Goin' to The Chapel...

First thing's first - can SOMEONE please tell me who got eliminated on the Amazing Race last week? Also, The finale is tonight, and if you could tell me who wins, I'd much appreciate it. I'm totally cheering for Cord & Jet, the cowboys! Believe it or not, here in France they have their own version of The Amazing Race (It's called the Pekin Express) and the Amazing Race website from the USA is blocked by CBS. When you try to view it the web page says "it is not available in your area." So much for the world-wide web!

WE WILL NOW RESUME NORMAL BLOGGING

Las Vegas of the Riviera? Perhaps!

Just like Vegas, there’s a lot of gambling going on in these parts. There are also a number of these little chapels, spread along the Base Corniche (the original road clinging to the seaside). That’s pretty much where the similarity stops, though.

These little chapels aren’t devoted to quickie weddings. They were built as devotional stops for the people who used to travel the roads. They’re not far apart, probably less than a half a kilometer from each other. They were built at different times (starting in the 17^th Century (That’s 1600-1699!)). They now have pretty much been re-adapted to different uses. The largest one (top photo) is still a chapel – on the lower level. The upper portion has been partitioned and is an apartment! The next photo down shows the oldest one (built in the 17^th century). Although it looks a little rough, it is actually a very small art gallery. On nice days the proprietor has the doors open, and the interior is MAGNIFICENT for such a small place. It is a good use of the space. It is also a National Historic Monument. The next one is currently finishing up its restoration and is still a devotional chapel. It is dedicated to St. Anne, and is just around the corner form the magnificent Villa Bianca St Anne (now the St Anne bit makes sense) mentioned in an earlier blog. The Chapel of St. Roche is still a functioning chapel. It has unfortunately been completely enveloped commercial & residential development. I haven’t been inside of it, but as a functioning place of worship, it’s ideally located right next door to an apartment building (after all this is Un Nation Catholique!). The final chapel, before Menton (on the west end) turns into Cap Martin, is the last photo in this bunch. It’s tiny, but someone has actually built a loft in it and turned it into a holiday home (with air conditioning and everything). It’s isn’t ideally set (surrounded by apartments and a parking lot), but I think it’s an amazing adaptive re-use of these buildings. Each one is a gem and it would be a sin to just resign them to the wrecking ball.

On a completely different note, television here is bizarre. We are currently in France, watching a television station broadcast in German from Germany, about dwarf & midget bull-fighters in Spain.

Paul & I did a little real-estate shopping Saturday. It never hurts to look. Today’s video is from that little adventure. Enjoy!