy became one of the highlights of my holiday :) 

Another stroll after coffee and back to the hotel to get ready for our final night in Nice.  Nothing too complicated tonight - back to the Rue Massena for another of our old fave restaurants.  Gnocchi time :)

Oh and don't forget onion soup, red wine, coffee, pastis...and how could I not forget faithful travelling companion's 6 escargots????  I won't mention the restaurant except to say that my nice hot waiter is still there, although the hair's beginning to recede a bit by now :(

One more thing to do: back to our "local" bar to hang out for a while and then it's back to the hotel.  Going home tomorrow :((((