Summer Holiday 2016 | lifewithluce

Hello lovely people, 

I hope you are all very well and haven't been missing my blog too much! I've had numerous people telling me and reminding me how much they love my blog whether that's loved ones or the friends I haven't spoken to in a while. It's made me realize how rewarding this little lifewithluce blog is to me and how much I need to get my act together and write another post, and quick! Therefore, since I've just come back off my holiday from the South of France, I thought it only right to create a new post for my little blog- which I can't believe I haven't wrote on since April. 

Myself, my mum, my best friend Hannah, her sister Katie and their mum and dad Liz and Martin all went to Nice on the 29th of July. It was honestly one of the best holidays I've been on. And ever since myself and Hannah have come back to Yorkshire, all we can think about is the clear blue sea, endlessly gorgeous warm temperatures and the 'underrated' yet pretty 'strong' red wine. Oh, and the lovely people we met out there aswell :-) 

So what this blog post is going to consist of is basically a long list of my holiday pictures, and a short explanation wherever possible to describe the setting... 

'Typical yet necessary'

First off, we start on a cloudy Friday morning at Leeds, Bradford Airport, obviously trying our best to contain our excitement and massive grins as you can tell from the picture above... I knew that being in the company I was in, it was bound to be one wonderful, unforgettable holiday. Oh and I'm sure Hannah wont mind me mentioning this but we got OCD with the thought of 'having to look VOGUE and Pinterest worthy' that we actually wrote out what outfits we were going to wear each day AND evening, obsessed? I think not.

I knew I wasn't in Leeds anymore as soon as I walked off that plane and into the humid French air. With our face freshened up, the fedoras on and the holiday beginning to unravel it for sure called for a selfie using the flattering flower crown Snapchat filter. Soon enough we had all clambered into the taxi and we were arriving at the Gold Star hotel in no time.

The view from our rooftop pool.

As soon as we got to the hotel, I unpacked my suitcase as fast as lightening, rushed on my favourite bikini and ran to the rooftop pool, oh and sorted the WiFi of course; priorities n'all. We spent a good couple of hours there, sunbathing and swimming and soon enough we were all getting changed into our desirable attire for our evening meal. After we enjoyed our meal and had a nosey around stunning Nice, Liz, Martin and Katie were all a little too tired to carry on wondering around the city and so they went back to the hotel. Whereas, myself, Hannah and my mum continued searching around and came across some amazing buildings such as the Negresco Hotel and the Casino on the sea front seen as above. Because we thought we were the bee's knee's we thought we'd prance into this luxurious, exquisite Negresco hotel and pretend we were apart of the rich society, idiotically we left only five minutes after when all the staff were staring blankly at us when we arrived in the entrance hall to sit down...

The first morning, at around 8:16am, ft. the man's bobbing head in the sea.

This was only a little snippet of the three mile beach in the blistering heat.

Even in the morning, the casino didn't fail to impress. One majestic building...

The beautiful architecture was so different to Bradford...

Nice to Monaco and Monte Carlo

Beyonce, Jay Z and Blue-Ivy were spotted in these parts of Monaco's port only two days after this picture was taken.

This casino behind me in Monte Carlo was where the 'James Bond' film 'Casino Royale' was filmed,

                                      

Needs must, doing what the posh people do, a spot of shopping (browsing) was in order.

Fit

Is a candid still a candid if you know it's being taken?? (I promise I wasn't in there just for the WiFi)

On sale for around $200,000, no biggy??

Some of the breathtaking architecture seen in Monaco. Shame about the clouds, I promise it WAS boiling. 

On our first day, as you can see above, we went to Monte Carlo and Monaco by train from Nice which only took us around 30 minutes. The place was insane, the land of the rich. The yachts, the buildings, the money, it was all very evident in these parts that you almost felt a little inferior! It really doesn't get much more luxurious than Monaco, plus the pizza's and the coffee were to die for, oh and the mint ice cream. I'd for sure go again, maybe next time when I've won the lottery. 

