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2011-03-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

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Craigdarroch Castle

2011-03-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada

Recommended visit time required: 1 hour

Parking: Free (on-site lot and 2-hour street parking)

Front facade

Craigdarroch Castle, completed in 1890, was the dream home of wealthy Robert Dunsmuir who amassed his fortune in coal. Sadly, he died the year before its completion and never lived here. The castle was left for his wife, Joan, who lived here until her death in 1908. The castle was owned by one other individual after the Dunsmuir daughters sold it, but lost it to Bank of Montreal due to unpaid debts. After this, the castle has been used as: Craigdarroch Military Hospital; Victoria College; offices for the Victoria School Board, Victoria Conservatory of Music; and currently as Craigdarroch Castle Historic House Museum.

Side of the Castle

Back of the Castle

Back porch

The interior of Craigdarroch Castle is very well furnished and staged to reflect the original use of the residence as accurately as possible. A brochure is provided with your entrance fee for a self-guided tour. An audioguide ($5) is available to rent, but I think the expense is unnecessary as there is a lot of information in the brochure as well as on the signposts in each of the rooms.

Don't forget to look up!

The Library

Drawing Room

Dining Room

Jessie's Bedroom

Stair landing

The Billiards Room

Robert Harvey's Bedroom... the green paint is original!

Effie's Bedroom

Dance Hall

Maud's Bedroom

The Breakfast Room

View of Mt Douglas from the tower

Beacon Hill Park

2011-03-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada
Parking: Free

Beacon Hill Park is THE park to visit when in Victoria.

Feed ducks at the duck pond

Find a hidden trail

Children's Petting Zoo

Suggested Donations:

Adults $3.50

Children $2.50

Ducks

Peacocks

Goat Farm

Baby goats just born... only 1-1/2 months old!

Cute baby goat

More baby goats

Pigs

Birds

Miniature Pony

World's Largest Totem Pole

Walk the Trail from Ogden Point to Clover Park

Fly kites at Clover Park

The Olympic Mountains in Washington State are visible from the south end of the park

Victoria, Canada

2011-03-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, is a quaint town on Vancouver Island. It is a great place for seniors to retire to, which explains why you will see a lot of short, gray hair around you. It may also explain why the shops close down by 8PM in downtown and the pubs, while aplenty, seem to keep their raucousness indoors.

Victoria is easy to walk as most of the sites are within the downtown core, although there are a few sites that are a bit too far to travel by foot. However, public transportation would come in handy for those attractions if you don't have a car.

Parking in downtown was a lot easier than I'd anticipated. Parkades are easy to find and the first hour is free. If you look beyond the downtown core, you'll find plenty of free limited street parking as well as metered street parking. Street parking on Sundays is free.

It's also difficult to get lost as there are free tourist maps everywhere... posted outside restaurants, in museums, etc. The ugly power boxes usually found next to lamp posts and at pedestrian crossings are also covered with a map of downtown.

My trip lasted for three days, two nights. Here is what I saw and did during that time:

Day 1

9:00 AM

Depart on ferry from Tsawwassen Terminal

11:00 AM

Arrive Swartz Bay Terminal

11:30 AM

Arrive downtown Victoria; Lunch at Dutch Bakery

12:30 PM

Explore and go shopping on Antique Row, Government Street, Market Square, and Chinatown

4:30 PM

Check into hotel

8:00 PM

Explore Inner Harbour; Dinner

Bastion Square

Antique Row

Antique Row, if truth be told, was disappointing. I was expecting to see shop after shop of antiques; of old things spilling onto the streets. However, I counted about five antique shops at the most.

I found shopping at Market Square and Store Street to be much more exciting than Antique Row.

Market Square

A sample of downtown Victoria

Welcome to Chinatown

Chinatown

Fan Tan Alley, Chinatown

Inner Harbour in the evening is quite stunning. With beautiful buildings such as the Empress Hotel and the Parliament Buildings lining the harbor, the area makes for a wonderful night time stroll.

