The South of France - Our #3 Pick

Perceptions.  Gotta love em.’  My favorite was “French Riviera = Nude Beaches!”  Thanks Gretchen ;)  My initial perceptions were similar to Abbi’s, “Ritzy.”  I also knew it was a hot vacation spot for celeb jet setters, aka St. Tropez.  Other than that, it was just another place Stuart had decided to visit.  I’d been to Paris, and although, I really enjoyed seeing the sights, I can’t say it was one of my favs.  I love hidden gems, places where people visit but aren’t necessarily considered “tourists traps.”  I like to experience cultures, and observe the way people really live in other countries.  The South of France completely offers that opportunity, which is why it is our #3 pick.

We visited the South of France last fall with Stuart’s parents and stayed in a town called Eze (pronounced, Ess-ay). It is about 15 minutes from Monaco, known for its perfume factories, and unique shops. There was a little grocery store next to our hotel, and I can honestly say it was one of the BEST shopping experiences EVER and I LOVE to shop. We came away with French bread, cheeses, and wines, then went back to the hotel sat on the balcony overlooking the Mediterranean and enjoyed our great finds. AAAAAHHHHHH, it was so fun!!

When you decide to visit the French Riviera, and everyone should definitely plan on doing so, there are great deals during the fall and winter months. However, be prepared for many of the restaurants and shops to be closed. During the off season, the store owners take their own vacations, six months or so Another good thing to remember is there are no set hours for restaurants or stores. Each open and close as they wish, and that changes on a daily basis. If the owners don’t feel like working that day, their stores do not open. It is a bit inconvenient for we Americans, who are so accustomed to having everything at our disposal at all times, but I am inspired by their priorities. They understand that it is necessary to make money, but money is not a necessity to their happiness.

For your traveling convenience, I’ve compiled a list of things to do while visiting the South of France…So, take note!!

*Rent a car (very easy to navigate; right side of the road *Don’t plan activities, just go with the flow *Walk the streets of Monaco, Eze, Monte Carlo, St. Tropez, & Cannes *Pretend to be high class and visit the Monte Carlo Casino. *Have a Crepe along the water in St. Tropez overlooking the enormous yachts *Shop in St. Tropez (Great shops!!) *Eat in random places (I’ve included a picture of one of our completely random dining experiences) *Visit a winery…Yes, Avin, the French Riviera offers a great wine selection and beautiful wineries!!! *Did I mention eat…A lot!! *Take a moment to enjoy the gorgeous views *Visit Cannes & check out where the Cannes Film Festival is held each year. *If you like cars, count the number of Bentley’s you see…To be honest, I lost count!!

The French Riviera is a magnificent place to visit with so much to offer. I realize it sounds like an extravagent vacation, but honestly it can be done cost effectively. Obviously, the biggest expense is the airline tickets. For us, we were in England anyway, so we just bought cheap tickets to Nice, France on Easyjet.com. Just do me a favor, and try to make the trip someday. I promise, you won’t regret it. Until next time, Bon Voyage, Amis…

The French Riviera - Our #3 Pick

Oh, there are not enough words to describe our pure love and adoration for the French Riviera!! HOWEVER, Before I describe why we love it, I want some input from you. When you hear “French Riviera,” what are the first thoughts that come to your mind?? Once I hear your perceptions, I will give you mine.
So, comment away…

London England - Our #4 Pick

Surprise, Surprise…Our number four pick is London, England.  If you’ve read this blog for long, you know that we love England.  Ironically, this will be the fourth blog devoted to the Queen’s country, and one of those posts is already devoted to our fourth pick.  So check out why we love London.

St. Moritz, Switzerland - Our #5 Pick

Breathtaking.  Beautiful.  Unique.  High class.  Did I mention beautiful?  St. Moritz, Switzerland, a ski town in the Swiss Alps, and a hidden gem.  We visited a few years ago with my parents after touring Italy.  We had a couple of days left before heading back to London, so Stuart decided we would take a detour to St. Moritz.  What a detour it was!! 

