Wedding Crashers

Like many others around the globe, we spent Friday watching the royal wedding.  Aunt Penny and Erin went to the market in the morning to pick up goodies for our lunchtime spread which included bread, cheeses, salad, chicken, steak and even lobster!  While mommy, Penny and Connie (Dave’s mom) reminisced about watching Diana’s wedding or "oo-ed and ah-ed" over Kate’s dress, the guys checked out Pippa Middleton.  Wowsers…she’s smokin’!

Aunt Penny prepared a yummy spread for our Royal Wedding brunch.

 It was an absolutely beautiful day in Nice so we spent the afternoon strolling along the seaside followed by a casual coffee in the main market area of Old Nice.  After recharging our batteries and cleaning up at the Donohoe flat, we headed to Saint Marie’s Cathedral where we attended a Mass dedicated to Uncle Dave’s parents – David Sr. and Connie Donohoe – who are celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary in August.   Uncle Dave set it up in advance, hoping they could renew their vows.  Of course, the entire Mass was in French, so we’re not exactly sure what the Donohoes agreed to!  Nevertheless, Connie made it clear that “to obey” is not part of the arrangement.

Daddy and I walking along the sea in Nice

Saint Marie's Cathedral in Old Nice

 

 

 

The "newlyweds" outside of Saint Marie

After Mass, we had dinner in Old Nice at an outdoor café.  Yes, I broke another dish!  That’s three so far for those keeping score.  Haven’t the French heard of plastic sippy cups?  Thankfully, the waiter was very nice and funny and was able to keep me entertained from there on out.  

Today is Saturday, and it’s been a very quiet day.   Most of Stefan’s family has returned to Germany, and the Donohoes are headed back to the US.  The weather has been spectacular, allowing for much needed relaxation time outside.    With the Easter holidays over, most of Europe will return to school and work this week.  As such, the region will be a lot less crowded with tourists, and we hope to use the opportunity to explore more of the Cote d’Azur.  As always, I will keep you posted on our adventures!

Love,

Griffin

Hunting Eggs, Riding Bikes & Eating Snails

It’s been a few days since my last post, so lots to catch up on.  We have been very busy spending time with both Stefan’s family and the Donohoe crew.

We spent Easter Sunday morning in beautiful St. Paul de Vence, an artsy village in what used to be a fortress atop a mountain about 5 miles from Vence.  When we returned home, Stefan's boys and friends invited me to join them in an Easter egg hunt.   Later that day, we met the Donohoes for a very tasty Easter dinner in the seaside town of Antibes, about 25 minutes from Vence.  I am happy to report no broken dishes this time around!

On Monday, mommy and I spent the day in Vence while daddy went for another bike ride with the guys.  This one was about 45 miles, taking them around a loop through many little villages in the Alps.  Daddy was completely wiped after that!  Check out some of the photos from their 5+ hour journey.

On Tuesday, we returned to St Paul de Vence with the Donohoes, including Dave’s parents who are in Europe to celebrate their 50^th anniversary.  After exploring many nooks and crannies in the old fortress, Daddy and I had fun watching the locals play boules (bocce) in the main village square.   We then returned to Vence to show everyone where are living.  The big folks had coffee while the little people (including me) played soccer and basketball.  Afterwards, we all walked down to the old town of Vence to have dinner.  We ate a very cute little French restaurant where the grown-ups enjoyed local fare such as foie gras, mussels and escargot (snails).

Today we will travel by car to Gourdon, a quaint little mountain village about 30 minutes from Vence.  Stefan’s family and the Donohoes will join us for a picnic, and we will explore some of the shops and cafes in a village renowned for its many perfume stores.  Tonight, daddy hopes to watch the first leg of the big Real Madrid/Barcelona Champions League match.

Here are some photos from the past few days.  Enjoy!

An Easter egg hunt in Vence.  "Me found one!"

The narrow and hilly streets of St Paul de Vence

Daddy with Sascha and Wolfgang atop Col de Vence (~3200 feet)

A view from Gourdon, one of several stopping points on Daddy's bike ride

Going in for a kiss.  I love my Aunt Men!