The Empres Hotel

Inner Harbour marina

Parliament buildings

Detail of the Legislative Assembly of BC

Royal BC Museum

Day 2

11:30 AM

Visit Hatley Castle and Gardens

1:30 PM

Lunch at Fisherman's Wharf

2:30 PM

Visit Royal BC Museum

4:00 PM

Explore Cook Street Village*

5:00 PM

Explore Oak Bay Village*

6:00 PM

Dessert and drink at The Soda Shoppe

7:00 PM

Explore Empress Hotel

8:00 PM

Dinner

*While both villages are equal in quaintness, Cook Street is half the size of Oak Bay which makes it less charming. If you plan to visit both, I advise going to Oak Bay first as most of the shops close at 5PM while Cook Street stays open until at least 6PM.

Take the scenic route from Cook Street to Oak Bay

Interior of Munro Bookshop on Government Street

Day 3

10:00 AM

Check out of hotel

10:30 AM

Take a free tour at the Legislative Assembly of BC

11:30 AM

Take photos of Inner Harbour

12:00 PM

Explore Beacon Hill Park; picnic lunch

2:00 PM

Visit Craigdarroch Castle

3:15 PM

Visit Government House

4:00 PM

Admire the view from Mount Tolmie Park

5:00 PM

Depart ferry from Swartz Bay Terminal

6:30 PM

Arrive Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal

Inner Harbour during the day

Buskers can often be found on Inner Harbour

Saving the Undersea Gardens for a future trip to Victoria

Welcome to Mount Tolmie Park

View of Mount Douglas from Mount Tolmie

View of Victoria from Mount Tolmie

Government House

2011-03-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada
Parking: Free (parking lot on site)

Located close to Craigdarroch Castle, Government House can be visited immediately after a tour of the castle. The house itself is Ceremonial Home of all British Columbians and contains the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. It is not usually open to the public, but you can walk around the gardens at no charge. Open everyday from dawn until dusk.

This was all I could get of the interior.

Victorian Rose Garden... no roses in March.

Terraces at the back of the House

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

2011-03-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada

Recommended visit time required: 1 hour

The Parliament Buildings are a familiar sight along the Inner Harbour as they are situated in downtown Victoria. Free guided tours are available in the Legislative Assembly of BC, or you can go at your own pace by borrowing a self-guided tour booklet. Plan your visit accordingly as the Assembly is only open weekdays between 8:30AM - 5PM.

The Reception Hall

BC Coat of Arms

Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Window

Golden Jubilee Window

Dogwood, the official flower of BC, is a common motif throughout

Located in the lower rotunda, this is one of three original mosaic floors

Looking up into the upper rotunda

The Upper Rotunda


The Legislative Chamber

Fisherman's Wharf

2011-03-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada
Parking lot: $1.50 for two hours

Tucked away at the south end of the harbor in James Bay, Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria is a hidden gem. The floating private residences each have their own personality, painted in bright jewel tones and decorated with whimsical ornaments. Stop here for fish and chips at Barb's, then walk through the docks admiring the colors of the homes and buildings. Book a whale watching tour. Take a diving course. Don't forget to look over the edge into the water for seals who frequent this area and pose for photos.

There are a few floating dessert shops at Fisherman's Wharf

THE place to eat fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf

These fish and chips aren't bad!

View between the floating homes

Browse the floating homes

Seals pay regular visits

Hatley Castle

2011-03-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada

Parking: metered lot

Hatley Castle, the original home of Robert Dunsmuir, is part of Royal Roads University in Colwood, just 20 minutes west of Victoria. There are four guided tours offered in the castle when school is not in session. The Hatley Gardens, comprised of Italian Gardens, Japanese Gardens, and Walled Gardens, are open year round.

Interior of Hatley Castle

Hatley Castle from the Italian Gardens


Italian Gardens

Italian Gardens

Peacocks freely roam the gardens

Peahens freely roam the gardens

The Japanese Gardens

Royal British Columbia Museum

2011-03-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada

Recommended visit time required: minimum of 2 hours (not including the time it takes to purchase your tickets)

Photography Allowed? Yes; no flash

The Royal BC Museum has a collection of items that are specific to the province of British Columbia, giving you a good insight and understanding of its history. My favorite part of the Museum was Old Town on the third floor. The Old Town exhibit is a mock-up of a Victorian street where you peer into the windows of shops and buildings staged in intricate detail that would have existed in that era. The Museum is extremely kid-friendly. Aside from the kids' area in the Ocean Station exhibit on the second floor, there are sketch stations located throughout Old Town.

