The French Riviera II

Nice lying at the foothills of the Alps is blessed with everything a city could want. French-Italian heritage, brightly colored buildings, cobbled streets, hustle-bustle, mountains, beaches, restaurants, shops and fantastic Mediterranean climate!

In Nice, we strolled through the alleys and bi-lanes, ate at several Nicois restaurants, grabbed a coffee here and a gelato there and just enjoyed the atmosphere. Always full of people, the streets of Nice are bordered by restaurants, eateries and boutiques. They add to Nice’s unique charm.

For more tranquil times you can walk along the Promenade des Anglais. Built in 1820 by an Englishman, Lewis Way, for afternoon strolls – today it is is used by walkers, joggers, cyclists and roller bladers. The promenade runs the length of Nice's beach front. It lies between the bustling metropolis of Nice and calm azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

In contrast to Nice, Cannes is the playground of the rich and the famous. It is home to la Croisette, one of the most famous boulevards in the world. Lined with palm trees, fancy fashion houses, and royal hotels, this is where the Cannes film festival is held every year. Cannes has beautiful sandy beaches and we were able to spend a great afternoon there – swimming in the water, napping under the shade of a beach umbrella and just soaking the shining sun.

From Nice we took a 15 minute train ride to the Kingdom of Monaco. A city-country, this tiny kingdom is bordered by France on 3 sides and the sea on the fourth. We learnt interesting facts about Monaco on our trip there – all hearsay. Monaco has no state tax. It houses the most prestigious Casino in the world, but its citizens are banned from gambling. The Prince gives all his countrymen free cable and free housing! Any un-princely behavior (no law describes what this is) can be considered as a public offence. People only wear dress pants, suits, jackets and cocktail dresses in Monaco. It also has the most famous Grand Prix of the world and the cars actually race on the streets of Monaco (can you imagine the road quality!!). On this day, all residents have a holiday – as they obviously cannot get to work! Apparently it is almost impossible to get Monaco citizenship for foreign nationals!

The Palais Princier, is in old Monaco Ville also known as ‘le rocher’. It is perched on top of a hill and the Grimaldi family has been ruling from this palace for over 2 centuries. Monaco Ville is made up of entirely pedestrian streets and passageways. Most medieval houses are still standing tall in this old city. The Monaco church built in 1875 in a Romanesque style, stands in the church square, dotted with tiny restaurants and café’s. From here, you get a view of the entire country. Beautifully lit at night, we could see the casino in the distance. Not big gamblers, we did have a few more bucks in our pocket as we headed back to Nice.

History isn’t confined to books. It sometimes lives, in the streets, buildings and stones that you walk by. The medieval city of St Paul has survived since the Battle of Cérisoles (1544), in which François 1 was victorious and Charles Quint defeated. Its ramparts constructed in the medieval ages, still stand tall as fortification. From its ramparts we looked upon the surrounding valleys. Peasants and laborers have grown grapes here since the 5th century. The vineyards make a beautiful sight for the discerning eye. As we strolled down Rue Grande, a former Roman road, history came alive. A beautiful pontis joining two buildings, a village fountain with water flowing from natural springs, village squares and tiny alleyways made us picture the medieval village life. There were beautifully carved gargoyles on the buildings for water drainage, and tiny carved drains on the side of the road. Arches and towers still stood erect. We walked past the village church and our circuit ended.  Attention to detail and the strength of construction from that era left us awe struck. It was indeed a walk through the pages of history.
Yet, perhaps the most memorable adventure of our trip was when we climbed up into the Alps near the medieval city of St Paul de Vence.

Adrenaline was high, spirits were even higher, and excitement was at its peak. Yet there was a slight feeling of anxiety. As we stood up, the massive parachute inflated behind us. We began running towards the cliff and before I knew it we were flying, soaring, up in the air, on a hot air current, above the clouds! Below us stretched the valley. The sound of the wind was all I could hear. The lush green meadows were all I could see. In and out of the clouds, like a bird, exploring the skies! It was so peaceful, so quiet, away from all the hustle-bustle of everyday life. Yet I could not have felt more active, more excited, more rearing to go. The instructor let me steer our parachute – I felt a thrill I have never felt before.

All of us had a turn at it, some of us landed in the valley like the hunting birds who have found their prey and some of us landed back on the mountains. Yet land all of us had to. It reminded us that at the end of the day, we are humans, and we can only trespass into this sanctuary that the birds own. They were a few golden moments that we managed to steal from the birds of the sky!

The French Riviera I

Where blue skies meet the azure water, where the blazing sun meets the golden sand, where rugged cliffs border the gentle Mediterranean Sea, lies the French Riviera – la cote d’azur.

Our travels started in Marseille. Once a hub for pirates and merchants of the sea, this is one of France’s biggest commercial ports today and the second largest city in the country.

