COLDIRODI. 393 



Cap d'Ampeglio. The semicircle of high hills here is un- 

 interrupted, 'i'hese with their chief, Monte Bignone. and 

 his vassals , Monte Caggio and Plan Carparo, dcfi,- the 

 cold north winds. On the other side of Old Bordighera 

 rise the familiar peaks above the coast: there the green 

 peninsulas project far into the sea, forming deep bays, 

 and in the mist^' distance the e\e seems to discern the 

 jagged outline of the Esterel. The (|uaint little town of 

 Coldirodi, \\'ith its crooked streets, reminds us strongly 

 of San Remo and of Taggia and Ceriana. Blackened 

 houses built of stone, buttresses and arches, unexpected 

 gaps, through which one looks down into the valleys or 

 sees the top of a mountain, and here and there ruins co\'erecl 

 with a luxuriant growth of vegetation. For the last 

 eartlu[uake destro\'ed a portion of Coldirodi. But this 

 scene of desolation is decked with llowers, the bright 

 arch of the sky is abo^'e it, and it is gilded l)^• the 

 splendour of the southern sun. Through Olive groves 

 we descend by a ston-\' path into the ^•alle^' ol San Ber- 

 nardo, with the picture of San Remo always before us. 

 The old Olive trees are so weirdh' beautiful that they 

 ri^'et our attention, and ^'et it is necessar\- to look down- 

 wards, for walking on the smooth round stones is at 

 times a veritable g\mnastic exercise. 



CHAPTER IX. 



On the luorning ot Palm Sundax I went to tlie 

 flower market at Nice to re^'el in the wealth of colour 

 there. Ever\' spring these frail things lie piled up in 

 great quantities, doomed to an earh" death, and not even 



16* 