Daddy eating escargot -- yummy!

A Rainy Day in Monaco

It’s the Saturday before Easter, and today we went to Monaco (also known as Monte Carlo).  We spent the day with Aunt Penny’s family.  It rained all day, so we spent most of the time at the Jacques Cousteau aquarium that sits right on the Mediterranean.  Lots of very different fish, octopi and sharks!   Although I managed to create a scene by breaking my second dish while here in Europe, we enjoyed lunch at a cute little Brasserie in the Old Town near the Palace of the Prince and Princess of Monaco.  

By the way, the big Monte Carlo Grand Prix will take place in Monaco while we are here.  I hope mommy and daddy take me to see the fast beeps race around town in May!

After Monaco, we headed back to Nice to check out Aunt Penny and family are staying.  Their 2-bedroom flat is in Old Nice which, seemingly like every other “old city” we have seen so far, features lots of narrow streets.   Rather than risk another scene by “moi” at a restaurant, we decided to eat in.  Aunt Penny prepared a very nice French-American-Filipino dinner for us all – bread, cheese, prosciutto, chicken, “wice” and, of course, vino.

It’s almost time for bed, and the Easter Bunny is coming tonight.   I can’t wait to eat more chocolate eggs.  Mommy and daddy plan to take us to Easter Mass tomorrow in St Paul de Vence.  Then we'll reunite with the Donohoe family for dinner.  Happy Easter everyone!

Love,

Griffin

Monte Carlo

Reunited and it feels so good!

I ate every last drop of that ice cream.  Then I broke the dish...oops!

 

Settling In - Vence, France

We have used the last few days to settle in at our quarters in Vence and to spend some quality time with our host Stefan and his family.   Stefan’s two older sons Max and Nicolas have two friends visiting, so it’s nice to have some other kids around.  And Stefan’s youngest son Felix is only 8 months old, so it’s nice not to be the youngest one in the house!

Stefan and family have been wonderful hosts, making our transition to France very easy.   Their hospitality – especially the wonderful meals – has been first class all the way.  Typically, we have breakfast together at around 9a and dinner at around 5p.   Meal prep and clean-up is mostly a group effort, and Mommy and daddy look forward to pitching in more once they get their bearings in the kitchen.

We are staying in our own little cozy guest house on the property of Stefan (see picture).  It’s perfect for us.  It is two stories, with a kitchen and living area on the first floor and bedroom and bathroom on the second floor.  The large windows make for great views of Nice, Cannes, and of course the Mediterranean Sea.

Our home away from home.

 While Stefan and his family are all German, they have acclimated well to the French culture.  In addition to English and German, most of them speak fluent French.  And there is never a shortage of great French fare, including yummy breads, fruits, cheese, chocolate and, of course, wine.   We even had home-made crepes for lunch on Friday.

Daddy has been active with sports since arriving.  The property features a tennis court that triples as a soccer court and basketball court.  Daddy and Stefan played soccer together in business school, so this has given them a chance to reunite on the pitch.  While mommy and I played a little basketball, daddy and Stefan played soccer against the four younger boys on our first night there.  The next day, they rode bikes ~5 miles up a mountain (7% grade, altitude 3000 ft).  Despite his spin training at home, daddy was quite sore the next day. 

There is also a swimming pool on the property, but it’s still a bit cold for use.  We look forward to warmer weather in May.

Stefan’s girlfriend Stefi walked with us the Old City in Vence on Friday.  We went to buy fresh bread, vegetables, fruit and olives for that night’s dinner.  The Old City was really neat, with several open-air markets and lots of small shops, cafes and colorful old buildings lining very narrow pedestrian-only streets.   We can’t wait to spend more time there.

We plan to divide our time in Vence and with Penny’s family this coming week.   I look forward to telling you more about our adventure in the next few days.   Until then, au revoir!

Zurich to France

Sorry for my absence as of late.  The trip from Zurich through Italy and into Vence, France was hectic and without a reliable internet connection.  Nonetheless, here are a few tidbits from our 1-night stays in Lake Como and Genoa, Italy.