Honestly, I wasn’t too excited about making the journey.  We had been traveling through Italy via planes, trains and automobiles, and I was OVER traveling.  I tend to get that way after a long trip because I’m a bit of a homebody, and I always miss my dog.   But, as always, Stuart kept it interesting.

We visited in late October, which was bittersweet…Great because of the small crowds and low prices, but depressing due to the lack of snow.  However, it was entertaining to stroll along the streets and enjoy the beautiful views.  Let me paint the picture for you…

As we drove to St. Moritz, there were views of waterfalls on each side of the road.  The Swiss Alps enclosed around us offering a sense of peace and tranquility leaving us in a state of awe.  The curvy roads soon gave way to an enormous lake with a plethora of windsurfers occupying the waters.  Then, there was the Swiss flag waving in the wind.  My mother noticed the flag, and made a comment I will not soon forget.  Below is the commentary:

Jane (my mom):  “There are a lot of Red Cross locations in this country.”  

Emily (me):  “Mom, that’s the Swiss flag.”

The Entire Car:  Hysterical laughing

Hilarious!  Anyway, some of my favorites were browsing through the extremely expensive shops, visiting an amazing bakery with the most incredible views I’ve ever seen, and meeting the friendliest people.  The best was the owner of our hotel.  He seemed to be part of a one man crew…He checked us in, cleaned our room, and made us breakfast.  And, he even fixed Stuart’s accidental booking error, my travel agent (Stuart) booked it for October 2007 rather than October 2006.  We were happy that he could accommodate our reservation for the weekend because it was a mid-priced hotel, which isn’t easy to find in St. Moritz.  It is a ski town for the elite, but traveling in the off season definitely gives you more for your money!  How do I know it is for the elite?  All shops are designer, all houses are mansions, most restaurants are expensive, and I own an US magazine with a picture of Paris Hilton in her little ski bunny outfit hanging out in St. Moritz!!  So, visit during the off season, eat breakfast at the hotel, look but don’t buy, and enjoy the wonderful views St. Moritz has to offer.

Bottom line…  Great getaway.  Perfect Scenery.  Nice people.  Exciting activities.  Should have been listed in the book 100 Places to Visit before you Die.  We loved St. Moritz, not because of the high class culture, but ultimately because the incredible views allowed us to experience God’s beautiful creations in a very real way.  Hard to put that kind’ve beauty into words!!

Until next time, Bon Voyage, Amis.

Zoey’s New Trick

Ok Ok…I know it is “theme” week, as the Love to Love it queen has labeled it.  BUT, I have a video to share…then I promise I will get back to our Top 5. Until then, here is another video of my dogger, Zoey, performing a new trick.  It’s only a matter of time before she shows the world her many talents!!!

THE TOP 5

The theme of this blog for the next few weeks will rest on Stu & I’s top five vacation destinations.   So, here it is…our list of the top five places we have visited thus far.

1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Sorrento, Italy
3. The French Riviera
4. London, England
5. St. Moritz, Switzerland

My 26th Birthday

Side note…This post was written after my birthday but I’m just now getting around to posting it.

I have an amazing husband…no introduction to this post, I just want all of you to know that I love my significant other!!  Why, you ask?  Well, there are a lot of reasons, but this week I love him because he really hit it big with my birthday celebration!  I have what some people may call an “obsession” with my birthday.  It stems from my childhood because my parents always made birthdays a big deal, and my father always told me that I could do whatever I wanted on my birthday.  So, I just love July 1st, and if you are around me enough, you could easily get annoyed with my crazy obsession…just ask everyone who works with me!  However, it never seems to bother Stuart.  In fact, I would venture to say he almost likes it because we have similar interests.  So, this year he planned a weekend geteaway to Chicago.  Great time!!

We arrived in Chicago on the Saturday before my birthday, checked into the Westin downtown, and ventured out into the streets of Chicago.  I always just follow Stuart around, he somehow navigates through Chicago as if it were his hometown.  This is not to say he does not get lost, but I wouldn’t know the difference.  Anyway, we shopped for a few hours and then had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants…Japonais.  It is delicious, and the atmosphere is second to none.  I highly recommend it, especially for special occasions. 

