“As you grow older, you’ll find that the only things you regret are the things you didn’t do.” -Zachary Scott

This post is less about photos and more about the serious part of the girls weekend when we talk about our goals and objectives.  This always happens at our last main meal together.

It isn’t an easy conversation because not only do we look back over the past six months at what we have or haven’t accomplished, we look forward and recommit to the six months ahead.

All three of us have some big goals to work on and even though we won’t see each other for another six months we are constantly sharing updates, advice and support, while cheering each other on (even during the crappy weeks) via email.

My goals include securing steady income from my consulting, being able to afford health care coverage and continuing to grow my photography skills for potential income.

I love Elizabeth Gilbert’s quote “To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice.”. Continuing to travel is another goal and it’s one of the most important things I do but unfortunately there is no trust fund or gifts supporting it (there never has been), just a healthy mix of know-how, sacrifice, and risk taking.

This week the NYTimes.com’s second most emailed article is “But Will It Make You Happy?”.  In the past twelve months I’ve happily given up almost all the extras and instant gratifiers in my life to save everywhere and anywhere I can for travel. I prefer risks to regrets.

Photographer and blogger Karen Walrond posted in February “100+ Things I’d Like to Do Before I Go”.  Her list is wonderful and it made me stop and feel grateful for the goals I’ve already accomplished like  #6. Scuba dive in Bali – (I’ll never scuba diving but I’ve been to Bali), #9. Visit Tokyo – (two trips and hopefully more in the future) #19.  Visit the very top of the Eiffel Tower – (many times, just not recently) and the ones on my list still waiting to be checked.

Travel may not be on your list but what goals do you want to accomplish before you go?  The girls and I have gotten started on ours, have you started on yours?

Merci les filles!!!  See you in six months!!

Leslie

The goal of visiting Marseille was not just to see the sites, it was to enjoy the local cuisine.

One of Mapie’s friends gave us a list of restaurant options for dinner. I don’t know how the girls selected it but they chose a small local seafood restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Marseille.

It was a typical seaside restaurant, overlooking a scenic cove filled with leisure and fishing boats.

It was perfect and the food delicious.   The girls and I are very lucky when we are together.

I hope you’re lucky enough to find and visit the restaurant Au Bord de L’Eau too, but if not take a minute to enjoy a visit right here.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Les Calanques were not my only new discovery with the team.  We also visited Marseille, France’s second most populated city.

The owner of our B&B highly recommended Marseille’s tourist train (he was very excited about it).   We weren’t convinced as we are not the guided tour kind of group.

But Marseille is a sprawling city and outside of Le Vieux-Port (The Old Port) the main attraction is Notre-Dame de la Garde (Our Lady of the Guard), a Neo-Byzantine church that sits on the city’s highest peak at 162 m (532 ft) high.

Given the distance and the incline, we took the owners advice and got on the tourist train.

The basilica is known as the city’s guardian and protector and although it has not always protected the city properly, it’s incredibly beautiful.

What surprised me most about Marseille is the plague of stereotypes that often overshadows the city’s beauty and history.

Similar to tourist trains the city often gets a bad rap yet it is really worth a visit… At the minimum for the tourist train ride, it was excellent.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Each year during the girls weekend, we plan a visit to one or two new places that we have never been to together.

The original goal was for me to discover new regions of France but now it’s really about finding a place where we will enjoy our time together.

Each year is completely different and this year I had another incredible discovery… On the coastline between Cassis and Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône département of France is the area of Les Calanques.

A calanque is a formation of limestone inlets in the form of a valley, with hair raising-cliffs, that are partly submerged in the sea.

Between Cassis and Marseille there are thirteen different calanques varying in difficulty to reach and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea down below.

We visited one of the easier calanques to hike, picnic, and swim.

You won’t see all the photos (the girls would throw me to the guillotine) and given the rocky terrain the pictures with no watermark were taken with my Point and Shoot.

Last year we visited the village of Cassis but I never would have imagined that just beyond its port would be one of the most beautiful regions in France.

Physically speaking, hiking Les Calanques is not for everyone (there are also boat tours) but if you don’t mind working up a sweat on rocky terrain (where foot trails are not always well marked) the stunning landscape and clear blue water will definitely reward your efforts.

If you decide to hike be sure to bring a picnic, a lot of water and avoid the week-end crowds (My French team knows how to prepare, thanks girls!).

If you haven’t gotten away this Summer, I hope this gives you a quick visual getaway or maybe an idea for your next vacation.

Enjoy!

Leslie

After the shopping is done and the coffee has been enjoyed we are ready for the picnic.

Our picnics are about relaxing, gossiping, horoscopes and of course good food…but the relaxing is the key.

Each year the location may change but, the slow relaxing ambiance of the south is always the same.

As we enjoy our time together…Claudine will always say “On est bien les filles.” (Girls, we are good here)…which I translate as “How lucky are we!”.

As you can see, there is nothing difficult about our French picnic.

And it’s true “On est bien.” (We are very lucky!).

The last three images on the post were taken by Mapie with my Point and Shoot and the film below by Claudine with the same camera!  They are beautiful!!!  Thanks girls!

View more images from the French picnic on my Flickr homepage.

Enjoy!

Leslie