Second Floor: Natural History Gallery

Ice-Age Mammoth

Seashore exhibit

Ocean Station exhibit

Third Floor: First Peoples Gallery

Totem Poles

Third Floor: History Gallery

Century Hall

Vehicle in Old Town

Old Town exhibit

Lobby of the Grand Hotel; Old Town

Kitchen of the Grand Hotel; Old Town

Pharmacist in Chinatown; Old Town

Gold Rush exhibit

Outside the Museum

Thunderbird Park

Thunderbird Park is a small park situated just east of the museum. It is known for the several totem poles located here.

Mungo Martin House in Thunderbird Park

Totem poles of Thunderbird Park

Helmcken House

Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken was a surgeon with the Hudson's Bay Company who later became a statesman who helped negotiate the entry of British Columbia into Canada as a province. His home is the oldest building in British Columbia, which still stands on its original site. It is open to the public only between June and September from noon - 4PM, included with your museum admission.

Helmcken House

Empress Hotel

2011-03-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Victoria, BC; Canada

The Cheong Gye Cheon

2010-07-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Location: Seoul, Korea

Subway Stop: Various

Here are the words written on a plaque at the Cheong Gye Cheon:

"The Cheong Gye Cheon is a stream running through central Seoul from west to east.

During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), housewives gathered at the stream to do laundry, while their children played together. Around 1760, major renovations were carried out along the stream. Thus, the Cheong Gye Cheon developed the appearance that we see today.

From the 1900's until after the Korean War (1950-1953), people who left their homes in rural areas to find jobs or a better living in Seoul built one makeshift house after another alongside the stream, making the area a shantytown.

In 1958, efforts to improve the poor aesthetic condition of the Cheong Gye Cheon began by covering the stream with concrete and this work continued for the ensuing 20 years. In 1976, an elevated highway was built over top. Consequently, the Cheong Gye Cheon, which was once regarded as a symbol of the nation's development and growth, had vanished.

A few decades later, the citizens of Seoul were faced with such grave issues as the decreased aesthetic value of the city coupled with concerns for safety and security. As a result the citizens of Seoul who were more sensitive to environmental-friendly ways of thinking agreed that it should be restored as a clean stream.

Finally, the Seoul Metropolitan Government made a decision to restore the stream with the objective of forming a human-centered, ecological-friendly urban area in a city that has been the nation's capital for 600 years.

On October 1, 2005, the restoration work of the Cheong Gye Cheon was successfully completed after the historical commencement on July 1, 2003. Storeowners and street vendors that operated small businesses along the stream initially objected to the project. However, they finally understood that the improvements would help create prosperity and make Seoul a nice place to live. With the completion of this historical project designed to restore cleanliness, culture and tradition to the stream, Seoul is finally reborn as an international city that values its environment and human life."

The Cheong Gye Cheon is a refreshing getaway from the city crowds, especially during the hot, humid summer. Take a book and read, dip your feet in the cool water, bring a kimbap to snack on... an afternoon or evening here is quite delightful.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

2010-07-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Location: Seoul, Korea

Subway Stop: Gyeongbokgung

Admission required

Gyeongbokgung was a much bigger palace than I had anticipated. Who knew the Koreans lived in such grandeur and luxury once upon a time! The gardens are beautiful and vast. Since so much of Korea is so westernized, this was a good way to see some of old Korea. Check the website before visiting as there are certain day(s) of the week the palace is closed.

The juxtaposition of new and old is very cool.

Architectural detail

Walking through the grounds of the palace

The gardens

There are a few other palaces in Seoul that I didn't get around to visiting, but a few of my friends have seen. If you get around to seeing them, please let me know how you liked them!

Changdeokgung Palace

Jongmyo Shrine

Changgyeonggung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

DMZ Tour

2010-07-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Seoul, Korea

Estimated length: 6 hours

It seemed that a day trip to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) was a popular activity amongst my friends, so I looked into it also. It is definitely good for a little something something outside of the city and learning more about the Korean War. This trip can be done as a half day, giving you time to do something else in the afternoon.

A guided tour is required. I did my research on this and found the ST6 Tour from Star Travel was the least expensive tour I could find and offered the same sites as the other tour operations. As I understand it, it will be easier for you to visit the DMZ on a tour. I think you can go on your own, but it might be difficult to manage. I went on a tour and it was easier that way.

Imjingak Park

Freedom Bridge

Dora Observatory

"When the Trans-Korea Railway (TKR), the Trans-Siberia Railway (TSR), and the Trans-China Railway (TCR) are connected in the future, Dorasan Station promises to emerge as the starting point of the transcontinental railroad."

