2009-03 (Mar 2009)
31 March 2009
Dental clinics in Hungary are sprouting like mushrooms!
The country is Europe’s number one in Dental Tourism (and yours truly is one happy dental client!)
30 March 2009
People-watching
Budapest, Hungary
29 March 2009
Today is my flight to Budapest so before we went to Nice airport, we drove by the Promenade for some lunch.
Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France
28 March 2009
Dining Al Fresco
Saorge, Roya Valley, France
27 March 2009
We went exploring Roquebrune cap Martin after our errand in Menton. Roquebrune is another jewel of the south of France, another discovery. I saw this private enclave of a villa and the colour of the sea and the flowers in the garden made the spot a great photographic opportunity….
Roquebrune cap Martin, Alpes Maritimes, France
26 March 2009
Violets. oh yeah, it’s springtime!
Saorge, Roya Valley, Alpes Maritimes, France
25 March 2009
All tied up, ready for delivery!
At a ceramic shop, Salernes, Provence, France
24 March 2009
My dream van!
Breil sur Roya, Alpes Maritimes, France
23 March 2009
As the name of this passageway - Via Oscura - suggests, it is definitely an obscure way to get home.
Fanghetto, Liguria, Italy
22 March 2009
Saorge, Alpes Maritimes, France
21 March 2009
The profusion of flowers in Italian cemeteries is a normal spectacle. Photographs of the dead also form part of the tombstones. In this part of the world, the living rever their dead for eternity.
Cimitero di Ventimiglia, Liguria, Italy
20 March 2009
Breil sur Roya, Alpes Maritimes, France
19 March 2009
A rally in Nice. The protesters, instead of raising their fist, were actually swaying to the rock and roll beat of the band’s music. Their demands were all being expressed on the lyrics of the band’s song.
Nice, France
18 March 2009
Walking along Dob Utca (Dob Road), this medieval looking passageway attracted my attention. It leads to a courtyard where old houses are standing. Looking at the age-worn walls, I felt I was walking back in time…
Budapest, Hungary
17 March 2009
I have a feeling this is a “communist-era” doorbell…
Budapest, Hungary
16 March 2009
The new 109-metre Samsung Control Tower has been the new landmark of Vienna Airport since October 2007. It is currently one of the tallest airport control towers in Europe.
Vienna, Austria
15 March 2009
This 16th century village is perched on a ridge so narrow that the four streets comprising it run parallel, close together, along the top.
Castellar, Alpes-Maritimes, France
14 March 2009
Once upon a time, rural houses were built without toilets. Men just went out of the house to relieve themselves. It was only in the 20th century when they started contemplating the building of permanent potties indoors. But where to put one when each space of the house was already utilized for something else? They later found a solution. They went smashing a small part of the wall to make a hole and built an outdoor cubicle attached to it. Now you see protruding small boxes like the one on the right as the spot for modern toilets.
Piene, Valley de la Roya, France
13 March 2009
Sailors of the future go a sailing in March.
It’s the time of the year when children commence their sailing lessons in mediterranean waters.
Cros de Cagnes, Alpes-Maritimes, France
12 March 2009
All adorned ready for the Fete de l’Olive (olive festival) this Sunday (15 March)!
Castellar, Alpes-Maritimes, France
11 March 2009
Snowcapped mountains above Nice..yes, that’s the Alps!
Autoroute 8, outskirts of Nice, France
10 March 2009
Driving through the coastal road of Menton, we saw these scattered bush fires above spreading rapidly. Forest fires are a normal summer disaster in the south of France but this one seems to come very early - in March.
Menton, Alpes Maritime, France
09 March 2009
“Speechless….” (I am!)
Sospel, Alpes-Maritimes, France
08 March 2009
Murals to the Ladies’ restroom. Foreground is the old lavoir which is a public place for washing clothes. The continuously flowing water is sourced from a spring or river. To protect from the sun or rain, lavoirs are provided with roofs. Some lavoirs date back to the 10th Century.
Sospel, France
07 March 2009
A hole in the wall. It’s a mailbox!
Rue de Sospel, Alpes Maritimes, France
06 March 2009
This establishment used to be a Mercerie and Bonneterie (Haberdashery and Hosiery), closed down, and now being occupied as a property agency. They still kept the sign though, which is good.
Sospel, Alpes-Maritimes, France
05 March 2009
What a cute storesign! Let me translate:
The Two (or Both)
Pet Shop concept
dogs….birds….rodents…..cats
(Looking at the window display, I saw animal food, dog leashess, ratkillers, among other…)
Sospel, Alpes-Maritimes, France
04 March 2009
Snowcapped mountains around us… lovely!
Breil-sur-Roya, Alpes-Maritimes, France
03 March 2009
Chapelle de la Misericorde, 17th century, Pure Baroque style
Every summer, free organ concerts are held in Baroque churches of the Nice-Liguria route and this church is one of the venues. I look forward to that!
Breil-sur-Roya, Alpes Maritime, France
02 March 2009
Bunch of mimosas for sale.
For the adventurous (and the pennypinchers), a trip to the hills can get you free mimosas straight from the trees.
Olivetta-San Michele, Liguria, Italy
01 March 2009
It’s mimosa time!
Every February and March, the south of France extending to the Italian Riviera turns golden yellow owing to the coming out of mimosas. They not only herald the approach of spring, they also exude the sweetest scent. Mimosas are cultivated on the hills and their flowers sold throughout France.
Valley de la Roya, France
8 Comments »
Super Mario on 24 Mar 2009 at 12:31 pm #
Oooh, lovely place i want to be there
mariadams on 24 Mar 2009 at 6:23 pm #
Hi Super Mario!
Thanks for visiting! While waiting for chance to come here, keep reading for some virtual travelling!
Constance on 25 Mar 2009 at 6:53 am #
Hi Maria Adams,
I read your article about Italy, and its beautiful! Italy is a dream place for me. I hope you can give some advice on what steps should I take to finally achieve this dream. I’m an incoming college student this year and I’ll definitely put ‘Work in Italy!’ in my career plan.
What jobs are in demand there? should I learn their language? Btw, I also love Prague, haaay … sana I’m choosing the right course para makapagwork dyan.
Ty,
Constance
kamil on 26 Mar 2009 at 6:05 am #
hi, i’m so marveled by those pictures taken in italy,
the moment i saw it.. i fell in love.. naks!
hope i could also travel there in the days to come..
thank you for the inspiration!
mariadams on 27 Mar 2009 at 10:08 pm #
Hello Constance
I don’t blame you! Italy is the only country that makes my heart racing everytime I watch a documentary about it on tv! It’s my most favorite country and I like their carefree attitude. It’s like, they are always happy and more than the material things in life (except their cars, of course!), they are giving more priority to their families, to their meals, to their friends, to the way they look, and everything!
I know of a friend who is taking up post-graduate studies in Architecture, in Lecco. She found the scholarship offer on the internet, applied and got accepted!
Definitely go to Italy! I love love the country!!
mariadams on 27 Mar 2009 at 10:11 pm #
hello kamil!
another Italophile here! Haay…your comments and that of Constance are now making my heart racing!
Constance on 30 Mar 2009 at 6:26 am #
Maria Adams takes for that advise, i’ll try that out thank you!
Try ko rin mag apply as an au pair, just to experience their culture nabasa ko months lang naman ang stay.
mariadams on 05 Apr 2009 at 5:52 pm #
hello, i saw your comment complimenting me about the nice design of my website and the nice name mariadams.com…i accidentally deleted your comments as it was among several spam msgs….sorry!!! pls re-send your message so i can thank you….mariadams