valeria out loud

Hey WordPressers! Hope this Wednesday is treating you well.

😊 I am late w my post… My plan yesterday, my usual posting day, was to get up, enjoy coffee, sneak in some blog time before I started work but I ended up having quite the day instead. My department finally shared the re-org news everyone was anticipating for months; it is a cluster of changes and people were freaking out as early as 7:30A. And who does almost everyone come to for silver lining comfort and support? Me. Blerg.

Anyway, hello! I am here now though. Below I outline days 11 and 12 – our first two days in Cassis, where we were beach bums. My favorite way to be.

Before I get into it… let me detail Cassis a little bit. Cassis is set up along a giant inlet on the sea, and the town is populated in the surrounding hills and cliffs. It is hilly, folks. We were staying in an Air BNB in the middle of the hills. It was a quick walk down to every hot spot and beach in Cassis. We decided to go to the locals’ beach, Bestouan Beach on our first day. This beach is very unusual, at least in my opinion, for it is not a beach with sand, but rounded rocks and pebbles. No sand! Our second day we headed to the main beach, which was very traditional to what California beaches are like.

An observation I had during this part of our trip as well was the closer we got to the border or Monaco and Italy, the more the area reflected that. There were more Italian speakers. There were more Italian vacationers. There was more food influenced by Italian cooking -so the food really got good -and it was really interesting to see the mesh of cultures and it is when I found myself feeling more at ease.

Ok. Now. Let’s get into it!

July 15- Day 11

I woke up super early, around 5A, the only one to do so this early, to find the most breathtaking views of Cassis out the balcony. It blew me away, because the bright sun painted the sky with hues of pink and orange, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the moment. I snuck back to bed for a bit ..then woke up with the family at a normal time, 8A.

My husband decided to go for a run so he could stop at the supermarket for some essentials on his way back. He came back sweaty an hour later, but we all greeted him with hugs because he brought us French bread, coffee, food and pastry! It was quite the sight. (I didn’t mention it within my last post, but as we arrived to Cassis so late the night before, nothing was open. We had only water and some snacks from traveling and we didn’t really eat much the whole day anticipating we would get food locally. We were utterly bummed to find no stores open nor restaurants able to make takeout- it was a holiday- so we were all starving by the time my husband walked in the door!)

After satisfying our bellies in the morning and taking time getting ready, or more like daydreaming looking at our view, we packed up and ventured out to the beach. Before heading to Cassis we did grab some towels -not beach towels, but it was the best we could do on this vacation with so much traveling and not to lug stuff around.

As we left, everyone wanted to find a café for lunch first. We got lucky finding a place that was across the street from the beach entrance. We had a unique experience dining at this place. The owner and waiter had such an interesting attitude but we pulled out our humor and enjoyed lunch anyways. We grabbed a variety of meals, but most importantly, we grabbed drinks. It was a super hot day out there.

With our energy now fully replenished, we headed straight to the beach. The coolest part of Bestouan Beach is that there was no sand, like I mentioned. It was all smooth rocks. Very different than anywhere I have ever been before. I was super excited to be there. I love the beach and I love the Mediterranean! The azure waters of the sea glistened under the sun’s warm embrace, and it filled my soul. We basked in the sun, on top of the rocks, and the occasional cool breeze from the sea swept our bodies for seconds. Swimming in the water upon the rocks was truly bizarre for me but I did it! My feet were messed up from the rocks but again, an experience to be had. Time seemed to stand still as we enjoyed the simple pleasure of relaxing by the shore. The people watching was supreme, too.

Oh yeah. French beaches are public but they allow women to be topless.

Now… I see your gears burning on what fun a topless beach must be like…in France. Just like at home, in Martha’s Vineyard where ai have been before, the majority of women who go topless are elderly. And most times on this beach, I prayed that God would find a way for a towel to magically get swept up to drape over these leather skinned women. And no I didn’t partake in nuding it up while I was there but I do go topless in my own yard. Though I haven’t done that in a year or so as I don’t care if I get tanlines nowadays. But anyways let’s move on.

As the day turned into evening, we returned to our house to freshen up, shake some cocktails, and get dolled up for a night out. Cassis has an undeniable charm. We strolled through the narrow cobblestone streets, lined with colorful houses adorned with flowers. We window shopped and felt at home among the locals. The town felt like it had been plucked from a fairytale.

We made our way down to the harbor, where we watched a few multi million dollar yachts bobbing in the gentle waves. We chose a charming restaurant with a view of the harbor. The evening sky transformed into a canvas of stars as we enjoyed a fabulous dinner of fresh pastas and local wines. We then walked over to a Gelateria who sold ice creams that were designed to look like flowers in a cone. It was so beautiful. We walked around the town a little bit more, and we stumbled upon an outdoor market that was open until midnight. That is where I bought some souvenirs for friends and family and special soaps for me because I love the scent of lavender. These vendors had all of the fresh lavender from the area in soap and washes and lotions. It was such a fun night.

Laughter, shopping, good food, and the company of loved ones made the night unforgettable.

July 16- day 12

Today was a day of pure relaxation and carefree indulgence. We woke up late, and it felt like a gentle rebellion against time. The sun had already climbed high into the sky as we finally stirred from our comfortable slumber.

With a beach day again in our plans, we had a leisurely breakfast to start the day, and then made our way to the main beach in Cassis, Plage de la Grande Mer. Unlike the secluded local cove we visited yesterday, this beach was a bit more expansive, with golden sands and lots of people around.

We spent the day lazing under the warm sun, listening to the soothing rhythm of the waves. The water was cool and inviting, as we took refreshing dips. There is something special about the water of the Mediterranean. It’s relaxing on so many levels- the feel, the scent, the clarity of it. Just beautiful. It was a day of pure contentment, where time seemed to melt away, and our worries disappeared with the tide.

As evening approached, we went back to the house to freshen up, and mix more drinks, as we decided to continue our exploration of Cassis by heading back to the harbor.

The atmosphere was vibrant and we found a cozy spot at a waterfront restaurant. The only problem was we had to wait for a table. But the gentleman who owned the restaurant was Italian and we ended up talking, he said he liked my face a lot (sure sure) that he didn’t want to see us leave. So what he did for us was he grabbed us Aperol spritzes along a set up with a bottle of local white wine on ice on the bench, facing the harbor, alongside some olives and napkins, with two glasses, and two Orangina’s for the girls, and he let us hang out there until the table is ready. It was a sweet gesture to secure his table haha.

Anyways, I loved it! We were seated back to back. The kids were facing the restaurant laughing away as my husband and I were facing the water, and it was really like we were enjoying a moment in time that was very special to us.

In no time we were seated, and ordered a delicious dinner. Seafood, veal, and so much goodness all accompanied by local wine. It filled our table, and the taste of each dish was amazing.

Of course, my husband and children wanted to grab another ice cream to end the night so we took a chance at a different ice cream shop… and everyone said the ice cream the night before shaped like roses was way better. 😂 Of course because it was shaped like roses! Apparently, there is one of those ice cream shops in Boston now, so I think we may have to take a little trip to have some ice cream shaped like roses soon. I think it’s called Amorino.

The harbor came alive after dark with twinkling lights and the settling down of the atmosphere. The French holiday was officially behind us, so there were less people in the area. We strolled along the harbor, taking in the beauty of the night. It was a tranquil and enchanting, a perfect ending to another day in beautiful Cassis.

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Man, do I wish I was at the beach today! 83F on this October day. 😀 C’mon Mother Nature, bring on some more hot weather!!

Well. That was my post for days 11&12. Thank you for stopping by to catch up. Your support is always appreciated!! We will talk next week!

till next post xoxo