Bonjour Nice

You know that saying,"hit the ground running",I now know the true meaning of the expression. This morning started off a little delayed as Katie and I snoozed the alarm leaving us a few minutes behind schedule. It was time to check out of Nice, and continue on our  journey north. We decided to enjoy a caffe and croissant before heading to the station. Its insane how each day seems to  go by quicker and quicker.
Our time in Nice was although short, very pleasant. Our first night in, we decided to go to this little restaurant right by out hotel, La Signature. We were greeted by the sweetest, most joyful French women. She understood our minimal French, or lack there of, and seated us on the patio. As Katie and I looked over the menu we could make out about every 10 words . Thankfully, our lovely waitress helped us every step of the way. She explained the dishes, and included each fresh ingredient . Similar to Spain, there are two courses, dessert and a beverage included in the entrée. Starting with a salad with a fresh baguette with fig, and melted goat cheese, continuing to a white fish, fresh sauté vegetables, and white rice- everything was made beyond perfection. Katie and I both paired our dinner with a house white that was light and crisp. As we obsessed over each bite, we moved onto dessert. After hearing about 5 amazing choices, we decided to get the chocolate toblurone mousse and creme brûlée. The complete meal was delicious from start to finish, definitely the best service, and meal I have experienced thus far. 
Our hotel turned out to be in a different location than Katie and I had pictured, but to our benefit, it was close to everything. The staff was very helpful, and there seemed to be many travelers from all over. 
We explored the old town of Nice during our second day by walking along the Mediterranean and observing this quaint area.  I have never seen a  body of water such a clear blue,-turquoise before.Thanks to my ADPI sister Christine ( my travel go to), we found a ice cream shoppe Ferranno. They had many flavors of the most fresh gelato, classic and unique flavors alike. They all looked so delicious, it was tough just choosing one. So I got two of course! Fig and pecan. Mmm! They were so refreshing and a perfect treat to end our day of wondering.
Traveling without a concrete schedule has had it's ups and downs. It's exciting to play things by ear, and to have the flexibility to chose our travels as we feel. But on the other hand it's time consuming. That's my only con, being on the computer, searching for accommodations, and corresponding trains can take away from the time we spend out enjoying the city we are in. Not saying I regret the method to our madness, it's all apart of our experience. And I have enjoyed every second. But I do have to say, once we have somewhere booked, trains, hotel,the whole thing. As a organizational enthusiast, I thrive off of knowing a schedule.
Today we are leaving Nice, and traveling to La Spezia, with our final destination in Manarola. I find it so funny that you can be in a country speaking one language, and then within an hour, another country speaking a completely different language. We went from french to Italian in less than 2 hours, I just love it!  I am very excited for this part of our trip. We are visiting Cinque Terre, the villages. In Manarola we have a booked a double room in an apartment that overlooks the Mediterranean. We plan on staying there 2 nights and then another room close by for a third night. I can't wait to hike the five villages ( about a 11 miles), and to float in the ocean. From what I've read, each village has it's own specialties, and I'm so excited to experience them all. I have a feeling that my obsession for photographing landscapes is really going to come into effect these next couple of days, prepare yourself for lots and lots of pictures. ( all for you dad! I've  learned from the best =) )