Sep 30, 2016 - We won at the Casino in Monte Carlo

What another great day we’ve had. Up really, really early this morning as our tour left the cruise ship at 7.45am so we had to be ready and breakfasted and in the Epic Theatre by 7.30am. We were there and on the first tender across to the mainland of Cannes. (And lucky we were early as there were five buses going our tour today!!) The tender ride was a very interesting experience. The covered boat held about 50 people and travelled the 3-4 kms to the mainland, finding every wave it could. I enjoyed it though. We boarded coach 4 today and...

Sep 26, 2016 - Monaco, Cannes.

Friday 23rd Off towards Genoa, after a quiet lakeside walk with Blue. Took the toll road as the road ahead looks very winding. The signs are not good in Italy and even with the Sat nav we managed to somehow, halfway there, to go north instead of south, which cost us an hour and a few euros. We eventually reached the coast, turning west and reaching tonight's destination of a campsite east of Monaco. It had been a long tiring drive, so when we reached the site and found we couldn't even get into it as the incline was too sudden/steep for the...

May 24, 2016 - Monte Carlo

No I am not going to drive to Monte Carlo. We will catch the train. Phew. What a place. The race is on in a couple of days and the preparations are incredible. Whole streets boarded up with wire and railing. Huge signs everywhere. And the race company's trucks are a work of art. The red of Ferrari is a favorite. The city is on a very steep hillside with winding streets connecting huge apartment blocks. They sure know how to spend money here. We thought we would walk from the FOUR storey railway station to an 'exotic garden' look at it for a...

Apr 5, 2016 - Monaco

We stopped at the border to Monaco and expected we would have to show our passports. But that didn’t happen. David told us that we can cross borders with all the European nation countries and even though Monaco is not part of this union, passports are not needed. He reassured us that there are over 500 cameras on this “Country on the Rock” and they very much know who comes and goes here. On our way to the parking lot, we passed Princesses Carolyn and Stephanie’s homes. Beautiful and huge to say the least. David took us past the cathedral...

Nov 25, 2015 - Monaco

Today we visited the Principality of Monaco. Monaco has an area of 2.02 km2 (0.78 sq mi) and a population of about 37,800(2014); it is the second smallest and the most densely populated country in the world. It is also known as the playground of the rich. First impressions are that it appears to be a very crowded city but we found it easy to drive in and park and then very pleasant to walk around. We started our exploration at Monte-Carlo and the famous Casino a very impressive building. Again there were some very high end shops and hotels...

Jun 16, 2015 - Leaving Cannes...heading to Monaco

This morning we boarded our bus headed to the Principality of Monaco. Monaco is located right on the French Riviera and is bordered by France on three sides and the Mediterranean Sea on the other border. It is a tiny area only about 3/4 of a square mile with only a little over 36,000 residents. It is the second smallest and the most densely populated country in the world. Its land border is only 2.7 miles long and it only has 2.5 miles of coastline. Monte Carlo is its most populous quarter. Monaco is a principality that is governed under...

May 8, 2015 - A visit to Monaco

Friday, May 8th. (VE day. Victory in Europe is a National Holiday in France, also our youngest son’s birthday) I think we took the long way around to the train station. We traveled over 4,000 paces getting there. There were 3 people ahead of us at the ticket window and they were all traveling a lot farther than us. As we waited, patiently, Bill was getting concerned that we would miss the train. I went out to one of the machines that sold “billets” but wasn’t able to understand how to get any. There was a group of policemen chatting beside...

Apr 24, 2015 - Neece (Nice) is nice

hard to imagine a country maybe 2 square miles, and the secomd highest population density in the world. It is perched on cliff over the Med. It has a storied past:. granpa was a prince, dad was a prince. The previous princess was Grace Kelly from Hollywood. The prince is a prince and is married to a princess who just gave biirth to twins....where was I for that?! population says 30,000, looks like a lot more. packed in so tight, it makes Singapore look nearly rural. There must be some advantages to living there, or else why would so many...

Sep 27, 2014 - Monte Carlo

We got to Monte Carlo after a full day's train ride about 4:00pm. Once we got there we were to call to have a shuttle from our hotel pick us up. We were told they would get us in half an hour. That came and went and we still waited at the train station. We tried to call a taxi and couldn't even get them on the courtesy phone. Finally we pretty much hijacked a taxi van that had dropped people off and he drove us to our hotel. Not even a taxi driver wants to argue with three very upset women. It was a small bed and breakfast, without the...

Apr 29, 2014 - Monte Carlo, Monaco

Situated on the northeast coast of Monaco, we sailed into Monte Carlo on a bright sunny day with the temperature a pleasant 20c. Founded in the mid 19th century Le Gran Casino, until recently served as Monte Carlos main source of income and along with L’Opera de Monte Carlo Salle Garnier, made the city world famous. The hay days of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier have passed and while it is still the playground of the very very rich, the Casino has more competition today and has lost some of its former glory. Monaco has long been under the...

Apr 18, 2014 - Day 16 – Friday 18 April – Cannes to Monaco

Megan and I started our day with a buffet breakfast then jumped in our car and drove to Monte Carlo in Monaco. The coastline getting there was just spectacular and Monte Carlo was jaw dropping. Seriously every second car was a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes or Audi…and the boats on the water were incredible. One section had the hotels on one side, the street, the board walk and then these massive boats just backed in and parked right there. This is certainly the place to be if you are wealthy and want to be seen to be wealthy....

Oct 2, 2013 - Monaco

Monaco Today we visit the small Principality of Monaco. We weren’t sure what to expect but were greeted by a small, beautiful harbour and a wall of high rises; some beautiful old looking buildings others a concrete mess that should not have been allowed. Once ashore we walked uphill to the railway station to catch a train to Nice a 20 minute ride away. In Nice the sun was shining as we strolled along the promenade des Anglais looking at the people lying on a very pebbly beach. There was a market on in the old town with all the usual veg,...