Leaving Lucignano

I had spent a lovely fortnight in Lucignano but it was time to move on so I packed everything back into the LBR, said a fond farewell to Dario, receiving two rounds of the Italian cheek kissing, said farewell to Mama Dario and headed north towards Nice.
I arrived early afternoon and discovered that the hotel I had booked (Albert 1er, Rue de Phoceens)was so close to the Promenade des Anglais, that I was almost on the beach. Talk about good luck - you can't believe anything you read in accommodation guides so it is often a lottery, and so far not one I have won often so I was thrilled to discover that this one was a good one.
I promenaded down the promenade and walked back through the flower markets. I found an Irish pub which was offering fish and chips so I had an early dinner and a glass of wine. I went back to the hotel and got changed and went back to Ma Nolan's for an evening of Irish music and entertainment. I met up with a couple of NZ girls and it turned into a pretty messy night which didn't look too great the next day.
On the Sunday, despite feeling a little offcolour, I strolled along the promenade towards the Chateau and climbed what felt like hundreds of steps and took photos of the magnificent views over the Baie des Anges. I also passed the Cascades which were a very welcome cooling agent after the climb and climbed on up to the gardens at the top, which overlooked the old port. It certainly is a rugged coastline, but very beautiful.
The gardens closed at 7.00pm so I walked back down Rue Massena, one of the main shopping precincts in Nice, although it was closed by then. However, there were lots of cafes, bistrots and restaurants open and I stopped at one for dinner. I decided I wasn't too hungry so opted for 2 entrees but either one of them would have done me as a main meal, and both were delicious. After dinner, I headed back toward the hotel and found a restaurant called Le Maori but I couldn't see anything that looked even vaguely Maori about it. There were lots of street performers and sellers along the way. I was particularly intrigued to watch as artists using spray paints, creating wonderful pictures in only 3 - 5 minutes. Some of the techniques they used to create the effects were very clever, and I watched several works being created.
Easter Monday, and time to move on. Nice was lovely, and probably more so if money is no object, but it is hideously expensive.Before I left, I took one last stroll down to the flower markets, which had miraculously turned into a fleamarket. I spent quite some time puddling around the stalls and was surprised to find some real gems amongst the rubbish. There was some lovely china and silverware, as well as some cheaper stuff. I also found a second hand book stall which had some English books, so I got a couple of them and headed off to a cafe on the beachfront and sat and read one of my purchases while I had lunch, before I headed off to Beaulieu sur Mer.