15 August landing of General Dwight D. Eisenhower

General Dwitht D. Eisenhower and the Americans landed here at le Dramont to liberate the French 16 August.

The Second World War was to see this area, the Corniche dOr used first of all by the retreating French army, fleeing from Menton before the Italian invasion in June 1940, then serving as a border under the Occupation between military no-go areas, before the general evacuation preceding the 1944 landings of General Eisenhower and his army. Each 15 August there is a cermony at the memorial in memory of the liberation by Americans.

Tour de France 27 July 2008

Spain's Carlos Sastre, arrives in Paris this afternoon victorious after 3 weeks tour through France. He retained the yellow jersey since l'Alpe d'Huez. This was Carlos Sastre's 1st Tour de France. It is my opinion that these men are the real athletics, enduring the cold, wet, heat, thousands of kilometers of mountains, winding and narrow roads. It is quite a sight as all these many bikers enter the Champs Elysee. I might add they are fewer that completed the race than that entered 3 weeks ago. It is a splendid sight.

Bastille Day-feu d'artifice

Just as every 14 July we celebrate
Bastille Day with friends. The city of Saint Raphael puts on a spectacular display of fireworks for us. We are fortunately to have a front row view from our terrace. After dinner 10 friends, adults and children, arrived for the fireworks. There was dancing at Place Coullet (square in the center of town) with Roland Saunier's orchestra. Earlier everyone was in agreement to participate however after dinner, champagne and the fireworks it was midnight and what seemed like a good idea was just that. Everyone was happy to head back home or to their hotel.

13 July 2008

The market was over run with tourist and locals preparing for Bastille Day that I was lucky to get this photo of the flower stand.

On the eve of the 219th year of France's Independence I just returned from the market. The photo is of the Fishmonger who longs to go to America. He wants to rent a Harley and travel A1A through Saint Augustine to Miami and eventually travel on Route 66 like Johnny Halladay did a few years ago. (Johnny Halladay is for France what Elvis Presley is for America) only difference is that Johnny is still rocking. I bought a nice selection of seafood, calamara, moules, & crevette for tomorrow's Paella. (The market is closed on Monday). We are expecting 8 for dinner. Annette and Jean is in charge of the dessert and Champagne, Alice is coming in from Italy with Italian ham and cheese. The rest is up to me. After 25 years spent celebrating next door at l'hotel Excelsior we are happy to enjoy the our terrace which offers front row seating, better viewing and we avoid the crowds.

Jazz Festival

For 28 years the city of Saint Raphael has sponsored the International Competition of New Orleans Jazz. Throughout the city and along the sea there are podiums for the orchestras to alternate. We have the pleasure of enjoying these amateurs and professional musiciens of New Orleans Jazz during the day and in the evening from 9:00 to 11:00 right under our terrace. The grand prize and 2nd prize will be awarded Sunday evening at 9:00 at the Palais des Congres with Big Band Brass.

Happy Fourth of July!

Let us celebrate today and every day

our freedom, our pride, our country!
Happy Fourth of July!

26June 2008 Bon ete a tous!

Yes, summer is finnaly here. We are enjoying the cool sea breeze and warm summer heat. Plenty of sunshine. Albert installed our new awning, a little late, it was on order since last year with delivery date end of Oct.. We were hoping that the entire building would have a new paint but the condo members voted to consider it at the next board meeting in 2009.

Wishing each and everyone a great summer.

Le charme de Marches Republicique

This hostorical market, since 1893, in old Saint Raphael is the daily meeting place for locals. It is in the old city within walking distance from our home. Open daily until noon except closed on Mon. This is where vegetables and fruits truly taste the way they should fresh from the local gardens and farms. It reminds me of Mama & Papa's wonderful garden, a great variety of vegetables that I was raised on in Louisiana. The photo only shows part of this wonderful market. There is also fresh fish, rabbit, poultry, cheeses olives, spices, herbs as well as

prepared foods. Not to be forgotten is the flower merchant. To be continued.

3 June 2008

Bonjour de Saint Raphael, Jerry, David and Gylls

Friends Christina, Jerry, Karen and David last evening.

A little glimpes of our beach.

A few braves souls enjoying the beach this warm sunnyTuesday. A tempature of 78 degrees. It was a perfectly beautiful morning so it didn't take much convincing for Jack to go out for a stroll on the promenade. We stopped to chat with David at l'hotel Excelsior where we enjoyed a great cup of coffee..........By the time we came back Christiane had finished her work and had lunch prepared.Our dinner of Couscous and with friends was enjoyed by all including the Commissiaire de Police.

