Man…what a challenge this blog post has been to get up !! Bad WiFi is the theme of travel blogging and we’ve had some real issues here getting a connection. On to the good stuff!! We are in Cassis and having such a great time! I could stay here for weeks. Too bad we need to move on today but it gives us an excuse to come back again soon
The drive through the mountains heading to the coast was spectacular!!! We kind of had the road to ourselves and the day was beautiful. A few sprinkles but then it cleared up again. Last nite we got a rock concert of a thunderstorm at about 2:00 AM which woke us up. Check out the Audio Boo to hear the rain and thunder….its the first rain we have seen on our whole trip and was actually very refreshing
Here’s another striking bird we need to indentify. Anyone want to help??? Check out IBird.com and look in Southern France if you have time….I can’t spare the Wifi going bad to check right now but am dying of curosity!!! They are very “magpie” like. The other black and while bird in Istanbul turned out to be a “Hooded Crow” These kids were so elegant and very long tails and legs!!
So we gets to Cassis and lo and behold we find a roadside market which was on a side street…basically a locals shopping place and not a tourist market. We were the only shoppers that weren’t French. Steve spots the jools first and bought me 2 gorgeous necklaces (below)
These aren’t the necklaces I got but were equally beaituful
The vendor packing up my goods!!! She was so darned cute and sweet. See that blue glass one going in the bag? Ohh yummy and these necklaces were only 5 Euros each!!!! Under 10.00 usd
Here’s another monster necklace I got from her
So far these are the only sunflowers we’ve seen…none in the fields yet. I am not sure where they are planted or maybe they had an early harvest. We’ve been on main drags and off road too and not much of any farming other than the grape vines
Look at the gorgeous imprinted pattern in all the Cobblestone in Cassis. I love these little details!
This was our lunch menu they brought to tableside. We had to wing it bigtime!! No English spoken which made for an entertaining and exciting lunch
i ended up with a spicy blood sausage , salad and potatoes and Steve got a bizarre fish with really big spine and bones. Both outstanding in every way!!
Live doesn’t get any better than this…a local French Bulldog comes to our table to beg for bits of goodies. His name was “Rasta” on his tag.
Rasta really was such a sweet boy!!!! He knew how to melt the customers hearts
We had no room booked for Cassis so we grabbed a cute hotel room on the waterfront at a great price. A typical teeny European room but it did have it’s own toilet which is a BIG bonus
I feared for Steve this morning whether he was going to be able to get out of the coffin sized shower!! OMG he looked like a big caterpillar emerging from his glass chrysallis. I was laughing so hard.
And then there is the shopping in Cassis. HFF…I see why you loved it here so much!! I’ve taken some special photos for you I’ll show you later
That shirt is MINE!!!
Another short burst of rain and we were under the cafe awning for a quick cup of tea
I love this photo of Steve…I can’t wait to do it up right in Photoshop
These Flowers were everywhere and really glowed
Well I am not going to push my luck!! I’m posting this while the internet is still connected and need to grab some breakfast!!! Will catch up with you all later today!!
ABOVE IS MY HUGE DESIGNER STERLING NECKLACE i GOT IN ST REMY AT THE ART MARKET
And I put a comment in the sidebar about those “bee” things a few of you have asked about. They are so cool!!
Hugs from Cassis…Sandra and Steve
The Dragoonfly, just great! My husband and I have matching Dragonflies tattooed on our necks in the smae exact spot…a little FYI or maybe TMI who knows…but I just love them! Tje shirt you bought…Like it alot!
Those monster necklaces are really nice, I could never pull off wearing something that big so I opt for the hanging ones with the tassels, more my size, but you my lady can wear the bolder stuff and it looks great on you.!
The only bird I found similar was a called a “Magpie” found it on http://mvhunt.net/johnnature-france-birds.htm about 1/2 way down the page or almost 3/4.
The French Bulldog was sure a cutie, I will take him if you bring him home! He would fit right in with Bumper and Bonsey!
