day 8 to 12 – travel journal – french riviera et all

The most amazing thing about Europe is the fact, everything is connected by train, so there is no need to stress about driving nor flying. One can simply book a point to point ticket or by a Railpass (Outside of Europe Residance only) and arrange to get from any number of destinations within Europe. The beauty of having a Railpass is that the passholder can travel on the TER train – which connects all the beach town along the French Riviera by an intrecit timetable and train schedule.  So, basically in the morning you could be in Cannes and within half an hour to an hour you could be in Antinbes, Nice, Monte Carlo, Menton (depending on the stops the train makes).

So, of course we did just that, hopped on the TER everyday and ended up in different parts of the French Riviera. Our stops, on this trip were to St. Tropez, Antibes, Monte Carlo (for the hubby man), VillaFranche Sur Mer and Nice.  Now, although every town is almost the same in that they have a pier, docked yachts, amazing dining, public and private beaches, shopping and old towns tucked in the hills, one cannot get enough of the region no matter how similar the villages are.

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day 6 – travel journal – portofino, italy

After the hectic day we had while trekking through the Cinque Terre, we decided to take a day to just relax and what better place to do so than Portofino, Italy.

From Genoa, we took a train to Santa Margherita for 3.50Euro pp each way, then for  1.50Euro pp each way, we hopped on bus no 82 from the train station to Portofino and within an hour’s time from Genoa we were in one of the most peaceful fishing villages (and a hide out for the rich) in the Italian Riviera.

We spend the entire morning leisurely circling the small town on foot, then stopped for lunch at the best bakery in the area for roasted onion focassia  or two or three and then climbed up a hillside to get the postcard views which I have only seen on the cover of most  travel brochures promoting the region. We ended the day by sitting at a sidewalk bar/cafe to people watch while we contemplated their lifestyles and reasons for visiting Portofino.

The town is small, colorful and serene and only a must for anyone needing a peaceful getaway. There isn’t much to do except relax, visit the neighboring beaches to spend the day working on a golden tan and if all else fails, take a bus ride to  Santa Margherita and shop at well-known designer boutiques.

I glad I had  the chance to experience Portofino for the day and it is now on my list of places to visit and stay for at least a week  to simply relax and take in the sun.

 

travel journal: chronicling 17 days abroad

For the next 17 days, I will chronicle my travels abroad to share with all those interested, how I travelled on this particular holiday/vacation. See you across the pond on Monday morning

First stop Italy

boutique hotel pick – Hôtel La Résidence De La Pinède -St. Tropez, France

St. Tropez is a destination I include in  every trip to France. Although it is  very difficult and time consuming to get to the small fishing village from most anywhere in the world, it is truly a wonderful place to experience when daydreaming about the high life.

I normally stay in Nice and take a train to Saint Raphael and then a bus to St. Tropez, totalling approximlately 2-3 hour travel time. It is the most ecnomical way to get there but also the longest, especially if there is traffic during the high season (May-Sept/Oct). There are also ferrys leaving from Nice and Cannes and Saint Rapael, but I have found those to be an inconvinience due to their unpredictable schedules (plus I cannot deal with motion sickness very well)

There is also driving along the Riviera in a rental car and without traffic you can reach St. Tropez within an hour and half from Cannes. Of course having your very own personal yatch also helps, but that is a story for another day.  

The most interesting thing about St. Tropez is that although it is a fishing village, it is also a place for the best designer shopping, celebrity spotting and dining and night life. Women flock the streets in their fashionable ensemble and golden tans and the men sit in outdoor cafes  to people watch really, while they pretend to read the  newspaper. It’s a magical place and definitely worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime.