Its Vieux Port was bustling with activity when we went there at night. People were strolling along the water’s edge – friends laughing, tourists sight-seeing and lovers staring out at the sea. Scattered around the dimly lit marina were little French café’s, bistros and restaurants overlooking the port. In the moonlight, standing tall on the top of the hill stood the Cathedral of Norte Dame de la Garde with its statue of Mather Mary looking out into the sea protecting its sailor’s and sea farers.

Marseille’s charm lies in its azure waters bordered with glistening golden limestone cliffs – les Calanques. As the otherwise gentle Mediterranean water crashes onto these rocks, the sea comes alive with vibrant colors. The waves have created interesting coves and rock formations. We kayaked around these cliffs. The intensity of the waves and the strong winds kept enticing us deeper into the sea, while we strived to stick closer to the shore. It was a fight between man and sea. Made me wonder how centuries ago, sailors must have braved these very waters for trade. From the sea, on one side, we could see the city of Marseille stretching far and wide on the coast and on the other side was the eternal Mediterranean.

After a beautiful afternoon spent kayaking in les Calanques, we headed back to Marseille. Its tantalizing food beckoned and we enjoyed a giant meal at the beach of Pointe Rouge. After a relaxing afternoon spent on Marseille’s sandy plages, soaking up the sun we felt rejuvenated, ready to move on to our next destination.

The town of Saint Raphael is tucked away on one of France’s legendary Cornices. We stayed in a small family run Auberge at the foothills of the mountains a few kilometers east of St. Tropez. This little town is almost alien to tourists but from here, starts one of the most spectacular drives of the French Riviera. The Cornices are winding roads, carved out through the mountains, along the sea – one of the gems of Napoleon’s regime. As you drive through these narrow, curving roads the scenery leaves you awestruck. On one side, the steep rugged Alps loom over you and on the other side the cliff drops straight into the sea.

The soil here is red, scorched by the burning sun. The water here is the purest shade of azure. As the sun shines onto the sea during the day, the water twinkles as though the very stars have descended onto the sea. The vibrant colors and the dynamic contrast left us amazed and marveled by nature. In the sea we could see the many jewels of the Mediterranean. The Iles des Lerins. These French islands belong to the sea. Only monks inhabit them, leaving them untouched by commerce.

As we descended down the mountains the scenery rapidly changed. In the distance, we could see the cities of Cannes and Nice stretching along the coast. We were heading towards our next destination.

Norway

It felt like we had walked straight into a picture postcard. The mountains loomed tall in the distance; their snow-capped peaks glistened in the mid-morning sun, the Gieranger fjord stretched far and wide as our ferry gently purred along the water.

Along the way we passed waterfalls with rainbows on them. Every possible hue from nature’s palette was painted on these rainbows. Tiny boats hugging the water’s edge fell behind, as our giant ferry passed by. Up in the mountains we could see winding roads leading to now abandoned cottages. Once these settlements used to be inhabited by families. Their inhabitants would own orchards of apples and peaches. In summer, when the trees could no longer bear the weight of the fruit they would trade fruit for other worldly goods. Today these families have moved into more modern parts of the country.

Norway is a land of contrasts. Extreme light in summer battles with pitch darkness in winter. One the one hand, towns are crowded with narrow matchbox houses and buildings, on the other hand you see no civilization for miles at a stretch. While this country has one of the highest standards of living in the world, it struggles with having one of the world’s lowest birth rate. Where the worlds most advanced underwater tunnels have connected two land masses, yet sometimes a national highway is actually connected by a ferry ride.

Thousands of years ago, giant glaciers ruptured their way through the mountains and tore a huge land mass into a multitude of tiny islands. Today, these pieces of land are carefully sown together through a labyrinth of tunnels, bridges and ferries. This conglomerate forms the country of Norway. It feels almost strange to call this jigsaw puzzle one nation.

As our plane flew over Norway, we flew over hundreds of tiny islands. Of all shapes and sizes, each island a little jewel of the sea. With lush green mountains, streams running down them and huge, mirror lakes on the top of these mountains.

While the North Sea’s water is black and dark, these lakes up in the mountains are the color of the summer sky. We stumbled upon one such lake on our reindeer (or should I say wild goose) chase. All we spotted were signboards warning us to drive slow as there might be reindeer around. But like all deer, these are shy animals and refused to stroll down a national highway to appease mere tourists like us. Where reindeer’s kept us disappointed, nature kept us enthralled. Rugged cliffs, jutting rocks, grey,grey,grey and then round the bend we would find a gurgling spring with bright red flowers and purple heather growing around it’s edges. We climbed higher, almost reached snow level and fell upon the most beautiful lake on the very top of a mountain. Reindeer though, do not drink the water from these springs or these lakes and were not to be spotted even by these water holes!

