Palmerstonian Enjoys French Riviera

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 31, 6 February 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Palmerstonian Enjoys French Riviera

News From Mrs M. Rhodes Writing in December to friends in Palmerston North from Cannes (France), Mrs M. Rhodes, formerly principal of the Palmerston North Girls’ High School, who is at present touring on the Continent with her son, gives some vivid impressions of her travels. French Riviera. Of the view before her when staying at a hotel on the famous Promenade de la Croisette Mrs Rhodes says: “I look over a garden of palm and orange trees to tfib blue Mediterranean. On my right to the west are tho Esterel mountains, out to sea tho Isles de Lena and to the east Cap d’Antibes. It is midwinter and as warm and bright as a summer day in New Zealand. We have been here a month and move on tomorrow to Italy to spend Christmas in Rome and New Year in Naples. We have done the whole of the li reach Riviera from St. Raphael Jo Mentone an all praise of it is quite justified. Cannes, Nice, Beaulieu, Mentone, and Monte Carlo, are ail beautiful but we thought Cannes the pick and settled here for a spell. The famous Promenade do la Croisette in Cannes and Promenade des Anglais in Nice must be almost the most beautiful in the world. The Mediterranean is blue, clear and tideless and I listen at night to the soft swish of the waves on the sandy beach—very tiny waves for on most days the sea has hardly a ripple. 1 am told it can bo very rough but we have been most fortunate in tho weather. “One of the most interesting trips we took was along tho famous scenic hill road, the Grande Corniche. imagine the highest part of Paekakariki hill road extending for miles, while below at tho base of the mountains are all the famous Riviera towns and the beautiful capes, ‘Cap Ferrat,’ ‘Cap d’Antibes,’ ‘Cap Martin,’ stretching out to sea. Above and around, us were hill towns, centuries old, clinging like flies to the rocky summits, their houses built of stone and looking as if they were just carved in. tho solid rock. At Monte Carlo. “Another very interesting trip we made was to Monte Carlo, where, of course, we visited the famouß Casino. The Sporting Club is the most fashionable gambling place there now but tho Casino was very interesting with its largo and lofty rooms filled with people, and here and there long tables around which people were seated, the croupiers with long wooden rakes, raking in tho wooden counters. Everything was incredibly quiet. The croupiers spoke in the quietest of voices and only the strained and anxious looks on many of the players’ faces showed that anything unusual was going on. What struck mo was the lightning speed at which the calculations were made in the various games, roulete, rouge-et-noir, and baccarat being among the games played. “The sunsets here are wonderful. Yesterday the sky was blood red with reddish lights on the sea; to-day it is the most beautiful pink varying to pastel bluos and lilacs with a silver-blue sea. And there are luxurious yachts in tho harbour owned by millionaires,, which are more like ocean-going steamers, most of them painted white and kept with tho most, scrupulous care. Further round are the fishermen’s boats painted in the brightest blues, reds and greens. “But every rose has a thorn. J cannot boar the everlasting coffee and roll breakfast and the everlasting oil in everything. The food is excellently cooked ana plentiful but one never knows when one will strike an oily mixture. Abdication Excitement. “There was much excitement here at the time of King Edward’s abdication. Fully 100 reporters, photographers, etc., surrounded ‘Lo Vieii,” the villa whero Mrs. Simpson is staying. If a dog barked everyone rushed to see what was happening. Some of the big papers had aeroplanes chartered at the Cannes aerodrome ready to follow at once should she try to make a getaway. In Shakespeare’s uounty. “I went tu Stratford-on-Avon during the Festival and saw ‘The Merchant ol Venice.’ I knew lots of it by heart, but it was so well done it did not seem hackneyed. The building itself pleased me immensely—dignified, almost majestic, I thought, and it is in a beautiful position on tho banks of the river. The day I was there the house was packed, and I was told it had been all through the festival. A Comparison. “I have been on some of the famous trains; travelled on the ‘lnternational Express’ from Ostend to Lucerne, and lon the ‘Eidelweiss Express’ (a luxury Pullman) from Basle to Brussels. 1 came from Calais to tho South of France in a sleeper on the famous ‘Blue Train.’ They understand comfort. I must say oven the second-class sleepers are more comfortable and better equipped than the first sleepers in New Zealand. Each compartment has its own washing and toilet arrangements, also reading lamp over the bed—very different from New Zealand whero one wash basin at tho end of the carriage

serves everyone. No, New Zealand does not lead the world in everything, but she does as regards labour conditions. Workers in England work terribly long hours for very poor wages. The tip System of payment is a rotten syjftem end most would much rather have a steady wage.”