We left Zurich mid-morning on Monday and about ½ hour into the ride, both mommy and I started snoozing.  At around noon, daddy woke us up. “You gotta see this,” he said.  We opened our eyes to this:

Woah!

You don’t see that on I-95. The drive from Zurich into Lake Como was absolutely breathtaking!  We quite literally traveled over the Swiss Alps.  At one point in Switzerland, we drove through a mountain-enclosed tunnel that was approximately 13 miles long!  To put this into perspective, before we entered the tunnel all of the signage was in German.  As soon we exited, the language transitioned to Italian. 

We really enjoyed our overnight stay in Lake Como and wish we had stayed longer.  Check out the view from our hotel room:

Room with a view

I really enjoyed taking the ferry to and from each lakeside village. We definitely got our exercise in Bellagio as we climbed up the hillside steps to the shops and eateries that were nestled within the mountain.  And of course, I had my fill of pasta and gelato…yummy!

Lake Como, Italy

Lake Como, Italy

I climbed these stairs all by myself.

Mommy has gotten a few requests to take pics of the food.  Here's the tastiest salad she's yet eaten - Caprese w/ fresh fruits.  Yummy!

(Editorial note from mommy: Lake Como was a lot of fun, even with a toddler, but it’s the perfect getaway for couples on honeymoon or those looking for a romantic locale.  I highly recommend it!  Oh…and alas, no sighting of George Clooney.)

From Lake Como, we traveled towards Milan and eventually landed in Genoa late Tuesday afternoon.  From afar, it looks a lot like San Francisco, with loads of houses and churches stacked up along a very steep hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.   Aside from that, it’s your typical busy Italian city – people running around like crazy, piazzas and cathedrals on every block, too much traffic and graffiti and a gelateria and/or espresso bar every 50 meters.  It’s not the prettiest city, but it has a very neat Old City area featuring a maze of narrow pedestrian/shopping streets.   There’s also loads of history in this city, but it was tough for us to take much of it in on such a brief stopover.  But I was able to play in a big fountain in the city’s central piazza.

Splash!

Besides salami, Genoa is famous for its pesto dishes, and mommy and daddy were able to enjoy some pesto pasta for lunch before we headed out to France. 

Speaking of France, we arrived in Vence (10 miles from Nice) on the Cote d’Azur on Wednesday afternoon.  Vince’s friend Stefan has a lovely chateau in the hills above Nice with a great view of the Mediterranean Sea.   This will be our home base for the rest of our trip – we are very happy to be able to settle in for an extended period.   For now, we will leave you with some photos of the property and follow up in the coming days with some details of our early stay.

Vence, France

Vence, France

Actually, it’s time now to go see Aunt Penny, Uncle Dave and cousins Erin and Kylie who have come to Nice for their Spring Break.  I can’t wait to spend time with them this week in France.

So, with that, I’ll sign off for now.  More stories and photos in the coming days.  I will do my best to post something at least every 2-3 days.

Sunday in Zurich

Today we took advantage of the beautiful weather and hiked along a stream on Panorama Weg into the village of Kusnacht.  It was nice to be surrounded by woods and nature.  Along the way, we made friends with a local family who needed to borrow "a nappy and some wipes" for their 2-year-old daughter, Zoe.  Mommy, who is famous for forgetting to pack a diaper, was relieved that she could finally rescue another mother-in-need.  

After our hike, we headed back into the city and had lunch at a cafe along Lake Zurich.  Daddy, who's been craving bratwurst since we landed in Germany, finally got his fix.  Later, mommy and I satisfied our sweet tooth with gelato.  Most of the shops are closed on Sunday so the Swiss truly take advantage of this day to rest.  Along the lake, you'll find people enjoying a leisurely lunch or coffee, strolling hand-in-hand or basking in the sun.  It was awesome!