Me and the Mother in the centre of Nice. 

This was one of the nights where the red wine hit us hard on hardly any food whatsoever. Oh, it was also the night where we first met the lovely, lovely family, the Cooks from Stratford, well not properly, we only sat in the same restaurant as them. 

The next day was upon us with a slight headache and a very fragile body, but today we were booked on to the electric bike tour of the French Riviera hosted by the lovely Rose. Coincidentally, guess which family turned up but the Cook's. So we were informally introduced, Jordan, 19 and Ben 18, both brothers and then their mum and dad Elaine and David. Such a lovely family who we were planning on meeting again very soon. Anyway, the bikes were insane, they were electric and so with very little pedal power you were off with just the switch of the power button- I highly recommend you get one, they're amazing, especially for those hills, but also for getting places quickly. The whole tour lasted pretty much the whole day but god it was so worth it as you can see below, the views were truly incredible, plus we got to see Sean Connery's house, I see a Bond theme in his post?? We also got to pass Elton John's holiday home in which Hannah decided to approach the bell adjacent to his gates and ran away in shock when a man's voice came through saying "Bonjour Madam!" 

We picked up some amazing sandwiches and pastries before the bike ride and decided to eat them on the Ville Franche beach, it was beautiful, the beach was sandy unlike Nice's pebble beach and it didn't help that we hadn't put our bikinis on so we couldn't go in the sea for a needed swim... 

 The view of Nice

This is the view from the very top of Nice looking down on the neighbouring town called Ville Franche, an absolutely gorgeous place. 

The gorgeous Hannah, and I.

We called ourselves the pelaton as we all stuck together throughout the bike ride, aka the Dream Team. From left to right we have Ben, Jordan, Maxine (mum), Martin, Liz, Hannah, Lucy (me), Katie, David and the lovely Elaine. 

Food time. Mum and myself.

Gal time, whilst attempting to get a good picca.

Now that night, after exchanging numbers and Snapchat's with the lads, myself, Hannah and the boys decided to roam Nice in the magical place is was at night and turned up to an amazing, quirky bar with a DJ and a fancy drinks list. Because we're all so original we decided to get four 'Fucking Zamosas', and to my disappointment I can't remember what the bar was called so if Han, Ben or Jordan you happen to remember what it was called can you remind me please!! By the by, it was a strong cocktail. Later that night we all decided to go night swimming and with having had something to drink, it wasn't the best idea but I can honestly say if was one of the best day and nights I've ever had, so thank you guys for making it special. 

The next morning... The credit goes to KB aka Katie for doing my sick french plaits ready for the swim ahead.

A selfie before we devoured the water melon. A day dedicated to swimming on the lilos, jumping off piers and almost drowning in the sea from laughing...

One of the magical evenings, we spent in Cannes, the land of the famous and host of the film festivals. Whilst passing the extraordinary arena in Nice there were all these metal faced squares in the floor as the perimeter of the arena consisting of the celebrities' hand prints all of whom had visited the arena. My favourite hand print was by far one of my favourite actresses and women, Natalie Portman, by the way- the love of her developed ever since she was cast in Leon and in Star Wars as Padme. 

Candid? The last full day in Nice. So we all decided to hike up a mountain, have an ice cream ,visit a Russian church and develop our tan even further.

The Three Musketeers. Jokes just three casual Bradfordians, all looking happy because we were off back down the mountain to get changed and head out for our evening meal and then for a couple of mojitos with our family and the Cooks. Oh, not forgetting the evening swim, eventful night to say the least. 

To finish off this post on my amazing holiday, I want to thank everyone for making it such a special experience for me. I hope you've enjoyed reading this post on my holiday to the South of France and even now myself and Hannah are already dreaming of going back...

Thankyou for reading and i'll hopefully be back very soon, perhaps blogging my trip to New York City for my 18th birthday.

Lots of love as always,
Luce xx