Bienvenue We're In Italy At Last

Hello all,
Busy busy busy...we left our home stays and said fond farwells to all our gracious hosts and hostesses. Onward to Cannes: Group picture time on the stairs of where the Cannes film festival is held. Pretty exciting to know that we walked in a place where so many famous people have been. One could sure tell that the rich and famous travel through this area. Yachts the size of ocean liners, (well almost) and helicoptors that bring people to their mansions. We went for a late afternoon bowling party and dinner, then to our hotel.

UP early as usual, then proceeded to Monaco and learned the history of the Grimaldi family, the world's oldest monarchy. One square mile of land with 7,000 Monaconese people. To be a citizen you have to have parents that were born there. No citizen pays taxes and you are reimbursed for living and school expenses until you are of age. We observed the track of the Grand Prix. It is amazing how short and dangerous a track it is.
Hey dads: for only 65 Euro you can rent a Red Ferari for 20 minutes and drive it through the city.

In the afternoon we ate lunch in Eze then toured Fagonard perfume factory learning how perfume is made. Amazing how many tons of flowers it takes to get one liter of the essence.

Eze was also the home of Friedrich Nietzsche.
Lazagna in La Spezia and back to the hotel for a short night's sleep.

Today was glorious weather. We boarded a boat La Spezia and went to Monterosso for a beach day. ( Everyone was warned to wear their sunscreen but there a few bright red faces)We had lunch right on the beach, then took a long, hot, steep walk for a great view of the coast of this region
Cinque Terra.
Tonight we came to the best hotel yet, the Country Club. We had an amazing dinner of bruschetta, a vegetable, shrimp, and barley combination....YUMMY, then an unbelievable pasta with a sauce that would make Emeril jealous. Next course was pork with roasted potatoes. This was followed by ice cream. Every was in heaven tonight! After some free time in the hotel, playing cards, having a coffee, etc, bed check for the kids and now catching up on this.
Tomorrow to see David...and then in the evening we will be making our own pizzas!

Time for some welcome shut eye!
Until later,
Julie

ciao

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