Calvi, Corsica - A Sleepy, Seaside Town

It was late October by the time we arrived in Calvi and although there were still people bathing on the beach, it was obvious that the community was settling down for a quiet winter reprieve from the tourists.

As with so many Corsican towns, there is a waterfront with restaurants and ice cream stands.

At the end of the quay is the fortified citadel, a reminder that this city, like so many others, has withstood centuries of warfare and changed hands many times.

I love the colour of the weathered stucco buildings and the flowers that are everywhere.

On my last morning in Calvi, I found the perfect place to eat breakfast – the balcony of a small bakery overlooking the harbour.

The shutters, the hanging bird ornament, and the cat made a lovely tableau. So I took a photograph. And then the windows opened and the owner, a very old woman, looked out and started talking to me.

I was afraid she would yell at me, but no, she wanted to tell me all about the cat who was a street cat that spent the day on her window ledge but roamed the streets at night. It was a good news story as the cat had appeared just after she had lost her own cat. I was delighted and also reminded that age can mask but doesn’t destroy personality and life story.