Glad your lucnh turned out well with the language barrier LOL.
Nice pics of the Marina and the one with Steve by the lighthouse.
Hey Sandra… Isn’t it the quaintest little port? We drove from Paris there so I guess the sunflower fields were not along the same route that you took. They were amazing. Love that dragonfly necklace and that shirt is magnificent. I’m looking forward to all the photos, thanks for thinking of me…someday I hope to go back there. Such a beautiful countryside. In the meantime, I’ll remininse through your camera’s lens. Bon journee!!!
Love the pictures. I can’t find the bird. They are so beautiful. This jewelry is well designed. Anxious to see what you got.
I just fell in love! the dragon fly is fabulous. Isn’t it fun to find these unexpected treasures? Again the colors are worth seeing and enjoying on a dull gray morning here in California/
I think this area is my favorite part of your trip. I’m sad you haven’t seen any sunflower fields. Cool picture of Steve and I was so happy to see the authentic French bulldog! More beautiful jewelry!I’m jealous, that dragonfly is fabulous,and I want that shirt!
Have a great day:)
This is the closest I could find for the birdies.
The European Magpie or Common Magpie (Pica pica) is a resident breeding bird throughout Europe, much of Asia, and northwest Africa. It is one of several birds in the crow family named as magpies, and belongs to the Holarctic radiation of “monochrome” magpies.
In Europe, “Magpie” is used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie; it is the only magpie in Europe outside the Iberian Peninsula.
The European Magpie is 40–51 centimetres (16–20 in) in length. Its head, neck and breast are glossy black with a metallic green and violet sheen; the belly and scapulars (shoulder feathers) are pure white; the wings are black glossed with green or purple, and the primaries have white inner webs, conspicuous when the wing is open. The graduated tail is black, shot with bronze-green and other iridescent colours. The legs and bill are black.
The young resemble the adults, but are at first without much of the gloss on the sooty plumage. The male is slightly larger than the female.
There are numerous subspecies. The northwest African race differs in having a patch of blue bare skin around the eye, no white patch on the rump and an unglossed tail. The southwest Arabian race differs in being smaller, with dull black plumage lacking iridescent tones, and minimal white in the wings. The Siberian races have more extensive white in the wings, and brilliant green iridescence; Korean birds have a purple gloss instead and relatively longer wings and a shorter tail.
Hi Sandra,
Great water scene with the boats near the cliffs…very dramatic! And speaking of dramatic…that jewelry…wow! Those birds are gorgeous too. That rectangular toilet seat is very cool…was it comfortable (heehee)?!
Lots of Love, Lois 🙂
oh my gosh, LOVE that dragonfly necklace, so unusual!!!
And really love Rasta, could you bring him home with you too? LOL
Everything about your trip just sounds perfect
kARENS DESCRIPTION of the bird sounds pretty right on. got to be some sort of magpie. i have so many bird books but most are north american birds. no luck. i want that shirt too, aside from the dress and the dragonfly necklace and everything else you bought! hahahaha. so much FUN going shopping with you!!!! i love that gentle look on steves face as he pets the frenchie. what a darling dog!!! and a french one at that!! i must show those pics to my friend …she has imported a few dogs from france. and i have a client from cote de azur (sp?) who is a frenchie breeder. maybe this is one of his breeding. of course there are probably many of them there. anyway….this area is spectacular. i could live there…im sure.
by the way…….Diana, Eunice and anyone else in MN, Iowa………it is 3 am here and IT IS SNOWING AND SLEETING. quite light……but still~~~~~!!!!!!!!!! just a heads up……i cannot bear to wake up to a white ground in the morning. im off to bed……adding another quilt!!!!!
the detailing on that dragonfly necklace is beautiful. I would love to have that puppy dog come home to me too! What a cutie. Loved the necklace she was packing up with you, with the turquoise rounds, made me drool. Beautiful pictures as always. Thnaks for sharing.