Dorasan Station

Inside Dorasan Station

Boseong, South Korea

2010-07-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

If you love green tea or just appreciate the beauty of green tea fields, Boseong is a great weekend trip. Aside from the tea plantation, which deserves at least 2-3 hours which includes hiking time, you can enjoy a green tea soak in a jimjilbang, eat some green tea ice cream, drink some green tea, and play on the beach in the nearby town of Yulpo.

Yulpo Beach

How to Get There:
Take the Non-Stop Bus from Seoul Express Terminal (lines 3, 7, 9) to Beolgo Express Bus Terminal in Boseong, Jeollanam-do. The bus only leaves twice a day and the first bus is at 08:10AM. The ride is roughly 4hours, 40 minutes or nearly 5 hours. Return bus will be about the same amount of time. The last bus to leave Boseong on Sunday will be at 16:00 (4PM), from Beolgyo Intercity Bus Terminal (different from point of arrival).

What to Do:
This link has a great general itinerary for a weekend stay.

What to Budget: (all prices are estimates)
Return bus fare: W40,000
Lodging: W15,000 - 20,000 each person
Green Tea Spa: W5,000
Body scrub: W15,000
Bus rides in town: W5,000
Meals: allowance of W8,000 per meal x 5 = W40,000
Minor incidentals (water, ice cream, etc): W10,000

Total: W130,000 - 135,000

Seoul, Korea

2010-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you only have one week in Korea, you could easily spend it entirely in Seoul itself. Knowing how to read and write the Hangul alphabet would be very helpful as there aren't a lot of people who know how to speak or read English in Korea. Even though the subways are very foreigner friendly (they're written in Chinese, English, and Hangul), there are still a lot of signs only written in Hangul. Most menus are written entirely in Hangul. When my friends came to visit, I wrote them a list of important things they'd need to know in Hangul so they could just show their piece of paper to the taxi driver or another local. They always got where they needed to go with that piece of paper. It would also be helpful to arm yourself with this useful site for your travel while in Seoul: Seoul Subway Map

The neighborhoods in Seoul to check out are:

Hongdae
Subway Stop: Hongik University

Primarily a university area filled with students and color, foreigners like coming here for the bars and the shopping is quite fun. I found lots of great stuff here. There's also a Hello Kitty cafe that's fun to take some photos of and a Design cafe that I really enjoyed.

Myeongdong
Subway Stop: Myeongdong

Super shopping central! Come here for lots of western shopping but also Korean versions of the western stores. There's lots of cutesy boutiques too, but I think Hongdae is much more relaxing in comparison - not as much squeezing through crowds. This is also a good area for souvenirs.

Itaewon
Subway Stop: Itaewon
Lonely Planet describes this neighborhood as "the armpit of Seoul" and I agree with it! If you're a foreigner, you're likely to find yourself in this neck of the woods sooner or later. Looking for some variety of food that's not Korean? You're likely to find it here. Personally, I didn't hang out here much when I lived in Korea.

Insadong
Subway Stop: Anguk

Insadong

If you're looking for souvenirs, this is the area to go. You'll find everything from green tea to ceramics to marble stamps customized with your own name. All the shops are written entirely in Hangul to keep the authenticity of the area. If nothing else, it's a good place to take photos of Starbucks written in Hangul.

The sign reads "Starbucks Coffee"

Apgujeong and Gangnam (subway stops of the same names) are the nicer neighborhoods of Seoul which is reflected in the store fronts and people. Everywhere you go, there'll be tons of shops, cafes and people! You MUST hang out in a cafe during your trip... it's such a Korea thing to do!

When you're tired of exploring the neighborhoods, here are a few sites to see and things to round out your stay in Seoul:

Gyeongbokgung

DMZ Day Trip

Lotteworld

Ride a bike along Han River

Go up Seoul Tower

Picnic on the Cheong Gye Cheon

Go to a jimjilbang

Go to a noraebang

Day Trip to Suwon to see Hwaseong Fortress and Korean Folk Village

Hwaseong Fortress

2010-06-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Location: Suwon, South Korea

Despite the name, Hwaseong Fortress is not located in the city of Hwaseong, but in the city of Suwon. From Suwon Station, cross the street and catch any of the buses with a "Hwaseong Fortress" sign on the window.

