Excerpts from the Malta to Nice tour

(7/4/05) We arrived by taxi (30 Euro) – MUCH easier than finding the one road down to the harbor on our own (which we did by car in late September, 2005)!   The charming town was just as we remembered it – but a LOT busier this time of year with tourists from a cruise ship and summer vacationers.  Hotel Welcome has undergone some more major renovations and refurbishing since we were last here, with the pleasant lobby now on street level, newly painted rooms, etc.  While waiting for check-in we enjoyed a leisurely walk along the harbor and beach, with the delightful view of fishing boats, sailboats, and beautiful St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat (“the Billionaires’ Peninsula) directly across from us.   Our cab driver told us that this harbor is the deepest in the world (!), and the “third most beautiful” (he didn’t know #1 & #2!).

            After an early 10:30 check-in and a quick partial un-pack, we took a cab to the picturesque hilltop town of Eze (in the ruins of a Saracen fortress) overlooking the Mediterranean and Cap Ferrat from the other side.  The old town was charming, with many impressive shops – but the steep climb was exhausting and the good restaurants extremely expensive, so we settled for a lighter lunch in Eze Village at the bottom of the hill (good soup, salads, and thin crust pizza).  We considered attempting a return by bus and train, but ended up calling our friendly taxi driver for the trip back to Villefranche, (Free City) our home base. We walked around the quaint maze of steps and alleyways, including the arched 13^th century Rue Obscure (the “old town”) – unchanged since the Middle Ages.
            A late and much-needed siesta was in order – then a shower and dinner at one of our favorite restaurants on the water near the hotel – L’Oursin Bleu.  It is rather expensive, but the food and service are worth it.  We all had a kir to celebrate the second phase of our vacation, then two delicious appetizers were shared – tempura vegetables and crab with artichokes.  Everyone ordered a different fish dinner (tuna, sole, sea bass, and anglerfish), and each was superb with a variety of delicious accompaniments.  Two desserts were shared – rich chocolate cake and warm lychees in mango sauce (the latter the only disappointment).  Capuccino was enjoyed at a rooftop café before a welcome night’s sleep.