“Fall in love with moments” -Unknown
Day 2 - Old Nice
We have made it! Iconic, brightly colored buildings, outdoor dining, narrow streets lined with bakeries, and smiling faces with glasses raised to toast! The exhilaration can be felt day and night as you walk around Old Nice. Nice has Italian roots and it shines through in Old Nice with checkered table clothes and infinite pasta options. We have landed in the best of both worlds as we are in a French country that has subtle Italian undertones.
Chagall Museum
An unusual twist in the history of this museum is that it was created during Chagall’s lifetime. Opening in 1973, it encompasses seventeen paintings that depict biblical messages from the books of Genesis, Exodus, and the Song of Songs. Our local guide provided a detailed story as we went image to image. She also described the patterns that appear in his art, his famous stained glass windows, the mosaic overlooking the pond, and the additional work he added to the collection after it had opened. Picasso has been quoted as saying that “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is.” It is such a powerful statement that resonates with you as you walk through the Chagall Museum.
The exploring continues...
We thought it would be enjoyable to visit Castle Park, the highest altitude in Nice. This location has ruins of the former Chateau de Nice and is considered one of the best lookouts in Nice. Instead of taking mini train, the Ascenseur, to the top, we decided to walk up the incline and take photos.
We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon exploring Nice, napped, and headed out on our own that evening. |
We opted out of the Musee Matisse (Matisse Museum) and Roman Ruins, and instead went out to explore the city. Here is where Mike, the photographer, really started to shine! And his lovely assistant, Ashley, carried the water bottles and kept him from walking into traffic.
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Daily Snapshot
~Take your camera everywhere. There was a question if cameras were allowed in the Chagall Museum so Mike left his on the bus. When we entered, the policy had changed to allow photography.
~Try to attend all of the scheduled activities by your tour guide. We regret missing out on the Musee Matisse, even though we enjoyed walking around the city together. Rick Steves tours are designed to take you to the highlights of the area. We should have taken a brief tour of the museum, and then headed out on our own. In addition, we were still on our own tour of Nice when our group went on a walking tour of Old Nice that afternoon. Apparently we missed the best gelato in the city! |