Pane e Mate

Grandma got Sophia a face painting set. Yes, I said face painting, but she got it everywhere EXCEPT her face.

Best view around. 

 It took us forever, but we finally found the ol' farm house where The End Of The Year soiree is taking place.

Mom and Dad chat to Carmen (Luigi's mom), whilst Viv does her usual nap. (ps Carmen is was an English teacher back in Peru.  She's getting a crash refresher course talking to my parents.)

These type of old cascina (farm house) were practically a city unto itself.  There was a church, a little bottega for daily goods, cute trattoria, houses and of course a farm with animals.

 The kids went inside for a type of interactive theater, called Pane and Mate (pane means bread, I don't know what mate means).  Since they 'traveled' small room to small room, parents were asked to volunteer to stay outside.  Max and I both did (however I would have loved to see).  After they were through, I asked if my Mom and I could walk around and see.  That's how I got to take the pictures.

 The theme was water and each actor was dressed as a different characted someone was a pirate, one was a samurai and a Polynesian lady.  This was the entry and there were things to touch and clink and clank in order to make sound.

 This room was had the smell of freshly washed clothes and a lady came out to tell a story of travel and water.

 This room used the kids' sense of sight and sound, the lights were dimmed and the kids heard water and then then I assume they were turned back on and using vibrations on a metal dish, the actor made the water jump and splash.

 This was the hall way and these strips of plastic were to make the kids feel as though they were walking through water.

 Stairwell, I dont remember the story, but I liked the fish.

A door, 'nuff said.

 After the show, the actors came out and helped the kids make puppets out of recycled things.

 Caught in the act. Marco bustin chops as usual :o)

The puppet making was such a simple and inexpensive thing and the kids loved it!

Mom and Dad hide in the shade.

Later

After we went swimming, we packed up and took Sophia to the Nonni to spend some quality time, before we take off to the States next week. I snapped some pictures just because there are so many nice things to take pictures of.

Synagogue door.

A little vietta, off the main street

Even the mail boxes are cute

(too bad you can't see the guy's name on the little yellow ticket. It reads: Botto.M.
I am so 1st grade, I giggled when I read it. Yes, booty humor still makes me laugh!)(Again, another 1st grade thing:)
When I saw this place the first time I went to Cuneo I was like...for reals? what an awesome place to film a horror movie. And what a great title for it, too! I asked Max, if when he was little, did all the kids pull one arm into their sleeve and wave it around while telling scary stories about a hooked arm escapee that kills virgins and couples making out? Apparently the kids of Cuneo are more mature than I am-for the answer was no. But...that's not to say that I don't do that every time we pass the place! I always wish TJ was here - she'd be with me on this one!
ps in case you are wondering, it's a hospital for injured people (like after the war), not for crazy mutilated ones! I know, huh?!- darn!
This is a cool old Roman bridge that we pass on the way to and from Cuneo. I don't know why I am so enamored with it, but I am!

Just the towers remain, the bridge part has eroded away

The get-a-way

We stayed at the Cristallo Hotel in Scopella. It was the off season so there was no one there. There is a small spa under the hotel and Max arranged for me to have a massage, it was wonderful. Unfortunately the pool was under construction and so we didnt get to have a swim. The lovely Cristallo Hotel! The ground floor of the hotel had a fantastic restaurant with typical cuisine and so we ate all our meals there, but I didnt take pictures this time.

After lunch, we had a walk around, it's spring and
the snow is melting so there were waterfalls everywhere!

Our walk led us to the Walser Museum, where there were was a typical village and houses in the Walser style.

The houses are built close together and have a particular wooden framing. Everything was small and narrow. I really wanted to go inside, the roofs seemed to be very low. Unfortunately we were an hour too late and everything was closed.

Look, the doors are tiny, even I'm taller!

I just liked the intersecting lines here.

Outhouse.
Imagine going shi-shi in the middle of a colder winter nights storm!
Old school sleighCreepy little hallway that lead to a cantina.
I dont know how Max made it down the narrow stairs!

You know me, I just had to get a picture of a door!
Sophia says this is creepy.

There was a sign that said bread was baked just twice a year, i'm wondering how nasty stale was the last loaf of the season. yuck!

Labor Day Euro Style

May 1st is Labour Day in Europe, so everything is closed and everyone is off to picnic somewhere. We didnt want to hit the crowds at the beach, so Christine suggested we Q at her house.

Christine, proud owner of this lovely maison!

Fresh sardines, with OO and fresh rosemary from the garden.

Orange infused wine

After lunch, we went for a walk around the area. Another door for my collection.Spring was in the air and so were the butterflies!

It was still too early in the season to take a dip, but Sophia really liked walking around the edge.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Saint Paul de Vence

Today we went to Saint Paul, it's a hill town known for as an artist colony. I remember coming here when I did EF (back in the 80s) and there were many artists painting the local scenery and selling them as well. I even bought a little water color, will have to look for that this summer. Sophia had a great time wandering the streets, climbing the stairs and playing in the water fountains.

I dont know why I like doors so much.
I guess they have more personality than the cookie cutter ones we have back home

reflecting/looking at the squiggling mosquito larvae
trump l'oeil on wood

wandering the narrow little streets

door and window

Cute little shop that sells liquers. I liked the shelving, Christine has something similar in her house-it's something I might like to do if we get a new house.
fancy door with hand shaped knocker

Lunch. We ordered a hamburger patty and fries, we asked for it medium, but actually came rare. It was very fresh and so before sending it back we let Sophia taste it, I was suprised she actually ate all the hamburger and didnt finish the fries!

Horse made of horseshoes
door and steps with ivy

After we went to wander Antibes, but it was getting late, so we headed back to Christines