Hi, I'm Karissa Vacker and welcome back to Sleep Wave, a podcast where we let waves of relaxation wash over you through original sleep meditations created to help you fall

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We are in the height of summer now, and the other day I came across a photo that reminded me of

one of my favorite summary memories of my life thus far. It was August several years ago,

and Billy and I were traveling through the south of France.

We drove our rental car into a charming seaside town called Cassis. After we parked, we began to stroll

down cobblestone streets to a main boardwalk that lined a crystal clear turquoise sea.

I stopped in my tracks and gasped at the simply

stunning color of the water. I had spent most of my beach time in California, where the water is

sometimes bluish, but is often more of a cross between blue and a faint sandy brown. This, however, was a bright and vibrant turquoisey blue-green

gorgeousness. The day was hot and we were sweaty from our walk into town in the unrelenting

afternoon heat. After we checked into our hotel, we ambled down another little road until we came to a cafe.

The interior was tiny, so all the tables spilled out into the sidewalk.

We snagged one, and the waiter brought us ice-cold glasses of locally made rosé wine,

...