The Riviera

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Monday in Monaco-Tuesday Portofino

OK! I know the rich are different from me but good gracious must they be so extravagant. The will be a yacht show soon and the harbor is teaming with yachts the size of ferryboats, very large ferryboats. The finance minister from Saudi Arabia has the name of the boat in giant gold letters on the side. The Niarchos yacht is here and the Onassis’ Christina, that old thing, can be rented for 35,000e a week. And here they sit, some permanently.

We set off on a bus tour or Nice and Eze. The Cote d’azure is beautifully blue, the mansions impressive as are the old but refurbished hotels.

WHAT IS THAT!!! I glance up from my typing and outside the window a helicopter floats by. It is nestled next to a car and a sailboat. It’s on the front deck of a VESSEL! This puppy is HUGE! It’s name is the SAMAR and it is so long that I can’t get it all in one picture. That one has to win biggest in show. OK, back to the blog.

The road to Nice, the lower cornich, is very curvy and our bus driver is a real expert. His skills are put to the test when he negotiates the narrow streets of the city. So we pass the area where Tina Turner has a home and Elton John’s mansion with 360- degree views and it’s own helipad. We see where the crown heads of Europe spent the winter and made the Riviera the playground for the rich and famous as it still is. The water is Caribbean blue and late vacationers bake on the sand or stones.

While the rest of the group goes off to shop, Joe and I wander around the port area and visit the main square with its fountain of myths. We stop for an aperitif and watch the passing scene, one of my favorite pastimes when traveling.

Then it’s back on the bus and we head to Eze, a hilltop village now mainly a tourist stop. I’m sure you could shop till you dropped but we settle for gelato and watch the crowd. There are two very exclusive hotels in Eze, both close their grounds to the day-trippers but we can see the Jardin Fantastic from above. It’s filled with sculptures of exotic animals, crocs and elephants, giraffe and bear as well as lovely gardens and spots to sit and enjoy the view. Enjoyed the day very much. I can understand why the wealthy chose this area and made it their own.

From Monaco and France it was on to Italy, the Italian Rivera and the town of Santa Margherita, Portofino, San Fruttuoso and Camogli. Again the scenery was lovely and the castles, villas and churches on the coast were very grand. Still, aboard our ferry with about 150 of our new best friends and hearing commentary over a terrible sound system sis not seem the best choice. Still we enjoyed the day as we visited Camogli, a medieval maritime, once larger than even Genoa. Here we sit on the shade and watch the parade including lots of doggies, leashed and with responsible owners. No dog doo here. There are terriers and setters and mixed breeds all enjoying the walk by the water.

We pull into the inlet at San Fruttuso to enjoy a view of the 10^th century Romanesque church and 13^th century abbey. From this small fishing village the great Italian admiral Doria set out to conquer the seas.



Finally we pull into the quay in Portofino, first sailing by Georgio Armani’s villa. This s definitely the place for well healed shopaholics. If you can’t spend a fortune here in an afternoon you haven’t really tried. All the “best” stores and brands are here. If you want to sit in a restaurant, better order a full meal or you will be asked to leave. Cafes are for snacks of coffee or wine. Not restaurants. The town is surprisingly small but charming nonetheless.



Back on board we dress for our first formal night, enjoy escargot, pate and caviar, chilled berry soup, surf & surf and rack of lamb. It is nice to see almost everyone dressed up. We have our pictures taken and enjoy a cocktail before dinner. Afterward I sit in at the poker table while Joe watches and turn over hand after hand while watching some young men who evidently watch too much TV, give their money back and forth to each other and finally to a savvy Aussie. Oh if only I could get a starting hand, any starting hand. Finally after about an hour and a half I get an AK and go all in on the flop with my Aces. The king fell at the river and I needed it to win over a lower two pair.

After another round I headed to bed.

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Photos

Nice
Central Plaza

Nice
The Beach

Monaco
The Samar Mast reaches to deck 7

Eze
On sale

Camogli
Seaside Apartments