The Villefranche-sur-mer Naval Flower Battle is one of those quirky small-town festivals that most tourists hope to run across. Usually held the first Monday after the start of the three-week Nice Carnival celebration, the action is centered on the seafront of the tiny town of Villefranche-sur-mer (population 5,500) a couple of miles east of Nice. […]
The Nice Carnival celebration is one of the largest carnival events in the world, attracting over a million visitors during it’s 15-day run. The theme of Carnival changes each year. In 2017, it was Energy. This year, it was Space. In 2019, it will be Cinema. Despite the different themes, the overall style of the […]
“Support” sculpture rising out of the waters of the Grand Canal in Venice, “supporting” the Ca’Sagredo Hotel. Artist Lorenzo Quinn, son of actor Anthony Quinn, created the giant hands. In interviews, he explained that the work is a reflection on the threat that climate change poses to the world. However, the fact that the hands […]
Surfers on the water at Riviera Beach in Malta. Known locally as Ghajn Tuffieha Beach, this small cove can be found on the northwestern side of the island. Due to its western exposure, it gets small to medium-sized waves fairly regularly throughout the year. It’s no rival to classic surf spots like Bondi and Waikiki, […]
Bas-relief monument on the walls of the old town of Nice, honoring Catarina Segurana. Living in Nice during the 16th century when the town was part of the Duchy of Savoy, Segurana helped lead the fight against the Franco-Ottoman invasion of Nice in August of 1543. The generally accepted story is that she took the […]
The architectural elements on the side of this building that faces the Esplanade Georges Pompidou in Nice, France are all entirely painted on as part of a giant trompe-l’oeil artwork. The only real detail on this otherwise flat surface is the overhanging gutter at the very top. Meaning “fool the eye,” trompe-l’oeil artworks appear all over […]