Then, on Sunday we walked to the Taste of Chicago.  I had never been, but I think we will now make it a tradition to attend every year.  Anyone interested is welcome to come along.  There were so many options, and it was well organized….You purchase tickets and use the tickets to purchase the food.  We spent about 3 hours walking around, buying samples of food from different booths, and enjoying the beautiful view of Lake Michigan.  The end result was a full lunch for two for less than $30.00 :) 

Bottom line, I love Chicago, July 1st is one of my favorite days of the year, and I absolutely adore my husband.  My 26th birthday was a memorable one, and for the first time I realized I was no longer a “young adult.”  Oh well, I’m content with growing old, especially since birthdays always offer a good reason to celebrate.

Until next time, Bon Voyage, Amis

Bigstuf Camp 2008

Panama City Beach, FL…I experienced quite a few “firsts” in this Northern Floridian city last week.  For starters, I’d never been to Panama City, and even though I spent five days there, I can’t offer up too many travel tips.  There was a beach with quite a lot of seaweed, a Chick-Fil-a, a restaurant called Montego Bay, a gift shop called Alvin’s Island that falsely advertised the opportunity to feed the alligators (I was told it was a gift shop), and a nice outdoor mall.  But, this trip wasn’t about the sightseeing, actually the location itself had very little relevance.  This journey was about Bigstuf.  A five day camp for teenagers - graduated sixth graders through twelfth graders.  A camp that is intended to lead teenagers to a relationship with God. 

This leads me to my other “first.”  I had never been to a “church” camp.  If the church I grew up in offered a camp, I probably never shared that information with my parents.  I wasn’t what one would call a devoted Christ follower.  I would have rather hung out on the softball field.  So, to be honest, I went to Bigstuf to help lead teenagers with no prior church camp experience; therefore, I had no idea what to expect.  The only thing I knew for sure was I would be riding on a bus with teenagers for approximately 18 hours…

What an experience it was!  Obviously, the intention of the camp was to reach teenagers, but by the end, my faith and relationship with God was completely renewed.  Each day was set up primarily the same…breakfast, morning session, student break-out/leader break-out, lunch, free time (beach, pool), dinner, quiet time (my favorite) and the evening session.  As the camp progressed, the sessions became more emotional and more about experiencing an intimate connection with God.  The highlights for me were hanging out with the students, quiet time, the music, the talks, Sam baptizing two students from another church in Kokomo, Jack’s story (text ‘Jack’ to 23000), and last but certainly not least the Daraja Children’s Choir.  Check out the two videos below about the choir, the first is their performance and the other shares their story.

The theme of this year’s camp was “Broadcast,” and the question, “What are you broadcasting?”  A question that is relevant for all people in every age group.  And, not only what do you “broadcast” during the good times, but what do you “broadcast” when life becomes difficult?  The lesson for me…  If you allow Him, the God of the universe will celebrate with you during the joyous times, and carry you through the trials.  When you feel there is no where to turn, it is in those moments that God reveals himself in a very real and intimate way.  Man, what a great camp, and what an amazing God to continue to accept us, forgive us, and love us even when we don’t always reciprocate those actions. 

Traveling is great.  How blessed we’ve been to experience so many different places!  However, during my time in Panama City (hearing the stories, watching the choir, and learning about different needs), Stuart and I have now made a pact to designate one trip a year to helping others, to venture outside of ourselves and fulfill a need.  What should we do this year??

Bottom line, if you ever have a chance to attend a Bigstuf camp, jump at the opportunity!!

Until next time, Bon Voyage Amis.

