Spring Break Part 2 - The Route of the Italian Riviera

I was, as always and perhaps more than ever, reluctant to leave Paris, but it was one adventure to the next. I arrived in Aix late due to the same train strike that was so tactfully done while nearly every plane in Europe was grounded. My friend Kim and I left the following morning and drove through the French Cote d'Azur, passing Cannes, Nice, and Monaco, and then continued along the Italian coast toward Cinque Terre. To say it was a gorgeous drive would be an understatement. Around each bend and through every tunnel (there were several hundred!) there was an endless landscape of the turquoise sea and terraced hills covered with olive trees.

Cinque Terre is not one city but five tiny villages built into the cliffs that plunge toward the sea. They are part of an area of Italian coast that is preserved as a national park.

While vestiges of what life there must be like can s

till be seen, they are now crawling with tourists and yet still maintain to be quite enjoyable. While the towns were charming, I found that it was the places in between the villages on the paths nestled in the rugged hills to be the most breathtaking. With the sea to our left and olive and lemon groves to our right, I couldn't suppress the desire to stop walking altogether and just stay there, drinking in such natural beauty.

We spent three days basking in the sun and beauty all around us, taking boat rides from village to village and also hiking the paths that connect them all. And naturally we splurged on good Italian pasta covered in fresh pesto (which originates from that region) as well as fresh lemon gelato and cappuccinos.

On our way home, while passing through Genoa, we picked up a mutual friend for the trip back who happens to be from a small town outside of Genoa. She enthusiastically showed us all around this regal port city that varies so much from the southern Italian towns that I have seen.

Marble could be found everywhere, not only in white but in shades of green, black and red. We saw the old cathedral and city wall and dined on fresh cheese focaccia that is a specialty of the city. It reminded me once again, that the best way to see a new city is through the eyes of locals.

Spring Break Part 1 - April in Paris

There is something about spring that makes everything seem new and fresh, and spring break always is that to an exponential degree. I've had fabulous spring breaks in the past few years - road trips with siblings, welcoming dear friends to my home, etc. - and these past two weeks of traveling have been no less life-giving.

'We'll do it in the spring time' was our mantra during the winter. Bundled up by the fire to keep warm, everything seemed more appealing during the spring months, and the to-do list for my visit to Paris grew rapidly. Visiting Zach in Paris this spring was full of visiting favorite places and discovering new

ones. The more I see of the city, the more I realize how inexhaustible it really is.

We set out to profit from the sun that had finally come to the north and had picnics in the city's many parks and gardens, culminating in our visit to THE garden in Giverny - Monet's house and gardens where he lived and painted. Even in early spring the gardens were bursting with tulips, daffodils, and tourists. We sat for a long time on a bench in the water garden, basking in the sun and watching crazy tourists fight for time on the famous bridge. All the same, it was a dream come true to go and worth the trip to Giverny that should have been quick but was made way too long due to a railroad strike.

We spent my last day in Paris playing tour guide for my wonderful aunt and uncle who have come to France for a few weeks. What a joy to once again welcome family in a 'foreign' city and to share old stories and new adventures as they celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary and as we look forward to our wedding. The day went quickly but will always be a treasured time.

And just like that I had to leave again and was off once again to the South to meet a friend in Aix for a drive to Italy.