Nice to Lucca & Train Travel Tips.

I must learn italian before we arrive.  Totally disoriented with the change up in languages from french to italian ...and I do not know italian!  Ciao!

Breakfast of champs: a coke and donuts!

Yesterday was train travel day.

Still in Nice, we awoke at 6am.  Packed, ready, checked out, coffee and croissant, and trip across town and on the train by 7:53am.  Booyah.  We barely made our first train though.  Running around with backpacks and luggage trying to catch trams, trains, and the spirit of traveling when you are foreign ... priceless!  And, crazy craziness.

One train to the next ... not really knowing our next stop because all of the annoucements are in french or italian and they talk super fast.  Obviously, we can't read the signs either.  We keep cracking ourselves up with our know how, or lack thereof.

Four different trains later, traveling along the coast of France and Italy, we arrive at the Lucca train station!

But let me just tell you a little more about train travel.  Some trains = nice, even luxurious.  Some trains = not nice.  You get way more room than on airplanes or maybe even in a car.  Your luggage comes with you wherever you go and it doesn't get looked through or checked.  ( Only on the Eurostar, from London to Paris, did our bags go through a scan and we through a metal detector.)  Anyways, I digress.  You put your bags either above you on racks or behind your seats or in a luggage designated area.  Each seat area usually has a table or a pullout table/tray, mini trashcan, drink holders, or cubbies of somesort.  Sometimes we got seats across from each other with a table in between, sometimes in a cabin of six seats, sometimes in a cabin by ourselves.

Bathrooms on trains are funny.

The older or smaller train lines are quite amusing when trying to use the toilet.  First, the train is not still.  You have to walk down a narrow hallway, swaying each step.  Well, the cat comes out in you on the trains, metros, trams, and buses.  The sprawl of the feet to stabilize oneself occurs naturally (most of the time).

Once you arrive at the toilet, you never know what you are going to get.  It could be clean, most were a little smelly, and most, well all, you can't "sit" on the toilet.  The squat and hover mode is in count.  BUT, remember the train is a movin' and a swayin', so when in Rome ... you have to balance and a move and a sway to make sure you hit the target!  On one train, the glass mirror cabinet was broken and would not latch ... and it was a train that was not smooth and very bumpy.  So here I am, already hovering mid air (very carefully as to not fall or slam into the wall), TP was already in hand, while with my right hand ALSO holding onto a 2' x 2' mirror door ... trying to, well you know, tinkle!  Straight up craziness.

You know you are a good traveller when this occurs and you can make it happen.  I was laughing aloud, cackling maybe ... if only someone had a camera to capture that awkward moment!  Some bathrooms were so smelly, you couldn't even go into the hall or corridor to even attempt to go.  Others, people left you a big nice surprise.  Others let the goods drop right on the train tracks as you went!  Push a pedal with your foot, and viola!, you see a 3" circle open up to a full on view of blurred train tracks and gravel and there it goes.

The rides were beautiful on the outside of the trains ... I can't even describe all the gorgeous scenery that blurs by you.  I found myself wanting to snap a picture every other second, but I think I have been unsuccessful on fast trains.

The views you see of the countryside or cities or industrial areas or along the coast or the through the mountains ... the view is like what you'd imagine in your best dreams.  Pictures you've seen of any of these places cannot compare to seeing in the flesh.  The sky is bluer, the grass is greener, clouds whiter and fluffier, flowers more beautiful and bountiful.  The trees, my God, are gorgeous in shape and size and color and the negative space created around the outline is brilliant.  You see fields of crops, flowers, stone, solar panel fields, wind turbines large and small, little houses, big houses, castles, villages, and oceans and lakes and seas.  Throughout France you see tons of patches of yellow (juene!) flowers, then red (rouge) flowers.  What are they?  Poppies, maybe?

Something else I found fascinating while on the train ... is when you turn your head upwards and watch all the lines (not sure if they were electricity or telephone or train lines, maybe all) and at that speed in which the train passes them by ... they shift and move with ease, as to believe they are a music instrument being played out as you ride along.  You can't hear it, but you can feel and imagine it's beat and pulse.  Va voomp va vomp va va vomp va voomp, da doomp.  Must say I found it gorgeous.

It's the reflection you see while traveling, the energy created, the perception of your very own eyes, it's splendor.  Traveling is insightful to what you find important, what you seek maybe.  It's a beautiful process, with highs and lows and lots of reflection AND a lot of intake.  The output comes later.

OH, back to the trains!  They can change the schedule at any time, so be prepared.  Some trains come through the station, stop, let off people, and the new back on in just a minute or two.  Others park for a handful of minutes, others like 30 minutes.  You never knew, so here's a tip ... get your ass in gear and be ready at a moment's notice to hop on.  Also, mind the gap, especially on older trains.

BUT the main tips I have is to pack LIGHT, super light, always be prepared for change, and go with it.  If not, you'll have a horrible trip, ok? Ok.  

Just go with it.  

Some train station along the way.
 

I loved all the tunnels.

Beautiful flowers!

Oh, an OLD train.

Our one leg pigeon friend we met along the way.

Tired traveller, but OH SO happy.

I encouraged Steven to journal on the trip, very good for him!

And, of course, I wrote like a man woman.

City side.

Old trains.

A village picture.

Carrara marble, one of my favorites!

I wish that were Steven and I on that bike!

Relaxing in Nice.

We had no plans while in Nice, really not knowing much about it ... just flying by the seat of our pants.  So, we just started walking around and exploring.  When we'd need a little break, well, you know, we just stopped for a nibble and, of course, a beer.

