This past week, the Today Show was responsible for triggering some great memories when they had Meredith Vieira at the Cannes Film Festival in France viewing the movies and speaking to the celebrities. As I watched her look at the yachts and report from the French Riviera it brought back memories of when I was in Nice and visited Cannes and the wonderful week I had on the Riviera.
Who would have thought that when I was born on 102nd Street in Manhattan or as I struggled to find the tuition money for that next semester at college that I would one day sit on a hotel balcony on the French Riviera and watch a bicycle race which was also being televised on ESPN.
I have been blessed by being able to travel the world and to see some places more than once. Today I want to share with you the places I enjoyed the most:
• French Riviera – Nice was such a lovely town, right on the French Riviera where you could walk the length of the city on the Boardwalk. The market was open daily and you could go to it and buy your meal for the day – imagine just buying a handful of green beans or a ¼ pound of fresh Brie. Nothing tasted better than the baguette, Brie and bottle of wine for lunch that we had one day. And the piece de resistance was the truffle tortellini that I bought home. Okay, this was one of those times that my head did not do the exchange rate very well and I paid $54 for 18 ounces of truffle tortellini.
• Barcelona – I had been to Spain before but never made it to Barcelona and thought that I had not missed anything. How wrong was I – it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with excellent food, outstanding museums and great tapas bars. I am a lover of history and art so was in heaven to go to the Picasso, Joan Miro and the Catalan Museum which had an exhibit of Toulouse Lautrec’s posters. Although all of the information was written in Catalan (a dialect of Castilian Spanish) I was able to understand all of it. While in Barcelona my friend Catherine and I were introduced to the architect, Antonio Gaudi – what a genius this man was. We toured one of the homes he built which was to reflect all that was part of the ocean and then we saw his masterpiece “La Sagrada Familia” which is a cathedral which is still not finished despite being worked on for over 100 years.
• Sydney – both times I was fortunate to have a hotel room which was right on the harbor and across from the Sydney Opera house. What a wonderful country with people whose priority is to get to know you first, then do business. They have a love of the outdoors, of the water and of their family and friends. I loved being able to walk around the harbor, shop in the area they call “the rocks”, (I actually bought an opal ring while I was there), walk up the steps of the Sydney Opera House, take a harbor cruise and ate the most wonderful fish and chips I have ever had (and I have been to London).
• Lastly, London – what an easy city to walk around in. I love introducing people to this city and doing some of the same things over again. In London, I play the tourist and go to London Tower, Madame Tussaud’s, Covent Garden where they always have local artisans and I have been able to buy unusual gifts for friends and family. I love Harrod’s and the first thing I ever bought there was a pair of hose. While in London I always go to the theatre – can you believe that it is less expensive than New York? It was in London that I was introduced to a store named, Lush www.lushusa.com that is fresh bath and body products and their best product are their ballistic balls which leave your skin feeling like silk.
Each of these cities is different and each offers very unique characteristics that reflect the people, the culture and the history. What made them even more wonderful was to have shared the time with family and friends who were like me “open” to what each of these cities had to offer.
So I often sit back and reflect at where I have been, what I have done and who I have shared this with and think “I am Blessed”.
I hope that each of you has had an opportunity to review your life, what you have done which you might never have considered and how much further you can go.
Each of us in different ways has been blessed; don’t forget to count your blessings.
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