Cannes and Monaco

We had a 3-day weekend from the 12th to the 14th and headed south to the French Riviera. A month or so ago when we were tossing around ideas for the weekend, Nadia, a co-worker of Shelly's, suggested Cannes - where her sister has a condo. Nadia's sister would not be home over the weekend so it would be a perfect time for us to go. You can't beat a free place to stay in one of the more expensive areas of Europe, so Shelly, Nadia, Jessica (another co-worker) and I booked flights to the Cote d'Azure. We didn't really know what to expect for our accommodations, and when we arrived we were shocked. What Nadia hadn't told us is that her sister's condo is just one of their houses, and that her brother-in-law and sister spend most of the year cruising the Mediterranean on their yacht. The "summer house" was very nice - one of the top floor condos in an 11 story complex, with wood floors, fully-wired sound, plasma TV's, deck with a hot tub and a great view of Cannes and the Mediterranean. Thanks Nadia!!!

We flew in late Thursday night so we had all day Friday and Saturday to look around. On Friday morning we gawked at the view and enjoyed pastries and fruit from a market around the corner. The fruit was really the best we've ever had - peaches, nectarines, oranges, figs, everything was perfectly fresh. Where ever we went, we toted some fruit with us.

We spent Friday exploring Cannes, and the girls gave in to the lure of the local shops. Friday night we enjoyed wine and cheese on the deck of the condo then went out for a drink at a club on the beach. Saturday, Shelly, Jessica and I took a train to Monaco where we saw the biggest privately owned boat we've ever seen: The Lady Moura, the 6th largest private yacht in the world. Saturday night we enjoyed more wine and cheese on the deck, and then continued to sample local wine while relaxing in the hot tub. Sunday Shelly and I walked around the marina and got a severe case of boat envy, then stopped at the beach for a swim before heading back to the condo to get ready for our flight home.

The weather in Germany has started to turn for the worse, cooler with more clouds and rain, so fall temps are starting to set in. A weekend of warm weather, sun and relaxation was very nice. We'd rank the French Riviera as our favorite spot so far.

-Ed