Christmas has again taken me by surprise. One minute it seems months away - the next it's 8 days to go and counting. The year has flown past and here we are - just about to turn yet another page of our lives, this time to Chapter 2009.
Nigel and I will be spending the festive season at home here on the French Riviera amongst friends and family (and animals). With 11 cats and 5 dogs - it's a bit tricky to go away and leave them in the capable hands of a house sitter without feeling guilty.
2008 has been a busy year for us and there is much to be thankful for. We have met some lovely people, discovered new horizons and shared some wonderful moments. I know I risk repeating myself but living in the South of France and especially the French Riviera continues to inspire us. It is a beautiful place and while I know our planet offers many other stunning locations - this one continues to amaze us.
As is our habit, we'll probably visit a few Christmas markets, finding last minute stocking fillers for one another. Even at our age, we still enjoy pretending that Father Christmas will come calling and surprise us with unexpected gifts that were not bought over the internet. If our warm Riviera sun shines on Christmas Day, we'll enjoy, if not our Christmas lunch outside by the pool, at least our aperitifs. One could get use to this style of living . . .
Yet while December's accent is firmly on Christmas and the joys of sharing presents and moments of sheer culinary indulgences, we should also spare a thought for those less fortunate than ourselves and the sadness and depression that being alone brings at this time of year. Having myself known the misery many, many years ago of such a situation, I feel grateful of the abundance I have today.
In fact I would like to think that, for a short, brief moment, this website brings a little cheer into someone's life. From humble beginnings this website has grown, not so much through my own efforts, but of those of my contributing authors. To them I offer my heartfelt thanks for their contribution and dedication to the website. Through their writings they share not just their love of this region, but also the beauty that lies within it. It is because of them that AMB exists and through them that your understanding of this land, its culture and its people unfolds until there comes a time when only one solution remains - to discover it yourself too.
So it is my Christmas Wish that AMB Cote d'Azur inspires you to discover this marvellous region yourself: if not next year, perhaps the next. In the meantime I and my contributing writers will continue to share with you our discoveries and joys of living on the French Riviera, both through the written word and images. And, if you are alone this festive season, take heart and a little cheer from the pages of this website and let your imagination take flight.
To you all, we wish you and your loved ones, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Alice Barker.