By the way, our waiter at lunch was an interesting guy.  Of Spanish and Middle Eastern decent, he was actually an American.  Born in the States, he used to live and work in NY for Merrill Lynch before quitting about 7 years ago and moving to Europe. He has lived in Berlin, Madrid and now Zurich.  He makes a decent wage (about $6000 per month) that, despite the outrageous cost of living in Zurich, makes for a comfortable and low-stress life.  Pretty enticing lifestyle for a single man like myself!

We've had a quiet evening at Stefan's home, Skyped with a few members of the family and are getting prepared to depart for our next destination - Lake Como, Italy!  Mommy is officially on George Clooney watch.  Hope you enjoy the pics from our very relaxing day.

Love,
Griffin

The trail to Kusnacht featured many mini-waterfalls.  Absolutely beautiful!

 

Gelato...enough said!

Postcards from Zurich

Just a few photos from my visit to Zurich, Switzerland.  It's absolutely beautiful here with a perfect mix of city and nature.  Yesterday, we strolled around Old Town.  While I napped, mommy and daddy enjoyed a traditional Swiss meal for lunch - cheese fondue and chicken raclette. I ended my visit to the city by riding the merry-go-round.  Today we'll hike along a trail that leads to the quaint lakeside village of Kusnacht. 

Love, 
Griffin

At Stefan's house, reading Good Night World on the lounger. PETA would not be amused.

We walked into Zurich along Limmet River.

Old Town cafe where my parents feasted on cheese fondue.

"Let's take a spin on the autobahn!"

This photo is for my grandpa George. I'll be ready to drive your tractor when I return home.

BMW Welt

Welcome to BMW Welt

Yesterday, we picked up daddy’s new car from BMW Welt (English translation = BMW World).  He ordered the car at a local dealership many weeks ago.  We’ll drive it while we’re here, and it will be shipped back to Maryland when we leave Europe at the end of June.

Like many little boys, I love cars (or “beeps” as I call them)!  But even the less enthusiastic will appreciate our experience today at BMW Welt.  We arrived at 7:30 AM and after completing some paperwork, had breakfast in the Premier Lounge where they had a very nice spread of food and drinks. The lounge, made up of nice leather chairs and sofas, served as a waiting and relaxation area throughout the day.  It even had a play space for kids! 

The Premier Lounge

The Premier Lounge

Even the toddler-sized car is a BMW!

 At around 9 AM, we met our BMW delivery specialist Sascha.  He took us to the virtual interaction room, and using a SMART board and driving simulator, provided a tutorial on the car’s many features.  It was so cool – like a giant BMW video game! 

SMART board technology at BMW Welt

That's Sascha in front of the driving simulator.

Daddy taking his car out for a virtual spin.

Next, it was time to see Daddy’s new car.  From a balcony off of the Premier Lounge, Sascha pointed to our car.  We boarded an elevator and as soon as we got out, the car began to spin on a rotating platform and lights from above flashed upon it.  The dramatic effects were a bit silly but we’ll certainly never forget it!  Sascha explained more features before handing over the keys.  Then we got to drive it out of the BMW Welt showroom on what he called the “celebratory lap”.  If you ever plan to purchase a BMW, this is definitely the way to do it! 

Me and "the beep"

In the driver's seat

"I'll take that, thank you very much!"

The Barrett family at BMW Welt

 We spent the rest of the morning touring the facility and the BMW museum before heading back to our hotel to pack.  We drove to our next destination – Zurich, Switzerland – on the autobahn.  Wow…what a way to break in a car!  At one point, Daddy was driving 115 mph and was still getting passed by other drivers!  

It was a long, but memorable, day!  Hope you enjoy the photos from BMW Welt.

Love,

Griffin

Me and the "baby beep" - it looks like Luigi from the movie Cars!

More Postcards from Munich: Day at the Deutsches Museum

On Wednesday, we went to the Deuthsches Museum which displays German artifacts of science and technology.  I spent most of my time in an area called Kid's Kingdom.  Hope you enjoy some of the photos from my visit.

Inside a giant Lego castle.

Posting my blog to Facebook.

Playing the plywood xylophone with Daddy.

Why, yes...I'm inside of a giant guitar.

With mommy in my favorite section of Kid's Kingdom - the water area.