From A to Z

Hey Gang!  I know I have been pretty MIA lately but the Boy and I have been doing some traveling. Our first jaunt was with friends to Ste. Maxime and Ste. Tropez, both located in the South of France's Cote d'Azur region.  Of the two towns, we chose to stay in Ste. Maxime because of its close proximity to Ste. Tropez's world famous beaches (approximately 7 km away) and wallet friendlier accommodations. We elected to rent a car as our mode of transportation because:

A. We had the Mutts with us.

B. The only way to get to Ste. Tropez's beaches from Ste. Maxime is by car and while there is a ferry between the two towns, the beaches are located a few kilometers from the dock.

C. There is no train station in Ste. Tropez or Ste. Maxime making public transportation without expensive taxi rides or local car rental impossible.

The decision to rent a car was further strengthened when considering the following pros - increased flexibility, money savings and the ability to explore other towns within the region.  Unfortunately, renting a car in Europe has some major pitfalls and there was no way for us to know that driving the 7 km between the two towns would be over an hour each way.  Yes, you read correctly - EACH WAY.

If you do the math, this means you spend almost just as much time in a car as you do on the beach.  When I think of a beach vacation, I think of being lazy. I think of being relaxed. I think of no matter how hard I try, I will not get tan.  I do not think "hmmm...it is a beautiful day, the ocean is azure as the region's name suggests. Screw it, I would rather be in a car for 2 hours".  Being trapped in a car, on a two lane road, the only road we could take to the beaches, is akin to Chinese water torture or eating Cream of Wheat everyday for breakfast - repetitive and horrifying.

So the Boy and I do what we always do when confronted with a situation we cannot control - freak out a little bit and then come up with a solution.  That solution was to stay in Ste. Maxime and enjoy what this little town had to offer.  It was a lively village with beaches in walking distance.  The beaches had families from Paris instead of people who tried desperately to look like Paris Hilton.  We could now be lazy, relax and not get tan on our own terms.  I know what you are thinking - "words, words, words Kristi...let's see some pics!".  OK, here you go:

Me and the Boy




Here you see the Boy paying homage to his military past by standing incredibly straight.  This picture was snapped overlooking a bay in Nice while en route to Monaco. The only positive thing I can say about Monaco is that I saw it and can check it off my list.



Here we are relaxing in our villa exhibiting what you might consider to be a deeper shade of pale.

The Muttleys




This photo was taken in the town of Gassin, which just so happens to be what Pedro and Dooley do best.  My dogs smell and they smell bad.


The Muttleys standing in front of a kick ass chapel located on the grounds of the Minuty Vineyard.  Cote d'Azur is located in Provence, which is famous for its rose wines and Minuty was one of the best we tried.

Windows



Doors