Today is a day of first: first tender port (and only, fortunately!) and first day that looks like it actually will turn out to be nice weather! We are up and out fairly early, because we are taking the train to Antibes. We can’t really get our bearings though on the location of the ship. It seems we are in an odd location, but we’ve not been here in ages, so we think we are mis-remembering.
The tender process is a breeze – didn’t sit in the waiting area for more than 5 minutes and we were off. Fantastic! Tender takes about 10 minutes, which seems too long to us – and well – when we get off – we see why! We are at the “alternate” tender point which is like 3 miles from the main town area of Cannes! Bummer. We need to be at the train station – and walking looks (even for us) like a totally long slog. Fortunately the lovely travel info lady tells us of the #8 bus that is just up the street – 1 Euro each and we ride into town in about 10 minutes. Totally simple.
The train station is a few blocks from the bus stop –and there it is simplicity as well. Ticket office is brand new (leather settees and cubes to sit on while in line, really nice!) and tickets are easy and cheap (10 euros total, round trip for both of us). We even have 10 minutes to spare for the train. Gotta love it when it all goes off without a hitch!
The regional train here goes everywhere! A couple of minutes and you can be in Nice or Monaco – or virtually anywhere on the French Riviera. It’s so fast, and simple and cheap! We could come stay here for a couple of days and really see so much around the area. Hmmm..something to think about!
Our train arrives and the ride is fast – only 11 minutes zipping down the coastline – and we’re walking down the long water promenade in Antibes before we know it. There are tons of yachts here – and we mean yachts! And a great fortress that sits up above the harbor across from the fortressed town. Since this was the last harbor before Italian border, it was heavily protected from invasion – thus the fortress and the huge thick ramparts surrounding the town. Of course now, it’s a huge boating/yachting town with bars, pubs and restaurants all catering to the British and Australian crowd that comes along with the yachts.
We stop at just such a pub, right inside the ramparts, for a cappuccino before we head off into the old town proper to explore. Sadly, it is Monday though – so the fabulous Picasso museum here is closed. The incredible town market (produce, flowers, etc.) is also closed. As are a number of shops as well. Today, Antibes is a sleepy medieval sort of town, but that makes walking around and exploring all the easier.
We hit the main promenade,which is a little busier as we approach the noon hour. Just walking around here is so fun, and relaxing. The shops are great too – but we just window shop – looking at all the great euro style clothes and shoes. Fun!
We head back to the train station through the “new” part of town, past stores and cafes and restaurants now bustling with activity. The trains are so frequent, we don’t even have to wait 10 minutes for our ride back to Cannes. 11 minutes later….and we are back. Cannes is bustling as well, outdoor cafes starting to fill up with customers, the little trolley train tours are full to capacity and people are everywhere.
We decide to take our 1 euro bus back to the ship for lunch instead of staying in town. For the prices here, well, it just isn’t worth it to stay outside for food. Plus, it’s a short port call, so we’d just as soon be back on the ship and enjoying the nice weather from our balcony with a glass of wine and beer without the rush. So – off we go to do just that!
Another lovely sail away from the balcony – and another standard ritual night: relax, gym, Vines for Sashimi, Michelangelo for dinner then balcony for night caps. Tomorrow – Barcelona!
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