Five days docked in the old port of Nice made us wonder why we didn't decide to winter there.  Tied up next to the road that runs along the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels), with a fabulous bike path and stunning views all along the Promenade des Anglais, we broke out our newest acquisitions, folding bikes.  We bought them from Georg and Nathalie in Mallorca but hadn't really used them yet.  They got a work out in Nice, as did we.  The hill up and over the Colline du Château (Castle Hill) that separates the port from the Old City of Nice got a little easier by day five, and we were happy for the exercise as well as the convenient mode of transportation.  Although we only have two bikes, we figured out a way for all four of us to travel on them.

We stayed out of traffic on the bike path and rode over into Vieux Nice (Old Town) at least once a day.  The old city is all pedestrian so we were able to wind our way through the streets and find a couple of great restaurants that were off the well-beaten tourist track.  Our favorite was the Bistrot d'Antoine.  We discovered it on our second night and liked it so much that we went back again the next day for lunch. 

There, we met a young couple who were patiently trying to eat their dinner while keeping their 18 month old son and two month old daughter happy.  We exchanged empathetic glances and words (it seems so long ago when we were in similar shoes!), and struck up a conversation.  Although our French is rather pathetic, we aren't too embarrassed to try to communicate and in the end most people speak English much better than we do French (or Spanish for that matter).  Our story never ceases to amaze people when they learn that we have sailed here from the States, so we have plenty to talk about.  It turns out that Clement and Aurore are sailors as well, and they own a Creperie called Le Trimaran.  We made a point of visiting them for lunch a few days later and were welcomed with a bottle of the cider that typically accompanies a meal of crepes. 

It is quite extraordinary to come to France for two weeks and feel so warmly welcomed wherever we go.  No doubt the girls help to break the ice, eliciting smiles wherever they go.  Having the luxury of time must also help.  We didn't have much of an agenda while we were in France, probably because we hadn't really planned on going there in the first place.  Although we missed out on many of the museums and other tourist attractions, we were able to sit back and really soak up the culture and ambiance surrounding us.  Our unhurried demeanor was undoubtedly reflected in our attitudes.  We had only one nasty encounter with a waiter at a crowded restaurant in Juan Les Pins who walked by us a half a dozen times without acknowledging us, and seating other patrons who had arrived after us.  No problem, we just went elsewhere.  I am also sure that our timing was key, avoiding the mad rush of tourists who flock to the Cote D'Azur in July and August.  By the time we showed up in October, the locals had recovered their serenity after the madness of the summer and were happy to welcome us and help us enjoy their beautiful surroundings.  We might just have to go back in April to soak up a little more joie de vivre. 

Ignoring superstition (you aren't supposed to start a voyage on Friday), we left Nice on Friday, after a nasty gale had blown itself out in the Gulfe du Lion.  Unfortunately, the winds went light, so we had to motor two-thirds of the time, but we did have a wonderful 12 hour period of mellow sailing starting at 4am on Saturday, Joe's birthday.  I woke him up at about 6:30am to start his watch and went back below for a couple more hours of sleep.  I was awakened by the sound of him reeling in a fish.  Actually, the sound alternated between the line running out as the fish on the other end would make a run for it, and Joe reeling it back in when the fish took a few minutes to catch its breath.  Clearly, it was something big.  It took about an hour of back and forth before we were able to even get a glimpse of our catch.  Despite the long fight, the fish still had plenty of energy, or perhaps it was sheer desperation.  It swam circles between the hulls as we prepared to boat it.  We could tell it was a big tuna by that time, and prepared to gaff it.  Look at this beauty!

Joe was grinning from ear to ear.  It was by far the biggest fish we have caught.  According to our best guess, it is a Bluefin Tuna, 50 pounds, and much better eating than the Albacore we had caught to date.  I was relishing the thought of tuna steaks and sushi as I prepared it for the freezer.  (Tuna isn't Joe's favorite so we stuck with the previous plan to have green-chili burgers for his birthday meal.)

I laughed when Joe put the fishing line back out around sunset.  It wasn't long before we heard it sing out again and we were reeling in another Bluefin Tuna, although only half the size of the previous one.  Joe was the one laughing when I couldn't bring myself to release the doomed fish.  The meat is really so much better than the pale flesh of the Albacore and I had just about enough room left in the freezer...

The Capitania office is closed on Sunday so we are tied up at the visitor's dock until they show us to our proper space probably on Monday.  We have already met a couple of live-a-boards who will be here for the winter.  We made friends with a very nice local family, Rafa, Mari and their two year old son, Antonio, who asked to see the boat.  Despite the mess, we welcomed them onboard.  It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm  of strangers wipe away any inhibitions.  They have offered to show us around and help us with our Spanish.  The departed with a nice chunk of tuna and a promise to see each other again. 

In the mean time, we will catch up on our sleep a little today before tackling Barcelona.  We plan to continue living on the boat here until we leave for Annapolis on November 22nd.  Since the boat will be safe and sound at a marina, and since we can, we are making a trip home to catch up with friends and family over the holidays. We'll head to New Mexico to see Joe's family mid-December, and fly back to Spain on New Year's Eve. When we come back in January, we hope to move into an apartment for the remainder of the winter.  We still want to find a Spanish-speaking school for the kids, at least from January through March, so that is a high priority to figure out before our home leave. 

By the way, does anyone have any good tuna recipes they'd like to share?  Better yet, come visit and help us eat some of it!