There is a part of the fortress wall that has a manned ticket booth and will charge an entrance fee. While admission is minimal, there are still other parts of the wall that has no ticket booth and you can enter for free. I found this very confusing, but being a budget traveler, I had to ignore the ticket booth and continue walking until I found a set of stairs where I could enter for free. There is also a palace museum, but I never visited it.

Everland

2010-05-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Location: Yongin, South Korea

Recommended Time Required: 3/4 to full day

Everland and Lotteworld are the two biggest and most popular amusement parks in Korea. Everland is an easy, although lengthy, bus trip from Seoul. Its biggest draw is the wooden roller coaster, which I have to admit is quite thrilling and a lot more stable than I imagined it would be. When I asked my co-teacher which park he preferred he said, "Everland. It is better." And according to my students when I asked them what they did over the weekend or a long break, their answer was Everland more often than Lotteworld.

Entrance

Wear fancy headbands like the locals do!

Zootopia, the zoo section of Everland is quite fun if you enjoy animals as I do. You have to line up early and have patience to wait for the safari tour where you can view a real life LIGER! (as made popular in Napoleon Dynamite) Unfortunately, since my friend and I slept in and didn't get on the road until early afternoon, we didn't get to the park until mid-afternoon which meant our time was limited and we had to skip the long line to see the liger. Bummer.

I guess it's OK to feed the monkeys.

White tigers

Not a liger

Kangaroos

In all honesty, the main ride is the wooden roller coaster. There were a couple other small roller coasters and other attractions (i.e. haunted house) and the park is quite big, but I thought it lacked in the amount of adult rides. The Caribbean Bay water park is only open in the summer.

Everland really requires a full day as the lines to wait for the attractions can be really long, plus the Moonlight Parade at night is quite fun to see.

Cultural Highlight: Dog Races

2008-08-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the last Tuesday there would be dog races here as next week the stadium is being torn down and there will be no more races. It's sad because Walthamstow is the largest stadium of its kind in all of Europe. The turnout of betters and spectators really reflected this momentous occasion. The entrance fee was £6, and because we were a group of six, we got a group special that included two free drinks and two free bets. Not much of a gambler, I played only the two free bets I was given and nothing more. There were 14 races and I saw one of my bets the second I opened to the last page. The second bet was found later - both were nostalgic bets based on the names of the dogs; I cared little for their track record and winning streaks.

The dog races were so quick. Each race only lasted about two minutes as the dog ran about one lap (475m) around the track. I fed off the energy of the crowd when the lights dimmed and the bell sounded for the signal of the race. Six trap doors opened and six dogs sped out of their pen to follow a mechanical bunny around the perimeter of the track. The crowd shouted fervently, "Come on #2!" "Go FOUR!!" "Come on #6!!!" It was so thrilling to see them run and our standing position in the crowd was right at the finish line, which made seeing the winners that much more exciting.

The dogs race by so fast! The blur on the right is the dog.

My first bet was placed at Race 12. The dog was "Droopys Giamatti" (#6). He was chosen because I once described an expression that I gave my best friend as the cartoon character Droopy. Since then, it has been my occasional nickname for him. Droopys Giamatti did not win. Race 14, and the last race of the night, was 640m instead of the standard distance. At 22:30, the bell sounded and the crowd roared in excitement over their dogs. The majority of my friends bet on the same dog as I and it was fun to hear us all root for him. "Wishyouwerehere" (#2) took up the rear by the finish of the first lap, but as he rounded the third bend that would bring in the final leg of the race, Wishyouwerehere gained momentum and sped past his opponents and took the lead. My friends and I chanted "Go TWO! Go TWO! GO!! GO!!" Wishyouwerehere maintained his lead and crossed the finish line in FIRST PLACE! We pumped our fists in the air and cheered as we realized we bet on the winning dog. I had won my first bet at a dog race. On a free (£1) bet, I had won a grand total of £1.80. Wicked.

Wishyouwerehere finishes FIRST!

My winning bet!

Cultural Hightlight: The Rude French

2008-03-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

Here’s the thing: I do not believe that the French are rude at all. They greet each other everywhere they go, not just to me, but also to each other. They always start by saying, “Bonjour” or “Bon soir” (depending on the time of day) and they make sure to always say “Au revoir” and/or “Bonjournai” in closing.

