Day: 10 July 2004

Nice – Bus

For this day, due to failing weather conditions, I have planned a bus trip.

For this in Nice you have a choice of modes, you have the small white choo choo bus, shaped like a train, favoured by very old and very young. Views aren’t great from the choo choo bus, pasengers simply have to satify themselves that they are making a spectacle and crawl along at exhaust pipe level until they reach their destination.

Alternative two is the big bus, the bus with no roof, what i call the bugger bus. If you have little else to do, you may find yourself on this bus, which is not in itself a bad thing to do. Headphones keep you company throughout your journey, and you are free to come and go, board and disembark as you please.

Below is a picture of this bugger bus and a view from across the port in Nice. I found the journey pleasing, the only thing I would recomend is that if you are planning to journey on the B bus get your ticket early on in the day this way you can get on and off many times at the points of interest. i.e. make a day of it.

B bus

Nice – Dogs

The French have a national obsession.. with dogs.
A Frenchman owns a dog much the same as anybody else would own a car, he buys it from new or secondhand, drives it around for a little showing it off. This is the French way.

french dogI have included this picture of a classical French dog and pose. When visiting French parks, especially city parks, you will becomes aware of just how important the social role of the dog, A canine represenative is essential when going forth breaking down and breaking down those froggy social barriers, sniffing, biting, frolicking when no-one is looking..

With the dog of course comes the dog poo, which again comes in all shapes and sizes as I’m sure we’re aware. This is one of Frances ever present hazards and should not be underestemited. The danger of mistrodden poo, especially under load or at perculiar angle can lead to slippage much to the amusement of onlookers. Be warned.

Nice – Nice Arrival

After strenous previous days travelling around, found a cheap hotel 52e per night up by station area.

Nice was one of those cities to which I took an instant liking.

The people and place, attitudes of the big city refreshing after wandering outback D’azur.

I have 5 days before I fly back to England, plenty of time to explore the city, kick back and relax.

St. Tropez – Boat trip

Took a little time to write up some blogs whilst waiting for the bus, Croque Monsueir in hand.

As with many things continental, bus timetables cannot be relied apon, and my maticulous timing in finishing my mid morning snack had not co-ordinated with the real arrival and departure times of the bus to St. Raphel.

Taking this as a glitch to add another few travel hours, I decided rather than hang around I might be able to catch the bus up in Martinez by getting a boat round the coast and rendezvous.

Found out there where different boats departing from the docks all the time, even more regularly than the buses. Made my way down there.

After Chinese whispers games with French nationals, followed my nose, stuck to my guns and managed to get a fare of 11e right the way to St. Raphel, much quicker and cheaper than the bus. Plus met lawyer girl who wanted to show me her apartment in Paris. Didn’t bother but this would have been the first time since leaving Barcelona that I’d met a ‘proper’ English speaker.

She tells me they used to do helicopter trips, but there was so many helicopters flying around ,it annoyed the locals and had to stop. Most of the bigger boats had their own helipads which you could see, moored outside the main St. Tropez waterway.

Didn’t see P Diddy or any other hanging out the back of any of these huge yachts.

Stopped in St. Rahpel for about 20 minutes, just long enough to get a ticket and get out of there to Nice.

This is the last port of call on my journey.