A Day in Cannes

Yesterday, we hopped on the train and headed to Cannes for the day. What I saw there made me love the French Riviera even more.

Although the water in Cannes is not quite as stunning as the stony beaches of Nice, it was a lot more user-friendly with its sandy shores. We made a beeline for the water and were splashing around in the Sea moments later. My mom and I retreated to our spot on the beach while my dad and Will swam off to a rocky point several yards from the coast. When Will got back, we took off on a long walk down the beach. Cannes gave us a perfect beachy experience.

However, I did encounter one thing I wasn't really expecting, especially after my Hawaii bikini experience.

People. Stared. Like. Crazy. At. My. Scar.

I'm not talking just glance measuring a second or two -- there were extended, puzzled looks. Some people would look away then look back. One remarkably overweight woman had no compunction about staring at my belly, then my face, then my belly, all with a look of morbid interest yet total detachment. Maybe she just thought I looked hot in my swimsuit.

After the beach, we passed an ice cream shop and, to my delight, there were over a dozen vegan options there. Fruit sorbets, ice cream made with soy milk -- I was in heaven. I got two scoops -- one lemoncello and one lemon (there was a difference between them) -- and finished them right before we popped into a casino. It's been our secret goal to hit up a casino in every city we visit -- so far, so good.

After a quick time on the slots, we had a delicious dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant across the street from the Sea. My mom and I split penne arrabiata and steamed spinach -- a vegan's dream dinner -- and we became buddies with the Scotsman sitting next to us. After walking along the spot where the Cannes Film Festival is held, and drinking in a few last drops of the glitzy city, we were back on our comfy train to Nice.

Sun-kissed, nourished by delicious food, and inspired by gorgeous surroundings: a simply perfect day.

Cannes, I'll be seeing you again.

Next stop: Paris!!

The WunderGlo European Victory Lap Gets Insane

Two days ago, I was dodging hail pellets in Scotland and castle-gazing. Now, I'm in 80 degree weather (with nearly equal humidity) and soaking up the sun along the Mediterranean Sea. It's hard not to be grateful at the fact that I'm moving from one gorgeous place to another. Although I'm a UK junkie through and through, it's hard not to be impressed by the deep blue hues of the Mediterranean. Insanely beautiful. 

Getting vegan food in this town is a whole other story, but as a devout member of the "Love Life" posse (not just a member, but the president), I don't need to go there. I'll just say this -- after two rough meals, I found a salad and some cous cous at a small stand in the mall and almost cried tears of joy.

In addition to sauntering about Nice, I finally found the time to start another conquest: the Insanity Workout. If you've stayed up late enough and checked out the infomercial, you know what I'm talking about. Insanity consists of several DVDs with daily 40 minute workouts that beat the crap out of you and promise amazing results. I figured that if I'm not going to be able to get to a gym during this trip, why not bring the gym to me? Fitness is a daily commitment, and that commitment shouldn't falter when one is having the time of one's life in Europe. There's always time to take care of my body.

So far, the workouts have been awesome -- super tough and totally revitalizing. I did the first workout last night, which was a "Fit Test." After the workout, I rested on the ground, covered in sweat, but happy to declare that yup, I'm pretty damn fit. The workout consisted of a series of exercises including various jumps and squats and kicks. The goal was to do as many reps of each of these exercises in one minute. Competitor to the end that I am, I went nuts on the Fit Test. After the first few exercises, I started to realize that I was keeping pace with the trainers on the video. As in, the people with six-packs who had been doing Intensity for at least 60 days. My results started to drop off as I got more and more winded and sweaty, but they were still strong. Today, I held my own during the Plyometric Cardio Circuit and was doused in sweat when I finished. I look forward to seeing what this tough old body of mine is going to look like after Intensity, especially when it's combined with my normal training regimen of weight lifting at Educo and swimming at L.A. Athletic Club. It's all about living strong these days, and I'm 100% committed to that lifestyle.

It's pretty crazy that a few months ago I was waddling down a hospital hall trying not to bust my incision wound open, and now I'm all healed up, in great shape, and sweating buckets in a hotel in Nice. 2011 has been a wild one for me, hasn't it? I've loved every minute of it.

Seriously, Scotland? You Are Awesome.

After two days in Edinburgh, I can officially declare my love for the UK to be even stronger than before. Edinburgh was freakin' awesome.

We did the usual things most tourists do, like visiting the Edinburgh Castle (a beautiful mix of stunning architecture and reeediculous views) and walking down/shopping along the Royal Mile (I am now obsessed with UK-style polo shirts, the proud owner of two of them). We also checked out a lesser known but very cool spot -- The Forest Cafe -- recommended by my good buddy Ben. Our hotel was fantastic -- a 5-star Sheraton that Will booked with his Starwood points with an amazing gym and pool (that I made good use of, of course).

The weather was memorable -- from sunny to a little chilly to a downpour of rain and hail...then back to sunny. The pubs were awesome, although I promised my body that we'll have much less Strongbow when we get to France (nobody freak out - I'm only having half a pint, if that, each day). And the people were incredibly sweet and accommodating, with accents that weren't too tough to understand.

I ate like a vegan queen for every meal, especially loving an incredible spinach and hazelnut burger followed by an almond and blueberry tart at a place called Black Bo's. Anyone who says the UK doesn't have great food hasn't been here in a while or doesn't know what great food is.