Hotels vary in price along St. Tropez, but if planned right, you can actually find a pretty good deal. The charm of the hotels in the area is  that they remind me of the 1960s, simple, simply elegant and peaceful. One hotel  which fits that image is  Hotel La Residence De La Pinede  and it is ideal for a 2 nights/3 days stay in St. Tropez, very close to the beach. What’s important is that if you  schedule your stay  to  include a Tuesday, you can actually experience one of the best flee markets I have been to in Europe.

how to avoid over exposure from the sun while vacationing in the french riviera

We humans are conditioned to be careful as to how much time we spend in the sun on a daily basis. Now although the sun is good for us, in small doses, it is also damaging in more ways than one.  I happen to worship the sun and while vacationing in the French Riviera,  I must say, I have a difficult time staying indoors.

So to avoid over exposure, while still enjoying the sunshine, I normally spend the middle of the day (when the UV Rays  are the most damaging) walking through the backroads of the towns aligning the coast. Typically the backroads are (mostly) in the shade because of the narrow alleyway-like streets and the closeness of the buildings facing each other on either side of those “street”.

This combination, not only makes for the best hideaway from the sun,  but also gives me a chance to cool down naturally while enjoying the scenery.  Oh silly me.

Here are some of my favorite (touched up) photos of our treks through the backroads of the French Riviera.

Ventimiglia – France-Italy Border

Ventimiglia, Italy-France Border

St. Tropez, French Riviera

Cannes, French Riviera

Monte Carlo, French Riviera

Monaco, French Riviera

Nice, French Riviera

Nice, French Riviera

Nice-Ville, French Riviera

Nice-Ville, French Riviera

Saint Raphael, French Riviera

Nice, French Riviera

boutique hotel pick – royal hotel sanremo – italy

After a crazy cold rainy day on Wednesday, we experienced a strangely hot day on Thursday which prompted me to get into the vacation planning mode. Since I experienced the sudden urge to plan my vacation for 2012, I realized it was time to do my Friday boutique hotel pick.

Royal Hotel Sanremo came to mind because I am actually looking into a vacation or a holiday where I could lounge around the pool and nap my days away while sipping on some exotic drink., in Italy of course.

boutique hotel pick – hotel martinez – cannes, france

Right about now I begin to crave a trip to the French Riviera and a fantasy stay at the Hotel Martinez. I mean seriously, I don’t think I need to sell anyone on the idea of experiencing pure luxury and elegance, while getting the most golden tan possible and dining at some of the finest restaurants along the French Riviera.

However,  I do want to point out one of my favorite 5-star properties in Cannes, Hotel Martinez as the choice hotel for romance and special occasion celebration or simply a place for rest and relaxation.  Of course the modern classic room decor doesn’t hurt either. Anyway, enjoy the photos and have a wonderful weekend.

outdoor sitting french style

This is going to be my first summer without a backyard. After selling our house in the country, we traded in a grand backyard with a pool and garden for a view of the Pacific Ocean. Not a bad trade off.

But I vowed I would not write about outdoor spaces, patio furniture or backyard get togethers until I worked the entire experience out of my system. But knowing me and the need to talk outdoors, I had to include some of my favorite photos of French country backyards and furniture.

swimwear for the woman over 40

Just like handbags and shoes are an investment for most women over 40, so are swimwear. Not only does it have to be good quality but durable enough to endure the interesting shapes the over 40 tends to take.

One of my biggest frusturation is seeing women over 40 wearing 2 piece swimwear which do not compliment the body.  There is definitealy a way to look and feel sexy with one piece suits if teh following is taken into consieration.

The criteria – swimsuit should preferably be a solid color and one that compliments the skin tone. The cut should also be taken into consieration so not to overexpose parts which do not compliment your figure. The fabric is also something to consider because the cheaper the suit, the quicker the give into the water and then out of the water.

So for this topic, I have searched online for some of my favorites from the man who knows a thing or two about the women over 40. Click here for more details.

RL Martinique Tank one piece 77

RL Surplice Tank One piece 103

RL Crocheted Halter Monokini 109

RL Halter One Piece 69

RL Banded Strapless One Piece 125

cannes film festival 2011- red carpet fashion

Every year I plan a trip to Cannes for the Film Festival and end up canceling it because of prior commitments to be places I rather not be. So, again this year, it was the same and of course all I am left with are the photos to keep me in touch with my favorite film festival.

Anyway, hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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