The weather was just perfect in Nice, being on the coast and all.  Warm and so much beautiful sunshine.  We obviously relaxed along our trip, but this was a town where we focused on that.

Oh, the Nutella crepe was AMAZING.

The middle of town on your way to the walkway around the coast.

I loved these sculptures throughout the center of town.

We'd hop on and off these when needed, pretty cool.

Must have been an airport really close by!

The light cast such awesome shadows.

The way to travel here.

Beautiful colors.

Hotel Le Petit Trianon, Nice, France.

We are on our third train today traveling through Italy. We're heading from Nice, France to Lucca, Italy.  We've just spent two nights in Nice and it was nice. Here's a little recap of the nice Nice adventures.


Once we arrived in Nice on Sunday, we wanted to catch a taxi because our hotel was close.  We find one in a few minutes, driver seemed nice enough and even spoke English very well (you don't find that a ton).  He drives us about a kilometer then says he has to drop us off to walk down Rue de Paradis, obviously no cars are allowed on that street.  Then he proceeds to charge us 17 euros for the ride!  It was supposed to be about 5 euros.  Jerk ripped us off and we mentioned it, but after traveling on trains all day, we just let it go.  Sometimes you have to do that, when traveling, and definitely in life.

JUST GO WITH IT.

The street right outside our hotel.

Around our hotel.

Our little quaint hotel, if that is what you call it.

We arrive at Hotel Le Petit Trianon, which is in an awesome location, right in the middle of town. The hotel itself is on the third floor of the building.  No lift and just stairs made of marble.  So, we arrive to a big wooden door and a key pad to the right.  Then a girl comes and pushes a button for us, she's staying in the building too I guess?  Then, she walks into town.  Then, a young Russian girl greets us in the tiniest reception area I've ever seen ... one small room large enough for one simple desk and chair across from it, two small side chairs.

So, she is from Russia, we are from the USA, and we are all in France.  She speaks some English, but very funny and shaky and we speak no Russian.  Between both of our terrible french, we somehow communicate.  Thing is, this hotel does not really keep a reception area, nor offer any services, etc.  Not that impressed at this point.  It's more like an upscale hostel that costs 90 euros a night and not even a coffee pot in the room.  BUT they were kind enough to leave one plastic bottle of water with two glasses.  It was a decent place.

There are only 7 rooms total in the "hotel" and all down one narrow hallway, then the tiny reception area on your way out the door.  It was, however, renovated nicely with simple, soft neutrals and browns.  The room was tiny but efficient and we even had a small balcony ... overlooking the backs of the buildings, which was not so elegant.  It had double french windows to get onto the balcony, a small potted orange tree, and a chair. So I was happy I could get fresh air instead of having to go up and down three very long flights of stairs!

Tiniest shower along the trip thus far.  Tough for Steven!

This is how it was set up?!

Oh the Traveling

Traveling is so much fun.  When you have a chance, do it.  Actually, make today your chance, go and see what's out there.

We have officially left the beautiful city of Paris and now we are on a TGV train that is heading to Valence, then we hop on another train to Nimes, France.  Nimes is the closet train station to our destination, Uzes, France.  Once in Nimes, it's about a 30 minute taxi ride.

Side note on the train travel:  Every time another train passes us, it seriously jolts me!  Lots of speed and pressure happening around here. Wow.  I love all the beautiful pure white, cream cows in the pastures.  They really pop against the uber green grass and radiant blue sky.  There is so much greenery and crops and yellow flowers to see on our trip through the french country side!  But train travel is hilarious and I'm a pretty big fan these days.  Acting silly and enjoying the ride is what it's all about.

Anyhooo, next chapter of our little fun amazing blessing of a trip.  Goodbye Paris, Hello Uzes!

Pictures from this leg of the journey ....

Train travel is cool.  C'mon the US of A, let's get more trains!

Oh, hello Great Gatsby eyes.

Beautimous.

Why yes, L is for loser ... or lovely.

Our snoring, but sweet train neighbor.

I love the french country side, sign me up!

Obsessed with these white cows.

Oh look, a wee little village.

Nimes, France train station.

Just a little sign on a door in the bathroom of the train station.  Pleasantries.

Transportation in Paris

In my last post, I shared a little bit about what I saw of the car situation in Paris.  All good if thats what you're into, but I really dig the other possibilities.  These options make much more sense to me!    

Bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles are where it's at.  They are everywhere and I saw all kinds and types! They actually looked like a very comfortable, realistic, and very cool type of transportation for this beautiful city, especially in all that traffic!  Take a look at some previous post for some cool shots around the city of this cool way to get around and in the mean time, here's some more.

Looks cool, right?

And way easier parking!

Ok, this one is not as spiffy but, hey, I'd drive it!

Rental bikes, pretty cool right?

Just be careful! Ha.  

Bicycles are cool.

But you've got to know by now that Paris has pretty good public transportation systems set up.  The metros, trams, trains, and buses, even boats for the river Seine.  Take a quick look at this article here for a  real quick run down.  And take a look here about transportation in Paris while you're at it!

Gare De L'est, one of the largest and oldest train stations in Paris.

Paris Metro.



More info of the Paris Metro here for tourists. 

Also, a good thing to have is a map of the city, train, etc lines so you don't get lost.  I saw this recommendation below and so wish I had seen this before we went on our trip, but I will definitely get it for our next trip!  Found this helpful hint here.

And a little water action for your liking.  We didn't get a chance to try this out, but it sure did look fanciful!  The links above on public transportation tell you more about boat options in Paris.

Beautiful Seine River in Paris.

And we loved the open bus tours we took in Paris.  Learn a little more here from a previous post.  Okay, that's all I've got for today.