On my first visit to Paris, my friend and I were hunting down our lodging in the Latin Quarters. I had a map in my hand, but I wasn't looking at it and I was pretty sure I knew where we were going. Suddenly, an older lady stopped and spoke to me in French. I couldn't understand her, but seeing as she was pointing at my map, I guessed she was asking if I needed directions. I pointed at the map and said, "Rue St-Germain?" She reeled off a few more French words, pointing in the direction I was walking towards. I smiled and said, "Merci!"

On my second visit, I was picnicking at Jardin de la Fontaine in Nimes, quietly minding my own business and enjoying the sunshine when an elderly man, dressed in the stereotypical old French way with the tweed driving cap and strolling with his dog, tipped his head at me and with a sweet smile he said, "Bon appetit."

Does any of this sound rude to you?

Nice, France

2008-02-29T14:49:00.000-08:00

I’m in love with Nice. The French don’t call the French Riviera “Blue Coast” for nothing. The Mediterranean Sea is so many shades of blue here and the weather is much warmer than in Provence. I planned Nice at this time because I learned that Carnival in Nice takes place for three weeks starting in mid-February. Since I had just returned from Carnival in Venice, I thought it was fitting to continue my Carnival celebrations. It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to do Carnival in Brazil too, but maybe I will another year.

Vieux Nice

Opera Plage is a rocky beach. Even in February, the day was beautiful as the sun shone brightly without a single cloud in sight. The blue of the sky fought with the blue of the sea. There were people swimming in the water, getting showered off, laying out (fully clothed) on the beach, napping, talking with friends.

Every day is Market Day in Nice. The market in Vieux Nice is impressive, perhaps even rivaling my favorite market at the Rialto in Venice. The market in Nice sells fresh flowers, potted plants, marzipan candies shaped to look like fruits, vegetables and animals, rock candies, gummy candies, farmers’ vegetables with red peppers the color of crimson and the size of a small eggplant, fresh baguettes and desserts. Artists set up their easels and paint images of Nice and the Cote d’Azur, for sale to all. With the exception of these paintings, there are no tourist souvenirs sold here. Everything is just as a market should be. Vegetables and fruits never look more appetizing than they do in open markets. Yesterday, I bought a head of butter lettuce for 1EUR from the woman who spoke no English. “Une piece, s’il vous plait,” I said. When I went to wash it, there were still earth and tiny green buys crawling on the leaves. Fresh off the farm! I tore the leaves off for lunch and filled them with couscous to make wraps.

After filling myself with eye candy at the market, I hiked up the steps to the top of the hill, where the old castle is located in Nice. This is where the best views of Nice and the Cote d’Azur are. The weather was cold today so it wasn’t the most natural thing to hang around as much as I wanted to. I walked down back to sea level by the opposite side towards the port.

After my midday hike, I sought refuge in the Musuem of Modern and Contemporary Art. My guide book mentioned there were Lichtenstein(s) and Warhol(s) here, but I saw no Lichtensteins and maybe two Warhols. Luckily, the visit wasn’t a complete disappointment as I discovered Yves Klein, an artist I had never heard of before, but held a prominent permanent exhibit at this museum. I was very impressed with the work I saw here today.

And finally, Nice at night...

Vieux Nice

Opera Plage

Sunset over Opera Plage

Eze Village, France

2008-02-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

I saw Eze Village in the France train timetable book that was given to me by the ticket agent in Arles. There was an aerial picture of Eze, showcasing it as a village sitting atop a mountain with the sea surrounding it on at least one side. I thought it looked stunning and thought I would pay a visit. I also learned that it was an easy bus trip from Nice for only 1EUR.

Eze Village is just as picturesque as St. Paul de Vence, while maintaining its own charm. The walls and streets are just as stony and just as medieval feeling. There are few tourist shops in Eze Village and its biggest attraction is the Exotic Garden which cost 5EUR for entering.

While St. Paul boasts a view of a countryside below its walls, the Mediterranean Sea slaps at the base of Eze. The view from the top of Eze was stunning, even with the overcast sky that stayed throughout most of my visit. This is the first time I have seen sky and sea blend into one with no clear indication of the horizon line.

The church at Eze is the most alluring church I have seen in all my travels through Europe. The exterior makes the church look more imposing than it actually is. The interior was as small as a chapel in the Medici family, but with the painted woodwork peeling away at the moldings and pews that were worn in all the right places, there was something very unpretentious and genuinely holy about this church.

