travelswithalice

On Cx 260 to Hkg

2026-05-31T12:41:02.014+08:00

Monday, May 11.

On flight home, a toast to a fabulous holiday! ❤️

Le Franc-Tireur

2026-05-31T12:29:37.535+08:00

Sunday, May 10.

A lucky choice for our final Paris dinner. Looked like an authentic neighbourhood bar- restaurant, so we walked in.

The welcome was not exactly warm, everyone looked uncertain or curious about Laura and me just casually walking in. As the waiter standing outside seemed preoccupied, we bypassed him and went in.

The lady at the counter looked confused so I asked for a table for dinner. The waiter who had been chatting with a diner outside rushed in and led us to a table.

The food took a long time to come but when it did, it was excellent. Laura liked her onion soup and I was very impressed with my tagine. The chicken was slow cooked coming off the bone and the accompanying vegetables were classic, complete, no substitutions. Big serving, I couldn't finish it. So good I kept on even after I knew I was eating too much.

The waiter looked pleased when he saw I was enjoying my meal.

Good? he asked. I said everything was good. The onion soup and the tagine. He was unimpressed.

I guess the look he gave me was French for "But of course."

Mystery Church

2026-05-31T12:13:29.617+08:00

Church mystery

I have to find out what church this is. We look down at it from our Room 2231.

Wikipedia says-

Elise de Notre Dame de la Compassion.

It was originally built in 1842–43 as a memorial chapel to Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, the heir to King Louis-Philippe of France, who was killed in a road accident in 1842. It was built in the Neo-Byzantine style, with elements of Gothic, Baroque and other styles, and was originally called the Chapelle Royale Saint-Ferdinand. In 1970 it was moved stone by stone from its original location a short distance away to make space for the new Palais des Congrès.

Later, at the Hyatt Regency

2026-05-24T23:10:33.871+08:00

Saturday, May 9.

Back to civilisation at Hyatt Regency, the universe smiles again.

Seeing the queue at the checkin/checkout counter, I walked up to the World of Hyatt desk, prepared to claim legitimacy as a Globalist. It didn't even come up.

Pushing my luck, I asked if our room had a view which of course I hadn't booked for. The lovely receptionist who we later discovered was called Philippine very graciously told us she was giving us a room on a high floor with a good view but not of the more requested Paris view including the Eiffel Tower etc.

Parfait!

Happily settled in our room, we freshened up then went off to explore the neighborhood.

The concierge assured us that all the restaurants nearby are good. We kept away from the more immediately accessible ones in search of something less touristy.

We found a small friendly bistro called La Ville des Ternes. House wine with my saltimbocca and Laura's pasta.

Last 2 days on holiday

2026-05-24T23:05:13.716+08:00

Friday, May 8.

It was Grace's last day and we planned to have a goodbye lunch before she headed off to the airport. But there was a to-do about leaving our luggage at Ibis probably because we had already checked out.

I was annoyed at the fuss about our leaving our luggage and the hotel has not exactly been the most hospitable establishment anyway, so I felt it was best to just get the hell out of there and go directly to the Hyatt Regency where I had already booked a room the night before.

I suggested Grace come with us and await her flight in our hotel. In the end, she decided to stay and leave her luggage at Ibis because she had last minute things to do at Gare de Lyon before flying home.

Our goodbye lunch effectively canceled, we said our goodbyes there and then. It was a quick goodbye, not the leisurely afternoon we had planned.

At L'Orangerie

2026-05-24T12:12:00.000+08:00

Wednesday, May 6.

My happy place.

We walked all the way from the Louvre to the Tuileries garden and queued for hours to get in the museum. We stayed until closing time and took the bus home. Bus no. 27.

Printemps

2026-05-23T18:01:41.738+08:00

Thursday, May 7.

At Printemps. Lunch at Blue Dome.

After lunch, Grace had errands to do, so Laura and I did some shopping and dropped in at the Hilton Paris Opera.

We stopped for dinner at the bistro right across from the hotel. It turned out to be a good choice. Laura had her vegetarian something and I had magret de canard.

Paris

2026-05-23T17:50:45.820+08:00

Tuesday, May 5.

We took the Big Bus Tour plus a river cruise. It rained on our very first day in Paris but we enjoyed the tour.

It was cold but Laura gamely went up to the top. Later, on the river cruise, she stayed at the top in the rain too and loved it.

Best forgotten Hotel Ibis, at Gare de Lyon whether in Room 507 or Room 101.

The more things change, the more it's the same thing.

Hatching up a plan to cheer ourselves up.

Travels with Stuart, reprise.

