BEGINNING AND ENDING POINT: NICE

Nice, a popular springboard point into southeast France, nudging the Monaco/Italy border, was true to it's name. What a nice city! We scaled Castle hill for a fine vantage point with which to oversee the harbor and the activity along the Promenade des Anglais, noting the hypnotic waves lapping the Mediterranean shoreline and the streaming buzz of motorcycles, buses and cars. The Modern Art museum was a mixed bag: some art, interesting and thought provoking; some art, well, left me wondering: why??? A bus took us to the Matisse mansion housing a variety of his works, paintings and sculpture. The museum sits adjacent to the not so interesting archeology museum on one side, and a lovely park on the other, behind which sits a fabulous church, Ste Marie des Anges and Franciscan Museum (closed the day we visited). Behind the church/museum was a stunning park, favored by locals and tourists who meandered slowly chatting with each other, sitting quietly with their own thoughts, or kids playing at a gallop. Beautiful rose gardens, and comfortable spaces invited peace. The Fine Arts Museum, again true to its name, was really "fine", a lovely building with rear gardens, and some quality pieces, particulary by Jules Cheret's fanciful, colorful, animated style works. Other works by famous painters Raoul Dufy, Bonnard and Carpeaux. The majestic grande dame Hotel Negresco was fun to explore and we enjoyed seeing the whimsical sculpture of Niki de Saint Phalle. We savored the beckoning aromas of espresso at the ubiquitous cafés and hit upon culinary jackpots, of which the most notable was Villa d'Oeste restaurant.