Festival: Fete du Citron

2008-02-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Where It Is:
Menton, France

When To Go:

During Mardi Gras season, usually late January – mid March.

How To Get There:

From Nice, take a local train. Runs frequently. Duration: 30minutes

Fete du Citron, or Lemon Festival, takes place annually at around the same time as Carnaval in Nice. On certain days there is a parade and when there isn’t, the floats designed in images with whole lemons and oranges sit in a garden for all to pay 9EUR admission to peruse and admire. At night, you can pay 10EUR to see the floats lit up and listen to live music. This year’s theme was “Islands”.

Does this look like a finger to anyone else?

Menton, France

2008-02-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

When I arrived in Nice, I heard a lot about the Lemon Festival in Menton. When I planned my South of France trip, I hadn't considered visiting Menton, but I was curious about this festival.

After seeing the lemon and orange statues, I explored the town of Menton. Old Town was nice, like the other old towns in France, and the park on the water was fun also.

Old Town

The Esplanade

The cemetery at the top of the hill offered the best views of Menton and the Mediterranean Sea. From the viewpoint, you can see even the buildings of Menton were yellow and orange. This was the point in my exploration that won my heart over for Menton. I expected to come to a small town like Cannes where there wouldn’t be much to do or see other than the Lemon Festival and return back to Nice in a couple of hours. I was so wrong. Menton deserved the full day that I gave it today and more.

Orange and yellow houses of Menton

The France/Italy border is only 1km away from Menton. The remains of the old Customs Patrol buildings from before Europe became a union can be seen from the bottom of the cemetery walk. It took me half an hour to walk into Italy. I’ll repeat that for effect: I walked to Italy.

Welcome to Italy!

The change into Italian territory was very severe. The only gentle transition was the market and deli on the border line that had signs in both Italian and French. Beyond the old Customs Patrol buildings, all the signs turned into Italian. I walked to the museum at the Italian border and went inside to the ticket office. I was greeted with “Buongiorno” instead of “Bonjour” and the ticket agent spoke entirely in Italian. I was so shocked by this sudden change that I couldn’t muster the Italian words to ask her if she spoke English. She pointed to a man who appeared behind me and he explained the museum hours and ticket prices. He spoke English – with an Italian accent.

Beach in Ventimiglia

I left Ventimiglia, Italy and then walked back to France. It was that easy to come and go across the borders. There was no one at the border to check our passports, which was a good thing as I didn't think to bring mine. I had no idea I was this close to the next country.

After seeing all of Menton and walking across to Italy, I had nearly forgotten that the reason why I came to Menton was for the Lemon Festival. I think Menton shines on its own without the tourist draw of the Fete du Citron every year.

St. Paul de Vence, France

2008-02-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

I like to look at postcards to tell me where to go. Since my guidebooks have no pictures in them, I can only rely on the descriptions to tell me what I want to see. I’ve found that the postcards are nice supplements to the guidebooks as I'm a very visual person. This is how I found out about St. Paul de Vence. I saw images of stone walls and archways and stone paved streets – it all looked very medieval – and felt I must see it for myself.

St. Paul was every bit as picturesque as it is represented in the postcards. As soon as I entered the town, which is easily accessible by bus from Nice for 1EUR, I was in awe. It was absolutely charming. The streets were indeed paved in stone with designs. It was a really well-maintained village and I had such a nice time poking around.

The view of the country below the village reminded me of Tuscany. It took me about one to two hours to see it all, even with all the stops I made to take photos.

Monte Carlo, Monaco

2008-02-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

Monaco is an easy day trip from Nice. The bus ride from Nice to Monaco only cost 1EUR, about a quarter of the price of a train ride. The ride along the coast was more beautiful than words could describe it. Perhaps it was because we visited Monaco on a Sunday that I didn’t find anything memorable about it. Or perhaps the only thing worth seeing, according to the postcards, is the casino in Monte Carlo.

Maybe I’ll return again for the Formula 1 event someday. If only it wasn’t a city whose main attraction is its expensiveness. I could have easily skipped the 5EUR I paid for a 0.5L of bottled water, but that’s a lesson learned.

Then there’s the other thing to consider: the thrill of being able to say, “I’m going to Monaco today.” Say it out loud. You can’t deny the sexiness in which that sounds.