Cannes, What To Do There

[Trinka]

I am on the Star Clipper leaving from Cannes on August 24th and will have an afternoon on the day of arrival, if I can stay awake after my flight from Mpls., and the next day until it's time to board the ship. I wonder if anyone can tell me what to see in Cannes in such a short time.I'll be staying near the down town area, I think. The hotel is the Montfleury.

If you've been there and loved anything special I would appreciate hearing about it.

 

Thanks,

Trinka

[KathyA]

Trinka: I'd be interested in a report on your trip. We're going on the Star Clipper out of Cannes next year.

[Trinka]

The ports of call were all enjoyable. I spent a day and a half in Cannes and saw the place where all of the big stars come each year for the film festival as well as the posh hotels where they stay. It’s a very expensive town. It cost me 10 Euros…about $13 for an ice cream sundae that was rather small. The rest of the time I just walked around and acclimated to the time change. There is a great deal to see just walking down the ocean side avenue.

The first port was Calvi, Corsica and I took a tour through typical Corsican villages…five of them….all on the side of hills…on cobblestone streets, no, more like alleys. I didn’t know I could survive five hours of playing mountain goat. But, the towns were very old and quaint. A very nice tour.

We sailed past Stromboli and I had to wonder why people live there. It is nothing but a huge, smoking volcano with two tiny villages on either side of what appears to be the black, barren path of ash where years of eruptions have occurred.

Sorrento was the next port and since I had been there three years ago I was glad when I was invited to join a few fellow passengers who had heard about a ferry to Positono, on the Almalfi coast. As we bought our tickets we were told we would need to run or we would miss it. Lord, it was raining and the ferry was at the far end of the pier. I was the last to get my ticket and was racing…..well, hobbling, behind the rest of the group who were also none to swift…..seems like I have dreams about such situations. I was about a hundred yards away and saw the crew pull away the gang plank but I kept running….in the pouring rain, waving my white hat in one hand and my ticket in the other. One of my friends saw me and ask them to wait….they did and I boarded and handed a soaking wet, crumpled ticket to the crewman who just laughed at it because it was now in pieces and who knew which was the stub. Positono is a lovely small town built into the side of a mountain. It was very hot and humid and I was deterred from buying anything in the many wonderful shops because I was too embarrassed to ask to try on any of the many great linen caftans, etc. because I was sweating so profusely that my clothes were sticking to my body, my hair was plastered to my head and I needed windshield wipers for my glasses! We had all gone our separate ways but coincidently five of us came together at lunchtime so took a bus to the top of the mountain and had lunch in an outdoor café overlooking the harbor. We had spaghetti, of course. If you opt for this trip you need to be at the end of the pier with your ticket before 9:30 AM...I am the voice of experience!. There is not another ferry until noon.If you have not been to Pompii I would say it is a must see rather than Positono. The ship offers a tour there. And in any port in Italy...get ice cream...get it as often as you can. It is the best in the world!

In Elba the tour was, what else, to Napoleon’s residence….not very interesting but a lovely island.

Mostly, I enjoyed rising before sun up, getting a cup of coffee and sitting behind the helm…face in the breeze with wind in the sails above me and watching the sun come up.

You'll love this small sailing ship, I'm sure.

Trinka (Kathie)

[KathyA]

Trinka: Thank you SO much! I'm really looking forward to it. KathyA