P.S.  Text ‘Jack’ to 23000, then visit www.HeyJackRadio.com

A ‘Roaring’ Reunion

I LOVE LOVE LOVE ANIMALS!!  So, when I came across this video, I felt compelled to share.   Check out this touching reunion between a lion and his former caretakers…Grab some tissues

Napoli, Italy

Napoli, Italy….more commonly known in the U.S. as Naples, but I like Napoli better.  Say it out loud, N-A-P-O-L-I, doesn’t it have a nice ring to it?  It makes you feel Italian, which is true with most city names in Italia when pronounced the correct way.  Yet, Americans, for whatever reason, feel the need to alter the names. Italians don’t refer to the state of Maine as Mainia; however we call Roma - Rome, Venezia - Venice, Milano - Milan.  It just annoys me. 

Anyway, Napoli was our first stop on our Italian adventure.  Stuart, my parents, and I embarked on what turned out to be an amazing trip.  A trip that we will never forget.  However, instead of telling the story, I’d rather do it Glamour style.  You know, they always interview celebrities in a Q & A type format.  I love to read those.  So, I’ll ask Stuart questions since he is a celebrity of this particular blog.   

• So Stuart, if you could use one word to describe Napoli, what would it be? 

~CHAOTIC

• Did you rent a car or use public transportation in Napoli?  

~ We rented a car, but take public transportation if you are not leaving the city.

• How many days did you spend there? 

~ One day…we were on our way to Sorrento, Italy ITALIA.

• Paint us a picture of the Napolian culture?  Is Napolian a word?

~     Napoli is one of the few Italian cities that is not setup to accommodate tourists. It is in a state of controlled chaos if you are from Napoli…but, if not, good luck. And, to answer your second question, I have no idea what people from Napoli call themselves, but Napolian makes sense.

• What was your most memorable experience in this city?

~  Driving!  Driving in Napoli is truly a unique experience. This is due in part to their chaotic style of living which flows over into their driving technique. The moment we left the airport parking lot in our slightly dented rental car, I encountered my first local driver. I was honked at and then passed while sitting at a RED light. And red does mean stop in Italy just like it does in the U.S.  But, if you can’t beat em’ join em,’ and that is what I did.

You never really stop moving. just look for an opening and go for it no matter what the traffic laws. I have driven in most of the major U.S. cities and London but nothing compares to Napoli.  It is truly a style of driving all its own.

• For someone interested in touring Italy, would you recommend Napoli as a good place to start? 

~ I would not recommend starting in Napoli if you haven’t done much international travel. It is not that the people aren’t friendly but tourists are not on the top of their priority list. The cities in the north have more signage in English and tourist information. In my opinion, it would be best to start in the north and work your way south to Napoli after getting accustomized to the Italian culture. I had been to northern Italy prior to this trip, which aided in the understanding of how things work.

• Would you go back to Napoli? 

~ Definitely!  Although I may have made Napoli sound a bit crazy, it is a great place to to really experience a city.  You are immediately entrenched in their culture!! 

• Is your wife a really fun travel buddy?  How is she at navigating in and around Napoli?

~ This question makes it quite obvious that Emily is the creator of this blog and I just help out with some of the technical information. Driving is what we did the most of in Napoli because we were just stopping through on our way to Sorrento. That being said, if you choose to visit Napoli, I would recommend not driving unless you are leaving the city. The street signage in this city is almost nonexistent.  So, navigating Napoli on your own in a car is very difficult.  It is mandatory to have someone calling out the turns.  Otherwise, it would be very easy to not only get lost, but it also increases your chances of getting in an accident.  

Quick story…We met a very nice man at a filling station, who pointed us in the direction of Sorrento. Not with just a simple point of the finger, but he lead us to the road we needed with his head and arm hanging out the window to make sure we understood to follow him.  Due to his kindness and Emily’s excellent directional skills :), we finally made it to Sorrento.

 As a side note, if I am driving in a new area I always get a road map when I get there.  The maps you get in travel books and at book stores may not be up-to-date.  If it is not in the local language, it is useless.

• If you could change anything about travel arrangements in Napoli, what would it be?

~ I would have spent more time exploring the city.

Thanks Stuart…You are a wealth of information!  Until next time, Bon Voyage, Amis!