A bit of the French Riviera........

I did, I did...............missed you that is. But I sure did enjoy visiting another part of the world and spending time with that romantic man of mine. It was an incredible trip and I thought I would share just a few of my favorite photos as I ease back into the work groove and everyday life. This first photo is my favorite, a street in Sorrento, Italy (my favorite town to revisit for a longer stretch) and a reminder when touring these European towns and cities to always take time to look up. Isn't it an incredibly beautiful building?


I didn't notice the wording on this beach sign until I was downloading this photo taken along the spectacular Amalfi Coast. I would love to see this "Bikini" beach in the summer, it looks like a fun place to soak up the rays.


The ride along the Amalfi Coast was breathtaking and not for anyone with a fear of heights. It's landscape is surreal in it's majestic and rugged beauty. We live in the flattest part of Canada so this stretch was particularly captivating to me. Such natural beauty........ we couldn't shoot photos fast enough as we navigated the countless twists and turns.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome has to be one of the most beautiful fountains in the world. It was extremely busy with tourists and the guard told us the only time to see it without masses of people is around 5-6 in the morning. If staying in Rome I think it would be most worthwhile to pick up an espresso and quietly wait as the sun rises and shimmers over this glorious piece of history.

Trevi Fountain ~ Rome, Italy

When we came out of the Vatican and St Peter's the sky turned a weird colour and I saw a few bystanders make the sign of the cross. It was a reflective moment as most just stood still and absorbed the somber mood in St. Peter's Square. Probably more than a few were thinking it was some kind of sign from you know who. No really, it was that weird. Maybe it was just me (spiritual but not religious) but I don't think I was alone in feeling a profound feeling of awe.

As we stood there in St Peter's Square and turned to leave, the lights came on in the Pope's apartment........

Thankfully, on to some of that incredibly reflective sunshine in Nice and Cannes a few days later. Our weather had been windy and overcast up to this point, certainly nothing that hindered our enjoyment but our ship did miss two ports, Livorno and Marseilles, because of strong winds. I used those days to sleep in after a series of 6 am wake-up calls, pamper myself with a massage and manicure, and have others get my unruly hair back in order. If I was going to miss Florence, Italy and a lovely arranged lunch in St. Remy de Provence at least I was going to feel good about it.

Just relaxing on the Cote d' Azur . The Promenade des Anglais in Nice. My kind of place.

I was entranced with the detail and brilliant colour of these shaped marzipan fruits and

des cochons seen in the outdoor markets in Nice.

My husband was taken with this most civilized approach to daily reading outside a cafe in Cannes.

I think he fancies himself living the life of a French artistrocrat.

Upon our return we (jokingly) emailed this photo to our son with the following message "Please don't expect any inheritance in the future as we have decided to leave absolutely no funds behind and we have purchased this lovely little spot in Nice which overlooks the Mediterranean coast. We are sure you understand and approve. ~ Love Mom and Dad XOXO

Return email from said son " Need nothing.......spend away starting now" Love Ozzie ~ XO

All photos by Jim Chase