Last Day! Monaco and Eze

Last day! But what a way to wake up- In the port of Monaco we tower over the largest ships, apparently the one next to us is one of six owned by a Saudi Prince and his daily slip fee is $26,000. And who isn’t helping Syria? Honestly...

Since several of us from the group have already spent numerous times in this principality we decided to hire a taxi and visit Eze. I haven’t been there since I was 14 and remembered the tiny winding streets and mile high views. It did not disappoint. 

We hired the loveliest of drivers to take us to Eze. It always amazes me how gracious the French can be when you are not in Paris. He suggested a stop by Fragonard, an old perfume factory and another place I visited when I was a teen. We arrived at 8:30am and were the first ones in the door. The smells were delectable and the shopping was just what mother needed after 12 days of buying zero. 

Brett and Gayle and I walked and walked and climbed and hiked till we reached the top of this towering village. We could see Cap d’Antibes, St. Tropez, Cap Ferrat and all of the other glittering little spots I have grown up reading about in Tender is the Night and all those other 20’s lullabies. 

 I love these mini tractors they use to haul things around Eze.

 My favorite symbol- the Salamander of Francois I's.

We found an olive oil store carved out of the side of a hill called Deli. It was smaller than my closet at home but stocked full of amazing infused oils. The handsome owner let us sample the lavender, basil and spicy infused treat. What a tonic! 

Please click and enlarge these to enjoy the full view. They are surreal...

Yes, that's a heap of Jasmine!

After we wound down the town of Eze we took a cab back to Monaco and had lunch in front of the casino. It was a little decadent but where else does one eat in Monaco? After finishing a bottle of wine and taking a tour around we headed back to the ship. Realizing it was way too far we found another delightful cab driver who belted out Frank Sinatra all the way to the ship. 

Once back from our last port I high tailed it to the hot tub and spent an hour squeezing the last  drops of sun out of the Mediterranean while watching the ship pull out and head to Barcelona where we will fly out of Friday morning. We love that city but we have spent plenty of time there in the past and after 17 days away we were both looking forward to home. 

Mother has a trip to Florida for Danielle’s graduation party and then a wedding to plan for July 15th for my oldest niece. I have friends in town next week, need to spend a great deal of time in the office and cannot wait to give Fergus countless hours of playtime and attention. I miss him so!

Don’t think we don’t already have another cruise lined up. This one on a paddle boat down the Mississippi River in November with Rod and his mother, Dotty. This trip may have had it’s exotic moments but tootin' down to Nawlin’s on a paddle boat sippin' mint juleps and peaking at plantations from their backyards is going to be more Lucullan than anything ole Monaco could possibly offer. 

Thanks for reading and more soon!

Love

Day 14: Cinque Terre

After an unexpected day at sea (the port of Livorno refused our entry because they had a cargo ship they deemed more important, ended up on the front page of the paper for it’s idiotic circumstances) we ended up in Livorno on Wednesday having to cancel our day in Marseilles. 

While we wanted to give the royal finger to Italy for their dysfunction, mother and I were so excited to get the chance to experience Cinque Terre. We took an hour long drive through the most sensual countryside, passing medieval villages dangling from hills like plump batch of grapes, Pisa from a distance and the mountains of Carrara white with freshly sliced marble.

 That's not snow its the marble quarries!

If you squint you can see the leaning tower!

Cinque Terre are five little towns dotting the hills of the coast of Italy. They were deemed a UNESCO heritage site a while back and are now thriving with tourists poking through like a herd of cattle (me) and those who rent rooms perched on cliffs to write and watch waves crash (me the next time). 

We started in Riomaggiore, walked to Manarola and then took a train to Vernazza and another to Monterrossa-al-Mare. Two of the towns were heavily damaged by massive floods last October but unlike the Italian economy, the townspeople were thriving like bees rebuilding their hives. 

 Crafty knit wit for Jesus!

Mother and I had lunch overlooking the crashing waves as an afternoon rain sprinkled the young soccer team shouting on a nearby field. The proschutto and melon was sublime and the beer was soothing. We sat and recapped the trip so far, our highlights and what we would change. 

We walked back to the Stazione to meet the group and catch the train but with some extra time on my hands I decided to walk down to gaze at the once great Neptune who from 1910 till WWII held up a dancing terrace where a generation of Italian’s danced under the moonlight to long lost bouncy bands. The poor God was destroyed during The War but has been partially rebuilt.

 Creepy skull people.

 Our view at lunch

My favorite!

 Neptune in his glory days

 And today.

That evening the entire crew convened at the steak house on the ship and gorged on too much meat before turning in for an early night where we watched the sunset from the terrace of our suite. How seldom do we spend the time to see such beauty?

Tomorrow is Monaco, however brief a visit.