Life Styles of the Rich and Famous

From Pisa to The French Riviera...what a contrast! Even though we were anxious to see Pisa, we were not really sad to leave there. The town of Pisa is very old and shabby. It seems that the leaning tower is really all it has to promote. We walked down a few cobbled lanes past peddlers and stalls of merchants and when we rounded the corner what a surprise to see this

We checked the schedule to see if we might be able to go up the tower to get the view from the but it didn't fit in our time frame, which was probably just as well, because we really hadn,t realized at this point in time just how serious the earthquake that had happened through the night had been. We were only about an hour away from the epicenter, and there was significant damage to several historic buildings. We took the obligatory pictures, made a potty stop and were on our way.

On our way to discovering a taste of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Because of the Canne Film Festival our accommodations had to be moved from Nice to Monaco. What a sacrifice!!! We stayed down close to the waterfront of the French Riviera overlooking a Princess Grace Memorial Rose Garden. Our accommodations were absolutely delightful! We spent some time walking around the pier and trying to decide which yacht we wanted to buy and then did some shopping, saw the Pink Palace, the Monte Carlo Casino, dined at a charming inn high above the Mediterranean overlooking the water. It was raining most of the day, but it was enjoyable none the less. Two days in Monte Carlo, and an added bonus; it is the week of the Grand Prix...the most famous of car races! Lots of activity, the city was buzzing. I can't even imagine how much money was represented in this little city...have a look.

Our trip is quickly coming to an end. Today we visited a charming walled village called St. Paul de Vence. It would be a real pleasure to spend more time here but we had places to go and people to see, so it was a charming tour, a tasty cafe and croissant and then on to Lyon. Tomorrow on to Paris for two days ... But for now a few pics of St. Paul

It's ten p.m. and we have another early start to the day, so no night life for me..
" bonsoir mes amis reve doux" Cha cha!