Day 8, Cannes

We were up at 0400 to get the bus to the Nice Airport. Unfortunately for some of us, the bad weather caused travel delays. Our Tampa group was unlucky as the rain caused the airplane to be a day late. There was no way that we could get to Amsterdam, and then to the good ole USA. We hung around the airport until mid morning, until our tour guide found a hotel in Cannes.

Joseph was tired and took a nap. I went to Mass, and explored the town.

After saying goodbye to Fanny, our tour guide, I found a very nice church in Cannes.

They had a casino, but I didn't enter.

An outdoor market was happening on this Sunday.

I spied a tower with a castle at the top of a large hill.

The Cannes police were very friendly. The sister city to Cannes is Beverly Hills, California. The movie industry holds a film festival here, every May, since 1946.

The old Cannes Castle, erected in the 11th century.

Vieux Port

It was very nice to experience a beautiful, cool, sunshine filled day at the seashore.

The Castle

Joseph woke up and went to a late lunch with me. We then hung around and went to dinner. We were both ready to get home. The priest I spoke with gave me a blessing for safe travel, and it worked. The next morning, we got up, ate breakfast, did our final packing and got on the plane to Munich, Germany. We then got on an Airbus 340 to Newark, New Jersey, USA! Making it through customs, and then our final leg to Tampa, Florida. We crawled through the door at home the next morning at 0200. It was a great trip overall. We made many friends and saw many sights!

Day 7 Monaco, Monte Carlo, Nice

A rainy start to the day. We went to a perfume factory, in Grasse. The town has been in the business of perfume since 1782.

The "Nose" is an expert perfume producer that needs at least 10 years of sniffing experience. It's the top spot in the factory. 

The "Nose"

After this tour, we went to Nice to a chocolate factory. It wasn't Willy Wonka, but it was pretty good. I didn't take any photos here..

After the chocolate factory, we started off to Monaco...

The border police. Monaco is one of the world's smallest city-states. The Grimaldi family have ruled since 1309 AD, the world's oldest ruling monarchy. 

It was raining heavily, so not a very good photo day..

A few dollars worth of yachts

I spoke with the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers)

 They were very professional and courteous to me. They gave me a private tour of their office while the others were watching the change of the guard.

Since its inception, the Carabiniers were tasked with guarding the Prince's Palace, ensuring the security of the Sovereign and the Princely Family, to provide services to honor, and to assist law enforcement in times of need.^[5][1][14] The Palace is guarded at all times, twenty-four hours a day, with two noncommissioned officers of varying rank, one Maréchal des Logis, and eight Carabiniers.^[5] The Changing of the Guard, is performed daily at 11.55 am, and announced by a musical element.

Monaco boasts the world's highest GDP nominal per capita at US$153,177, GDP PPP per capita at $132,571 and GNI per capita at $183,150.^[6][92][93] It also has the lowest unemployment rate at 0%,^[94] with over 48,000 workers who commute from France and Italy each day.^[68][95] According to the CIA World Factbook, Monaco has the world's lowest poverty rate^[96] and the highest number of millionaires and billionaires per capita in the world.^[97][98] For the fourth year in a row, Monaco in 2012 had the world's most expensive real estate market, at $58,300 per square metre.^{[99][100][101]}

Rainy day for our group. This caused some travel problems for us on Sunday.

Day 6, Cassis, and Nice

Day five started out with our typical French breakfast at the hotel, and the bus ride to our first destination. We took a visit to the port of Cassis. 

The plan was to take a boat ride to check out the Calanques, enticing fjord like inlets between vertical white cliffs. The port town of Cassis is a small fishing town right on the Mediterranean Sea.

By the time we got to the port it was time for lunch!

The cafe's owner's dog

Mildred and Fanny

Gearing up for the boat!

All smiles..

Everyone was in good spirits

Our Captain and I had a few laughs!

"Fanny"

The weather was cool, and the light was marginal. We finished our tour and got back on the bus heading towards Nice.

We arrived in Nice, towards the end of the day. We all went down to the beach to throw rocks in the sea.

The Fenocchio family are artisan ice cream producers that have been in business since 1966.

Dinner...

Back to the hotel for well deserved rest.