Côte d'Azur & Italia

Nathan had a TDY in Vicenza scheduled to begin at the start of September. This TDY had threatened to ruin many of our summer plans, so we were relieved when it was pushed back to the fall months instead. We had no idea how long he would be there, and it became even more uncertain once he arrived there. And so, we decided beforehand to squeeze in a trip to Monaco and Nice, France enroute and that I would then spend the first week with him in Vicenza. While there, we also made day trips to Verona and Venice, both about an hour away from Vicenza. We didn't get any kind of a picture, but there was a fabulous place in the city we ate pizza a few times. It was SO good. Paradise something or other. We also had tons of wine and gelato while in Italy. I think we could live there forever. And get ridiculously fat.

MONACO

While in Monaco, Nathan and I decided we would like to own a yacht. Or maybe just rent one for a day. We also schemed on a business of being travel planners/guides, with a photography thing on the side. None of this will probably ever happen, but it's fun to dream it all up : )

We spent the afternoon in Monaco just wandering around, taking everything in. It's a beautiful city. That night Nathan attended the UEFA Super Cup, Chelsea v. Atletico Madrid, as part of the media and I hung out in the Monte Carlo Casino, watching the game on TV. 

the game Nathan attended

 famous soccer players' feet

relaxing on the beach

two seconds before a guy came out and said we had to pay a lot of euros to sit there...

we had a bottle of wine at this cute place before dinner

Monte Carlo

If you look carefully, you can see the fancy cars parked out front.

gorgeous rainbow

stunning sky Nathan captured at the stadium prior to the game

the gorgeous room in the Monte Carlo where I chilled all night, drinking tasty cafe au laits 

and watching the game

NICE

WWII memorial

This beach was really hard to walk on due to the huge stones on it.

We came upon a little market full of vintage posters, prints, and books. I could have browsed for hours.

Do you see me?

summer homes of the wealthy in the 1920s

If you know us, you know we found Roman ruins!

Nathan wouldn't pose with me, making me a single Roman mother of two haha.

display in the museum of the layers that have been dug up

These used to house wine.

 We had a yummy dinner of paella, complete with an insanely expensive bottle of wine (to us) and some delicious profiteroles for dessert.

VICENZA

VERONA

the Juliet statue

This was as close as we could get. It was behind a locked up gate.

And, of course, we found Roman ruins!

VENICE

Nathan and I had both been to Venice once before, but separately. I in 2005 and he in 2008. 

It was just as pretty as we remembered.

fruit stand on a boat along the canal

St. Mark's square


St. Mark's




 

beautiful gold ceilings

a really pretty pigeon?

Bridge of Sighs

Rialto Bridge

us on Rialto Bridge, Sept. 2012

Blast from the Past: me and my friends on Rialto Bridge, Nov. 2005

Sarah, Lisa, Me, Denyce