Our days were filled in marvel and wonder of this show that nature had put up for us. Yet the evenings were the most memorable. When we were home catching up, laughing, chatting and doing what we all feel best doing- spending time with family!

Norway was indeed a picture postcard come alive.

Yellowstone - Untamed and Untouched

Surrounded by the imposing Rocky Mountains, covered in thick forests, lies America’s own Serengeti. Here, winter can be brutal and most animals will try and migrate towards the lower prairies in hope of some green pastures. The trees will shed their leaves and stand naked, braving the snow and storm.
As the first light of the sun returns to Yellowstone, animals and plants spring to life, rivers swell with water and deep blue lakes peep out through the cracks in the ice. In this land of unparalleled beauty animals and nature fight for survival – and we watched this drama unfold in spring 2011.
In the forest, every day is a struggle for life – Darwin's survival of the fittest. As the early morning sun rays glisten on the snow covered valleys, animals begin their search for food. Only one instinct keeps them moving – hunger. After a harsh winter these beasts are starving, with new babies to feed they must have what it takes to make it through this season. In the hills, a black bear and her cubs are out hunting – they spot our car and scurry back into the forest. Although it weighs over 500 pounds, this animal can run as fast as 45m/h. It's cubs are a rare feast for the on looking wolf. The king of the jungle in winter, as the bears descend the hill, the wolf’s keen eyes follow. One false move and the little cubs will be his.

Herds of American Bison live in the valleys of Yellowstone. Almost on the verge of extinction at one time, this 900 pound giant finds a safe haven in this winter wonderland – here it does not have to fight its biggest and strongest foe – urbanization. Covered with hide as thick as thermal blankets, and hair that provide it additional warmth, it can withstand the severest of winters. It will use its strong head like a shovel to find the grass beneath the snow. Usually a slowly lumbering animal, it can be as fierce as a lion in spring. No animal wants to face a bison’s wrath when its offspring is in danger. We got stuck in what can only be termed a ‘bison-jam’. When a creature this size wants to walk on the road – you let it!!!!! A ranger tried to 'shoo' the 900 pound bison-cows off the road. But the mighty cows were offended and surrounded the poor ranger's car in protest. One flick of her head and his car would have been a tiny spot in the deep gorges of Yellowstone! The circus continued for a while till the bison having displayed their dominance, to our amusement and the ranger's relief, lost interest in mere humans and sauntered into the nearby fields. Probably the most docile animals of Yellowstone are elks. Every year thousands of them migrate within the park in search of grass.
Spring is filled with mating and births - and we were privy to see a couple dating :). Unlike other wild animals, elks are not shy of humans. With no size, speed and might on their side, these big deer perhaps feel safer close to man. In fact they seek human presence - while hiking on beaver pond trail we had a couple follow us back to our cabin (at a safe distance of course - even elks know that much!!!). We did not know whether to be flattered or scared by this duo :).
While animals throng Yellowstone's valleys, beautiful birds conquer it's skies. Ospreys, golden bald eagles, swans, egrets, herons, pelicans et all. They are the only ones that can reach the insurmountable heights of Yellowstone's peaks or the depths of its canyons. We spotted an osprey nest on one of the narrowest and tallest ledges of the canyon - safe from all its predators.
Yellowstone's mountains are untamed and untouched – just like its wildlife. Looming in the distance, these white peaks humble you. Their chiseled edges give this landscape an almost savage beauty. Lake Yellowstone, lies surrounded by these peaks at 8000ft. Deep blue in summer, the ice is still precariously holding on to its surface in spring. While the valleys are bursting with activity, so is the magma under the earth's surface. Situated on a huge volcano (not more than 1000 meters under its surface), Yellowstone’s mountains are filled with geothermal activity.

Hot springs are erupting through winter storms, its fumaroles hissing through the foggy days of spring and its boiling rivers are bubbling though out the year. We watch the Mammoth Hot Spring erupt.. Steaming water bursts out of the ground like a tall fountain every couple of hours reaching sky high – this gushing water is a only a tiny indication of the huge fire’s burning in the earth's belly. These geothermal features bring unique colors to the earth’s surface. In the grand prismatic springs, we saw every color of the rainbow at the surface of the pools.

Only certain bacteria can survive these extreme temperatures. These organisms give the earth her beautiful hues. Coral like formation can be found in the opal pool. At artist’s paint pot, you see several tiny pools of bubbling water (opal, turquoise, and aquamarine) – as though it truly was an artist’s palette. And this artist has indeed painted his greatest masterpieces in Yellowstone.



In the shadows of dusk, hues of yellow brighten Yellowstone's rugged peaks. The stone that gives this park its name comes alive! As the sun descends behind Yellowstone's towering mountains, we say good bye to this paradise on earth. After all, this land belongs to them – the mountains and beasts that occupy it. We are mere intruders – and can only hope to return another day.