Fall is nowhere in sight in the beautiful French Riviera, and the warm sunshine knocking on my window this morning was inviting me out to play. I left the house with a plan: climb up the hundreds of stairs (or so it seems when carrying shopping bags is your only form of exercise) to Colline du Château, close to where I live in Nice.

Although I had endured the somewhat arduous climb before, this time it didn’t feel as rough on my legs as it did on my heart. The sea breeze blowing in my hair, the jazz musician in the courtyard, the brilliant colors of the rooftops in the Vieiile Ville, all came together to remind me that I was here alone, far from my family, from my long time friends, from the one who holds my heart.

The sudden loneliness and the beauty that surrounded me did not make me sad, but hopeful. I realized how lucky I was to rest my eyes on such beautiful views,  to step on such historical grounds, and how changed I will be once my journey will lead me back home.

Until then, keep checking back to see what other European wonders I happen to stumble upon!