Day 4, May 28 (Monaco and Aix en Provence, France)

Thanks to all of you who have commented on this blog--it is good to know that we have some friends following our adventures from afar.

Here is a sound clip from our concert last night in Pavia:

"Victimae Paschali Laudes," Tomas Luis de Victoria

Today we departed Italy for Monaco and France. After a continental breakfast at the Hotel Salus in Salice Terme, we boarded the buses at 10 am for the first leg of our trip. We were originally scheduled to leave at 9, but because of travel restrictions and our late arrival last night (bus drivers need 9 hours off between trips), we had a late start and a little extra time to sleep in. The drive to Monaco was spectacular, especially as we reached the Mediterranean coast and the Alpinnines, a narrow but extensive range of mountains that run like a spine through Italy. We stopped for lunch in the town of Ceriale, about 25 miles East of the French border. Even at this "truck stop," there was fresh mozzerella and wonderful bread to eat!

We arrived in Monaco around 2:30, and without exception, we were all a little star-struck at the sheer beauty of the place. Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world (Vatican City is #1), but per capita, it must be the wealthiest per square foot. Everywhere you look, you find gorgeous buildings, expensive cars, well-dressed people--this is truly a glamorous spot. We had just 1 1/2 hours to explore the center of the city, but we took in the cathedral (where Princess Grace is buried), the palace of the royal family, and a beautiful garden with all manner of palms, cacti, and flowering plants. And, of course, the beautiful blue waters were very enticing. A few students found their way down to the water to wade. And, by coincidence, we ran into Rick and Judy Torgerson!

At 4:00, we continued our journey to Aix en Provence, one of the main cultural centers of southern France, and a favorite haunt of painters and poets. To the east of the city is Mont Sainte-Victoire, a beautiful mountain painted several times by the artist Paul Cezanne (a resident of the city). We are getting a taste of true European student life for the next two nights, as we are staying in a well-situated youth hostel just outside of the center of the city. We checked in around 7:30, enjoyed a meal together at 8, and had our first night of awards and skits that typically accompany music tours at Luther. Even our local guides, Laura and Flavio, were featured guests in the festivities.