Its nice in Nice!

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but you know they’re always there

 

We were so privileged to have some of my best friends fly half way around the world to meet us in Nice to celebrate my 30th. What a treat! Good friends that go back years are a privilege to be with as although words cannot sum up years, with them it somehow becomes irrelevant. History becomes a bond that connects you by virtue of shared experiences, memories and commonality.

 

It was a brief respite into the land of the French, and beautiful reminder of the simplicity of the Mediterranean way of life. We started off on a rather unfortunate note as although it was glorious weather (in the double digits  – a high of 11 degrees!) our bag got lost en route meaning a swim was out of the question. Instead we were able to amble along the streets of the Vieux Ville whilst waiting to check in to our apartment, scouting out the best places for fromage, charcuterie and croissants. We lazed in the Place de la Garibaldi after having browsed in an antique market, then cooked a fresh mushroom pasta to celebrate the reunion.

 

The next day we lazily set off into the grey skies to explore the Old City and climbed to the top of the “Cascade” before descending into the heart of the harbour with its fancy yachts. We went for dinner at a typically Nicoise restaurant.

The next day our friend Johan (who had previously done the Nice Ironman) wanted to show us the 180km cycle leg they had done. So we hired a car (a tiny Panda as the booking got lost in translation) and all 5 of us squeezed in to begin the next ‘leg’ of the adventure. When he told us you climbed for the first 75 km I don’t think any of us believed it was true, but we did. Just when you thought the climb was over, a corner was turned and one could see the road snaking ever higher, ever further up. We drove through the villages of Tourettes, Vence, Carros, Coursegoules. As we climbed higher and higher, snow started to fall and the beautiful blue skies of Nice gave way to thick grey cloud, sleeting snow and signs advising you to proceed with snow tyres or chains. Banks of snow lined the roads and being a Monday, most villages had little to offer in the way of prepared food. We trudged on and came across the beautiful cobbled, fortified village of Carros. We were the only customers in a tiny pizzeria, and had a lovely meal. The warmth was a welcome respite from the bitingly cold wind that persevered outside!

The next day we awoke to find that our Panda had been removed to the nearest Pound as we had parked illegally, unknowingly as there had been no “no Parking” signs in sight. Being a beautiful day, we decided to hire rollerblades and skate to the Pound. 3 miles felt like a long way, especially int the headwind! But it was glorious to try something new, feel the sun on your skin and take a few risks. We got the car back, dropped it at the airport and caught the bus to Monaco.

After a quick lunch, we set out exploring into the Old City around the Palace. The Church holding Grace Kelly’s tomb stone was a favourite memory of mine from when I last visited almost 10 years ago. This time however, a string orchestra was practicing some pieces while we walked around. The acoustics were amazing, and had it not been warm sunshine outside, I think we would have been tempted to sit there all afternoon. We walked through the gardens down to the harbour and gawked at the size and beauty of the yachts, before heading upwards and onwards to the Casino. We were told about the hidden mall  opposite the casino which was quite a sight – gorgeous chandeliers, marble staircases and shops to die for!

 

And the time flew too fast! We had a lovely last dinner  – French Bourginon stew cooked by Idelette  with Laurent Perrier Champagne to celebrate by birthday in advance. I was spoilt by my dear friends and before we knew it we were back on the ‘Bus d’Aeroport’ and running for flight departures.

 

Til the next adventure mon amis….

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost…but not quite

This month marks our sixth month in the UK. We are amazed. It seems that time has flown and yet dragged.

Spring is almost here… daffodils are popping up in garden corners, our snow drops have blossomed and everywhere signs of spring abound.

Daffodils at Nottingham Hospital

Spring blossoms on a tree in London

The promise of blossoms to come!

We were in the forest last weekend and bluebell buds littered the forest floor, giving anticipation the the beauty that was to come. However, this weekend is a reminder that spring is not quite here – snow is forecast to fall this afternoon and it is grey and damp, the story of the past few days. It is not as cold as it was a month ago, but the dampness does see to make it feel colder!

Last weekend we went to see the ‘coppicing’ and traditional forest maintenance in the next village, Grindleford. Unfortunately the day was grey and a bit cold but we had a good walk about, and got to see a different part of the Peak area in which we live. The great big work horses were on lunch break when we were there, but they were pulling the cut trees to a car park, with minimal environmental impact. It was lovely to see everyone out and about enjoying the forest!

A warm cup of tea can do wonders!

Guy petting the workhorse

Two weeks ago, I went for a bike ride with a new friend and her two kids. When she asked if I would mind ‘pulling’ them up the hill I answered “without a problem”. I did not realise this meant pulling a buggy around perpetually! It was a great introduction to buggy-pulling and we cycled around the entire Dam/Lake system here on a lovely morning. As you can see, it is almost spring, but not quite!

Troll bridge! (or so we told the children’s)

SNOW!! Still covering a lot of the higher ground.. And the buggy’s we pulled

Ice covering the surface of part of the dam

The Derwent Dam system

When I glance at some of our photos, you can see that our behaviour has changed since the lengthening of the days and the warmer weather. We have had some glorious days that really pre-empted that springtime feeling. We have tried to go for sundowners (albeit in our down jackets) and had some fabulous exploratory runs. Spring is almost here…but not quite.

The view from Stanedge Edge

Frosty sundowners!

A run across the top of Stanedge Edge

The views on a glorious day..

And so we remain hopeful that the winter season is passing for this year in more than just the season of our life. Spring is trying to press through, and we are starting to feel more settled, more comfortable and more able to grow in this place. Spring is almost here in the flowers and weather and longer hours, and it is almost here in our lives too – I have a permanent post, we are feeling more settled and into our routines. But its not quite rosy weather yet, snow is still lining the walls in the fields, and forecast to fall. I am still searching for something nearer as the 3 hour daily commute is proving to be a test for my soul (my husband was right) and we are still finding our niche in our lives here.

However, to help spring along in our lives, we leave in a week for our first holiday with good friends from Canada. We cannot wait to have four days of being tourists and sightsee-ers and catching up with friends who we;ve laughed with for almost 10 years. Here’s to spring and celebrations and hope for the future!

Hope!