Incredible Croatia

I think I've fallen in love - Croatia is my new favourite place on the planet (well, this week anyway). After flying into Split it is a 10-minute taxi ride to Trogir, a very old coastal town where the super yachts pull in (briefly) to pick up their passengers, ie. moi!

Wherever you look the coast is beautiful even in the populated areas - this is the coastline between Split and Trogir...

and this is Trogir as you approach from the sea.

We headed up the coast straight away to the island of Hvar about 90 minutes away by sea (cruising at a mere 26 knots in our modest canoe...).

Hvar is a gorgeous little seaside old town which reminds me of Venice, with people and boats of all shapes and sizes, and the best bit is you can only get there by private boat or ferry.

It's so small that what super yachts there are have to snuggle in cheek by jowl with the locals and don't seem to receive any special treatment. The general atmos is just about perfect. And I'm sure helped immeasurably by blue sky, crystal clear azure water and 35 degrees every day... Jealous much?! I know I am, I don't ever want to leave!!

Slumming it on a super yacht

So I was invited to go and spend four days on a super yacht off the coast of Croatia.  Moi? Absolument!

Here is said super yacht - it's a 112 foot Westport design built in Seattle called Integrity.  It has four cabins, each with their own en-suite, and three bars, all fully stocked. Happy much?!

Let me show you around. This is the top bridge and that large protuberance in the foreground is actually a spa pool.

And behind that the perfect spot for sunbathing. With kayaks just in case one feels like doing some exercise. Never happened...

Meet the crew - there's a permanent crew of three. From l-r: Andy (deckhand, from Wanganui), Dawn (chef, Canadian, and partner of Brendan), Jennifer (English lass, hostess/maid, temporary for the 'summer season'), and Brendan (not pictured but top Irish guy) is the captain who you can see in the photo above on the top bridge.

And here's me with the owner, Bill, a truly generous Kiwi bloke and a good friend of my publishing mate Steve (hence the invite), and who likes sharing his big boy's toys. Bless that man!

Reunion de famille

More rellies, this time from mon pere's side of le familie.  Dad and Una came to stay last weekend and we had a surprise early birthday lunch (mmmm lunch - my favourite!) for Dad's 78th birthday with three English relatives who came from the UK for the weekend for the occasion.

Here's the old fella again - looking disgustingly healthy given the last family reunion was at Limoges Hospital!

From left to right: me, Dad, Barbara (John's wife), Una and John Dahl (Dad's first cousin). Trevor, also Dad's cousin and brother of John was photographer for the occasion hence not pictured here.

And let's not forget lunch! All prepared from food Una and I bought fresh that morning at the local street market. The lobsters were still trying to climb out of their buckets and we're in the middle of Paris. Truly marveilleux.

...more things I love about Paris

I love...

that everywhere looks like a postcard.

Old blokes playing boules in the park. With old sheilas cheering them on.

Being a tourist. It's actually quite fun!

Deyrolle, the amazing taxidermy store that's been there for 150 years - and where I got my bunny.

The beautiful flower shops - on every second corner where there isn't already a bookshop...

Cheese - oh my god the cheese!!!

Cafe culture

A few of my personal favourites, as well as the St Germain des Pres icons.

Les Deux Magots on Blvd St Germain is an absolute tourist must if you're a Paris virgin. Established in 1884 it was the haunt of the arty set including Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Satre, Picasso and Hemingway to name a few. Downside - there are no actual French people ever eating there.

Next door is Cafe Flore, also a Paris landmark. It's art deco decor is pretty much unchanged since WWII and the upside is that the locals do actually eat here so it has a much better atmos - I prefer French conversational hum with my Rose rather than American.

Opposite both is Brasserie Lipp, the oldest of them all having been there since 1880. They have never taken bookings and apparently you can't even apply for a job as a waiter - you have to be invited - tres French!

Another regular haunt if mine is Le Sant Germain which sits handily at the crossroads of Rue du Bac, Blvd Raspail and Blvd St Germain with Rue du Bac Metro station in the middle. Perfect for people watching at any time of the day or night.

My absolute favourite though is L'Esplanade which is also in the 7th but further west in a much more chi-chi area at the end of Rue de L'Universitie and overlooking Invalides. This is guaranteed celeb spotting territory and the tourists don't know about it which is even better, but the downside is it's pricey so much as I'd like to, I'm not able to make a daily pilgrimage...

Random wackiness

This is actually all part of the "things I love about Paris section" but here is a small selection of some random things I have stumbled across over the past few days which have amused, thrilled or titillated me.

Coming across a fully operational apiary in the middle of Jardin du Luxembourg.

Then coming across a old fashioned fun fair in The Tuileries complete with a log flume ride. It was raining anyway so it had to be done...

Wacky statues - always with stupid pigeons on their heads.

Not so wacky statues - but always with stupid tourists.

Discovering an original piece of street art in Montmartre by "Invader", a famous French street artist featured in "Exit Through the Gift Shop". Cool.

The red light district in Montmartre - "Love Store" is just so much nicer than "Sex Shop" don't you think?!

More Paris faves

Cafes - there's one on every corner and they serve all day, every day.  The waiters are always a wonderful mix of friendliness and French superiority but are ever efficient.

The gilded monuments - they're everywhere and contantly look as if they've just been dipped in a pot of gold. I'm convinced there's an army of small dwarves employed by the city to come out at night and polish them.

You've got to love a city where there is literally a bookshop on every second corner. Amazon eat your heart out.

Trees - Paris in the summer is a leafy delight.

That you (nearly) always get a chocolate with your coffee - sometimes it even comes with a ladybird for good luck.