Since moving down to the Cote d’Azur and opening our satellite office, one of our favorite pastimes has been discovering the numerous perched villages in the arriere pays (or back country of Provence). Near Nice and Cannes: Tourrettes sur Loup is a beautiful medieval village perched on a narrow spur of land extending from very rocky hills, with the …
Posted by JillA Catching up with our Founder and visiting our new office located between Nice and Monaco is giving me the opportunity to visit some of our favourite offerings in the south of France. One place I could easily settle into for awhile is the Royal Riviera Hotel. It is located off the main roads 10 kilometers north of Nice and 10 …
Read moreTHE ROYAL RIVIERA HOTEL AT THE ENTRANCE TO SAINT-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT
by NormaK Before starting back at work, I spent a few days in Chambéry visiting the surrounding area. The town is located in the heart of the Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. With mountain ranges and national parks and lakes and is minutes to the Alpine heartland of France. Aix les Bains, which is just …
By BobP Between Xmas and New Year, I ventured off to SouthernMorocco for a bit of sun and a taste treat. For the first part of my stay, I rented out a small Ryad inthe heart Marrakech’s bustling medina. The staffwere delightful, the rooftop terrace was sunny and warm during the day and Itreated myself to a …
By BobP We visited the controversial Jeff Koons modern art exhibit in Versailles on September 11th – the day after opening. Apart from a few flamboyant iconoclasts, who appeared thrilled, and several snooty French aristocrats, who disapproved totally, we – along with most of the people there – were totally bemused, yet doing our best …
From Norma in Globe Bleu’s Sydney office… Staying at The Peninsula, you can’t help but feel a little bit like a celebrity or royalty, especially since over the years a myriad of stars of stage and screen, authors, musicians and political figures have strolled through it’s doors. Nicknamed “The Pen”, The Peninsula is THE hotel …
By BobP HIGHLY RECOMMENDED : We just spent a lovely Sunday afternoon in the wonderful XVIIIth century Bagatelle gardens in the Bois de Boulogne, just west of Paris. The current exhibit, Jardins de Cristal, features crystal sculptures throughout the park. Sponsored by the Lorraine region in eastern France, where most fine Crystal emanates from, Daum, …
By BobP Even more magical and a lot cleaner than I remembered from my last visit 12 years ago, Istanbul is enchanting. The Old City remains much as it was. Must-sees are the World Heritage sites – Saint Sophıa, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. Built in only 5 years (532-537 AD) …
By Bob P One of the most odd and awe-inspiring spectacles I have attended was in Cappadocia this week with whirling dervishes. Sitting in a candlelit monastic environment, the event began with a prayer, then music, then a wise man recanting some poems. Then the whirling began and I was in second heaven. The Whirling …
By BobP Otherworldly, historical and moving – these are the adjectives that come to mind after my trip to Cappadocia. We landed at a rather dull military airport and city with a lovelymountain as a backdrop. After a 40 minute drive, the scenery changedradically with valley after valley of strange rock formations. Created over 100,000 …