The plan:

1. Lunch at Brasserie du Louvre

2. Visit Hilton Paris Opera

https://www.travelswithalice.com/search?q=Paris&m=1

https://www.travelswithalice.com/2022/08/paris.html?m=1

Leaving the Cote d' Azure

2026-05-23T17:41:55.007+08:00

5 am pickup for Antibes train station.

Antibes to Aix, then change for Paris Gare de Lyon.

Côte d'Azur, OUIGO and Frecciarossa to Paris. A very different Frecciarossa from the one Stuart and I took in Italy.

Quite a come down. It's a hard life traveling like this.

I guess the title of my next book will have to be TRAVELS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STUART.😀

Sunday in St Paul de Vence

2026-05-23T17:13:24.806+08:00

Bon jour! Selfie of the day. (Photo too graphic to publish.) No sore throat, no white spots. Excellent. Just intermittent cough, surely allergy.

Thankfully, the hours are merely chimed until midnight (but twice, 5 minutes apart).

However, today Sunday, the bells pealed away countless times, summoning all to mass I guess.

Lunch at La Litote, just up the lane. Nothing to write home about. I had to say Excellent! when the very eager owner asked, just to be nice. He did try but his veggies obviously came out of a frozen pack from the grocery store.

Bonne nuit.

Early morning pickup tomorrow at 5.

Train tickets for Monday to Antibes, then onward to Paris.

USD 380.72 for 2 train tickets.

Video chat with Baby and the church bells.

2026-05-23T16:45:33.983+08:00

Video call re Baby's allergy, Laura's car sickness, and most importantly my 401k.

About those church bells...

Not only do they strike the hour, they strike the quarter and half hours, as well as the hours. Twice. What? Why?

I had to check this out. So, of course I googled it:

"Though common in their origin, Morbier clocks ( I suppose most other clocks since too) had the unique quality of striking twice on the hour. Some say it was so that a person could catch the exact time on the second striking. Another reason put forward was to remind people of prayers."

Thankfully though, these church bells don't actually strike the hours etc. A recorded chime does it, less boisterously. Also, only until midnight. Sigh...

You do get used to it though.

Left Nice for Vence

2026-05-23T16:32:31.762+08:00

May 1.

We Uber'd it to St Paul de Vence. Uber XL 6pax €51.98 =€17.32 each. A sleek black Benz. But Laura was car sick.

In St Paul de Vence.

The apartment is lovely. Just off a tiny church square.

The people here are so nice. A lady who owned a restaurant nearby looked for our apartment and a young couple who just happened to be on the street took us there and carried all our luggage. The guy- Italian from Genoa- carried our 2 heavy suitcases up several flights of stairs to the 2ème étage like they were small Loewe handbags.

Meanwhile, I think Laura's been sick in the bathroom and now resting in bed.

I just hope the church bell doesn't strike the hour through the night. It just did now at 2 in the afternoon.

Grounded!

2026-05-23T16:11:41.873+08:00

April 30.

We're on the Côte d'Azur and I'm coughing. Took to bed with Virlix and sent Laura out to explore with Grace.

Back on land in Nice

2026-05-23T15:50:08.847+08:00

April 28.

Lunch at Planxa.

End of Cruise

2026-05-23T15:48:13.425+08:00

April 28.

Breakfast on board.

Uber to Hotel Paganini.

Checked in and paid upfront EUR 440.52. (USD 515)

USD 171 per night per person.

At Hotel Paganini, there were 2 Mohammads: a Good Mohammad and a Bad Mohammad.

In Nice

2026-05-23T15:44:28.368+08:00

April 27.

Docked on Quai du Commerce. Reconnaissance walk in preparation for tomorrow's move to Hotel Paganini.

Laundry Day

2026-05-23T15:39:37.716+08:00

April 26.

Comp laundry for suites.

White Night

2026-05-23T15:35:31.097+08:00

We joined the Trivia game while waiting for the evening's White Night.

At White Night.

Someone stole our table! Euro trash just discarded a sweater we left at the table as directed by our waiter.

A table was of course set up for Laura and me. So much nicer!

Azamara Crew Parade

Mosaic Cafe

2026-05-23T15:27:12.127+08:00

Breakfast at Mosaic

St Tropez

2026-05-23T15:22:08.562+08:00

April 26

Marseille Cathedral

2026-05-23T15:08:41.474+08:00

St Veronique

Marseille

2026-05-23T14:59:02.867+08:00

April 24

Monaco with Fiona

2026-05-21T18:04:26.005+08:00

La balançoire aux Ballerines de Louis Cane (Ballerina Swing)

OOTDs

2026-05-21T18:01:56.852+08:00

OOTDs

2026-05-21T18:00:27.147+08:00