Mediterranean Spring - French Riviera and Provence

 

The south of France, specifically Provence and the French Riviera, totally surprised me.  I was sure Italy would be the most beautiful part of the trip, but because I love flowers, these two regions became a favorite. So many beautiful flowers and gardens everywhere, with the blue sea as a backdrop.  

From our first stop at a 17th century castle turned winery, to the Princess Grace Garden of Monaco and the famous flower market in Nice, I was in my element.  There was also a medieval basilica high on a mountain in Marseille as well as Eze, a medieval village with hundreds of narrow stone steps to explore.  

I was amazed by the long and lovely promenade in Nice where we strolled and people watched.  I discovered that I may be a bit of a snob when it comes to beaches, since I live in Florida with our white sand beaches. But, even though the beaches were rocks, the beauty of that blue, blue Mediterranean Sea was hard to beat.

This region is on my list to visit again and spend more time amongst the flowers.

Mediterranean Spring

 

I am finally getting some time to write about the wonderful trip we took in May.  After getting back, I pretty much immediately flew to Michigan to help babysit for two consecutive weekends.  So fun of course, but it feels good to be back to normal.

We boarded the ship after flying from Tampa to Montreal to Barcelona and after lunch napped to be ready for the first night.  There was a cocktail party for the Michigan State Alumni group we were a part of and it was fun to meet some fellow Spartans.  We had our first dinner in the dining room with a view of departing the port.  The cruise line we were on was smaller and offered a bit more luxury, so the food and service were top notch.  I was a big fan of the desserts!

The first morning’s shore excursion was the small Spanish island of Menorca and it was simply beautiful.  On a sunshiny day, we wandered amongst the whitewashed buildings at our own pace.  We visited the highest point (Monte Toro) with stunning views. At this spot, as well as throughout the other places we visited, the flowers and the blue, blue water had me speechless.  My first day in Europe had me fascinated and looking forward to France next. 

Travel and Adventure Ahead

 

There is a big trip in my future and while it has been in the planning stages for quite a while, time is now getting short until we set sail.  We are going on a Mediterranean Cruise and it will be my first time to travel to Europe.  We begin in Barcelona with stops in the island of Minorca, Spain, Cote d’ Azur, and the French Riviera, Monte Carlo, Portofino and Tuscany, Italy.  Then a few days on land in Rome.  It is something we have tried to schedule for awhile and are not really cruise people, but this is a smaller ship and a little more luxury based and I think it will be a lovely way to see the most countries.  We have excursions booked, including wine tastings, lunch at a Tuscan farmhouse and I am sure many churches along the way.  It is still up in the air whether we will see The Sistine Chapel, due to the Conclave, but there is so much to see in Rome, it will be fine.  Honestly, by the end of the cruise, I am looking forward to sitting at a cafe in Rome on a cobblestone street and just people watching with a glass of wine and some wonderful food.  Adventure here we come!