First off, a quick happy birthday shout out to my dad, who is an awesome person and role model.
We spent his birthday driving along the French Riviera, which was absolutely gorgeous. In all the nooks and crannies of the seaside cliffs, little villages staked their claim on the landscape. The houses flew by in a blur of pastel roofs. And on we went.
We stopped in Portofino for a celebratory swim. Following signs for an open bar looking out over the Mediterranean, we took in views of the gorgeous blue-green water below us. It was sweltering, and we were all dripping in sweat. A mile into the hike, we saw the turnoff. Open bar! Fresh ice cream! Dad was so excited he took a picture with the sign. Five hundred feet past, we saw a disheartening sight: folded umbrellas and chairs stacked against the closed bar. I was tempted to hurtle some of the folding chairs off the cliff. But, we pushed on with a good attitude. We came to a public beach; what it was lacking in sand, it made up for in warm water.
After refreshing ourselves, we headed into downtown to grab lunch at the local grocery store. The fresh produce was delicious, as was the Italian yogurt. We got gelato and sat on the concrete edge of the marina, admiring the enormous yachts coming in to the marina. They dwarfed the surrounding buildings and boasted home ports such as St. Thomas and the BVI.
On the road again! We made it to Villefranche, near Nice, and dragged ourselves up the stairs to our apartment. In the morning, we walked down to eat a breakfast of an espresso and a pain au chocolat(my favorite). We were pleasantly surprised by Les Cosmos, who served delicious omelettes with hot ham and cheese. This was to become our go-to restaurant in Villefranche, and it was only a five minute walk from our apartment!
Our favorite beach was Paloma Beach. On the sheltered side of the peninsula St. Jean-Cap Ferrât across from Villefranche, Paloma occupies prime beach space on the French Riviera. The bartender also makes a mean Cadillac margarita. The water is crystal clear and you can float in circles for hours. The lullaby of glasses clinking and low chatter adds to the relaxing nature of this special place.
On the last night in Villefranche, there were fireworks over the marina to celebrate the Fourth of July. It was nice to be reminded of home, even if we were a world away.