Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Un pueblo...

....ever since I remember myself  fantasizing about being in France, the only pictures that I could create in my mind, would be of the French country...

...my wish was granted and I was sent by my "wife" to Seillans...


...somewhere up in the hills stands a very sweet village, so French, so picturesque...

...near a lake...

....it has a hotel named "Deux Roc" that captures your breath...


...it belongs to a young French couple with great taste in antiques...



...who have a dog named Biscot...


...the restaurant of the hotel has been awarded for its exquisite dishes...

...during the summer months they serve outdoors under the oak trees...



...before dinner we strolled around the village...


**




...but we got hungry...







...it was a wonderful dinner at a magical place, next to dear friends...


...I will remember...


**********************

...next morning...Saint Tropez...


...the name Brigitte Bardot is associated with Saint Tropez...
...it was her who put this fisherman's village on the map...

...in her honor an exhibition with her personal items, was held...

...the sex kitten, the dancer, the animal lover...










...the idea of walking down the famous dock with the yachts, to me wasn't appealing, instead, I visited the small pastry shops and got lost in the little streets...



...after we had enough of the town, we headed towards the beach...I didn't take any pictures...remember I'm Greek...
~
....dinner at Antibes at a lovely and so, so friendly restaurant...
~
...my bed was the best remedy after a very long day...


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Sunday, August 29, 2010

en la continuacion...

...we are still living the French Riviera experience...

...we're a group of eight...sharing meals together...car rides...long walks...shopping...
...two sets of parents, three very stylish young ladies and a teenager in love, missing the company of another young man...and of course the company of his love interest...

...unfortunately, my camera broke down so I'm borrowing from my daughter and also the Bear's cell phone does its job...a few of my pictures will be posted once I return to Athens...


...yesterday, after a very French breakfast somewhere on the country side...



...we visited a perfume and soap factory...


...it was a very interesting experience because everything is done by hand, like soap making...


...the making of perfume from fresh flowers and spices...




...of course, we bought a ton of soaps and tried bottles and bottles of perfume...

...the next stop was Cannes...



...this is "the" auditorium with its red carpet...where the Film Cannes Festival takes place...yes....



...at this point, I'm promising you a rain check...more pictures later...

*****

...when we were here before, we had visited a Medieval village called "Saint Paul"...

...it is the most quaint place in the South of France...


...the whole village is built on a hill top, surrounded by a fort, over looking a valley where beautiful house...

...right outside of the village's entrance under the old oak trees, as I always remembered it, old men playing metal balls...

 

...and this is the entrance of the village...



..the extremely narrow streets of cobbled stone...the little art galleries...



...little restaurants and cafes...


...chocolateries...


....from the highest point of the village you can take admire the view and the beautiful homes that have been built in the last 25 years...



...the whole village is very art oriented...this is a horse made out of horse shoes...very creative...


...some more scenes from the village...

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...my pants feel a bit tight...my hair cannot stay straight because there's a slight humidity...there are many Italians visiting...

...I believe I'm hungry again!





Friday, August 27, 2010

Veinticinco anos despues!



...so, the plane took us to Zurich...


...where the expensive watches and the delicious chocolates are...


...after a pedicure and four long hours of waiting...
....it was Nice...cha cha cha!




...twenty five years ago, we came here on our honeymoon...
 ...we met a couple from Canada that were also staying in the same hotel as us,  being on their honeymoon, too!

...it was love at first site!

...after twenty five years, we're back, but this time with our children, back to the "scene of the crime"...re-united and having a wonderful time...
...and this is where it all began...


...Nice has changed...we have gotten a little older (not a lot!)...the places where we used to go, back then, are still here, bringing back good memories...


...we always go for quaint and not for luxury, so the hotel that we're staying at now, is a typical French hotel...


...all French...


...this is Nice...


...sweet little restaurants...


...the buildings...


...the main square...


*****


...the French Riviera...

..."To catch a thief"...looking for Grace Kelly and Cary Grant...



..reaching Monaco...


...the Casino, where so many movies have been filmed at...


...the famous Hotel de Paris...


...and Princess Grace's shadow behind every corner...


...the port of Monte Carlo...


...the Palace...


...the streets around the Palace..


...the "little" marina...


...and some of the "poor" people's apartments...


...let's not forget the ugly cars either..



...so, in case you're wondering whether you should visit this place, I advise you not to...
...depression is guarranteed!


...a tout a l' heure!