Until later....Have a great day!

1 June 2008

Today is the 1st day of June and as you can see from the photo it is overcast and rain predicted for the next couple days. I must admit that we are happy to see May come to an end. It is usually one of my favorite months here. I love strolling through our flowering city, in open markets and along the sea shore. Which was virtually impossibe as the weather has been unusally cool, lots of rain and blowing wind and sand from the Saraha desert. We are told that the Mistral (wind from the desert) is over for the year. We hope this is true.

I will post on tomorrows dinner of CousCous with friends, prepared by Hotel Excelsior's chef. Until then I wish you a great Sunday!

Saint Raphael

My apologies for posting the photos without captions. While cruising it was'nt possible to use my laptop therefore I couldn't download the photos. At this very moment I'm getting over a virus that left me with a head cold, and getting settled into our home . On arrival at Nice Harbor son Gerald and friends Gylls and Jerry were there to greets us. Gerald with a SUV to drive us home and visit. Sadly next day when he returned to Paris. Christiane, the housekeeper, had everything in order, meal prepared, refrigerator stocked, and fruit basket. There was the wonderful aroma of roses and lilies from a beautiful floral arrangement.

The photo is from our terrace. It is Ocean Village from London that arrives every 2 or 3 weeks.

Marseilles, France & Portofino, Italy

Malaga & Barcelona

Valencia, Spain

Cadiz, Spain

28 April 2008 Lisbon Portugal

3 May 2008

Marseilles, France 0730

Can you tell how happy we are to be in France. Though tonight we will leave for Portofino, Italy and on Monday we will arrive back in France and disembark in Nice.

Marseilles is a dynamic city as exotic & cosmopolitan now as when the Phoenicians 1st founded it 2,600 years ago. Approaching the harbor with a breathing sunrise, Provence in the air. Provence stretches from the Rhone Valley to the Italian border. The coastal Range, known as the Massif des Maures is the dramatic backdrop for the worlds most elegant resort areas, the Cote dÁzur.
Marseilles is 1 of the France largest and busiest natural ports. It is also famouse for it's seafood especially for bouillabaisse (seafood soup) and bourride. The city is a place to wander & enjoy the everyday French life.

We could have disembarked here as it is no more than 50 Km further to Saint Raphael as Nice.
We depart at 6PM for Portofino, Italy

2 May 2008

Barcelona, Spain, Capital of Catalonia.

2000 year old Barcelona commanded a vast Mediterranean Empire when Madrid was still a dusty Moorish outpost. Relegated to 2nd city status onlyin 1561. Barcelona has long rivaled & often surpassed Madrid's supremacy.

Although the city is being cleanned up, bag-snatching is common here. We are advised to keep our wits about us, to carry nothing in our hands. Remembering the city,1st visited with my sister Geri several years ago, for it's medieval intimacy of it's Gothis quarter to the grace of wide bouldvards, temples, cathedrals and wonderful museums. We felt totally secure in the night as in the day time. Oh, how the world has changed.

We departed for France at 7:30 PM.

1 May 2008

Valencia - City of Porcelain

We are told that the 1st Valencians appeared aroung 70,000BC even though the oldest permanent communities only date from post Iberian invasion beginning in 50 BC.We were also told that the Valencianos love to celebrate, you might have thought that the fire works were for our arrival, one could have imagined the 4th of July with all the banging and carring on but, of course it is 1 May (Labor Day).

I took the shuttle to the center of this lovely city, enjoyed the sites and seeing the many city parks and spring flowers. Unfortunately only restaurants were opened so I missed the local porcelains and museums. afternoon was warm & sunny 78 degrees.

It's 10:45PM and people are lined up to use the computer so until tomorrow.

30 April 2008

Malaga - Costa Del Sol (Sunshine Coast)

Arrived at 0800. @ 60 degrees.
Malaga is hemmed in between the Sierra Nevada & the Ocean. Already established when the Phoenicians arrived in Spain . According to historians, some 50 years after the destruction of Troy in 1184 BC. Various tribes occupied Malaga during centures until the Moors took Andalusia in 711. The Castililians attacked and forced the Moors to flee in 1492. The Spanish King was installed thus converting Islamic mosques to Christianity which still exist today.
We departed for Valencia at 5:30.