Even though we covered a lot of ground (literally, by foot) and took in a lot of sights, I felt a deep, abiding sense of peace during each moment we spent in Scotland. All those lush green hills and gardens seemed to have had a calming effect on your usually super-amped friend. Or maybe it was the weight lifting then swimming nearly a half mile then getting an incredible massage. Probably all of the above.

Sometimes, it feels almost as if this entire cancer-killing adventure has been scripted, and I'm now at that really fun, really exciting part of the story. I guess after you slay the cancer-dragon, it's all downhill from there. The one thing I know is this: I'm loving the ride.

Enlightenment at York Minster

Yesterday, as I walked around the grand cathedral known as York Minster, I was struck by all the plaques, statues, and headstones. There was one for a lawyer, aged 57, who died in the 1820s; another for a girl who passed away at the age of 24 in 1781; and another for a dozen soldiers who died at a certain battle during England's Great War. All around me were the memorials of those who died long ago. All around me were reminders about man's inescapable mortality. I thought about the dead whose names lined the walls and halls of this majestic place, and reflected on the purpose of our lives, especially in light of the fact that death is just around the bend for all of us.

The prospect of living while knowing full well that we're inching closer toward death isn't a particularly intimidating thought for me, especially now. In a way, perhaps the most powerful of ways, our mortality binds us together. We're all bopping around this world in wildly different ways and in wildly different places, fighting in bloody wars or living peacefully in straw huts or prancing pompously down Park Avenue. But we're all going to end up in the same place...which is not among the living.

So what do we do with our lives? Do we live them locked away, afraid to get hurt emotionally or physically, hesitant to get out into the big bad world and experience new things? Or do we live life dangerously, employing a devil-may-care attitude while abusing our bodies with damaging behavior? Or do we live life with our heads down, wasting our time in dead-end jobs or relationships, hoping for that one day in the far off future when life will actually be the way we want it to be?

No. None of the above.

As I snapped photos and sat in a church pew, I thought of three big things that we can do with our lives besides simply living them out until they end. While doing these things, we're mindful of our limited time on Earth, but getting the most out of that time for both ourselves and others. 

The first Big Thing is contributing to society at large, to leave the world a better place as a result of us having been in it. I know it sounds like a tall order, but it really isn't. We all have opportunities to leave a legacy, through our careers, by giving our time or money to community organizations and charities, or simply by creating something that will inspire others. Each of us can make a lasting, positive impact on the world. We need to believe that fact before we actually can, though.

The second Big Thing is like the first, but on a much smaller scale: to enrich the lives of loved ones and people we come in contact with most frequently. Our communities of family and friends are lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time with us, so why not make it worth their while? Like I said earlier, we are all in this life together, so let's make the ride more comfortable and enjoyable for one another with our love, friendship, support, and humor. Caring for our friends and family doesn't just enrich their lives -- building strong relationships and knowing that you've got a crew that has your back no matter what makes your life pretty sweet, too. 

Finally, the last Big Thing that, at least in my opinion, makes our lifetime journey worthwhile is to awaken our spiritual side. This can be achieved through conventional means of finding God and following your organized (or unorganized) faith of choice. It can also be reached though meditation, embracing nature's beauty, listening to music, connecting with a piece of art, fighting cancer (yup, I said it), or any other number of activities that you can insert here. To feel closeness with a higher being or a higher order gives us the perspective to really make the most of our moments, howver many they may be, and fills us with the kind of peace that makes those moments sublime.

Big thoughts for a vacation, I know. But what can I say? I was in the most haunted city in Europe, and I was moved by the spirit. 

Heading North. Next Stop: York!

We packed up and left lovely London behind today, heading North for the quieter confines of York, England. I had an absolute blast in the big city, but also looked forward to the peace and charm of a tinier town. Plus, our B&B has WiFi which means I can happily blog, work on my book, and plan my basketball tournament and non-profit events and victory party and...I know, I know -- I'm not that great at vacationing.

York has not disappointed. The weather is a little chillier than London, but that's not saying much since London was in the solid 80s the entire time we were there. The town is filled with history and majesty and, luckily for me, is apparently the most haunted city in Europe. Our lodgings are fantastically quaint and there's even a vegan breakfast option for me and my mom. The only real challenge with my morning meal will be my ability to wake up for it -- breakfast ends at 9:15! All of you who know me well understand what a challenge this will be for me. Stage IV colon cancer, chemo, surgery -- hey, no problem. Getting up before 9am? Oh, I struggle.

While the sights and sounds of England have been awe-inspiring, I'd have to say that the best part of my trip has been sharing it with my three nurses. Although they have been a constant over the last ten months -- making sure I had daily vitamins, Lovenox shots, and healthy food carting me around to acupuncture appointments and reiki sessions and joining me at the gym spending countless nights in the hospital after my surgeries and long days at Norris during chemo treatments -- it's really, really awesome to have this care-free fun with them. We always have a great time when we're together, but this trip has exceeded my expectations of quality time. I've really enjoyed each moment with each of them -- from laughing out loud at appropriate and inappropriate times, to chatting and resting our feet at a local pub, to beholding the whole of London from the top of St. Paul's Cathedral, to running through the Tube station and catching our train by the skin of our teeth. There's no doubt about it: the WunderGlo European Victory Lap is a vacation filled with memories to last a lifetime.

Maybe I'm not so bad at vacationing after all. :)