Friday, August 28, 2015

Flash cars and swimming in the Mediterranean


Maseratis, Aston martins, Ferraris, Range rovers, Porsches, Lamborghinis, BMWs, Mercedes, and Audis.   All the glamourous and mega expensive cars were outside the Monte Carlo casino.  There was a huge crowd looking on and taking photographs, just as we were.  This was our after dinner stroll, following another delicious meal.   
 





The casino was built in the 1850's , with the plan that the revenue from it would,save the Grimaldi family from bankruptcy.  It it just not a casino, but also houses the theatre of Monte Carlo and the office of the Ballet of Monte Carlo.  To enter and tour it the cost is €10.   We decided to just have a look around the first hall and  not pay the €10 to enter the gaming rooms.     It is a very beautiful building, full of marble.  There was a display from early last century, the Russian Ballet performed there on the day my Mum was born.   I took this photo from the Internet, it would be impossible to get one like this, there are far too many tourists milling around this famous casino. 




Tonight  we ate at the Cafe de Paris, where a hamburger is $30.    TRO enjoyed a delicious flambé creme brûlée for dessert, which as you can see, came out flaming!   Kwong and I had the chicken curry, which we both agreed was the strangest curry we had ever eaten.  It was simply prices of cooked chicken breast with a very light curry sauce over the top.   We decided it was curry French style.  

O


The first activity this morning was a drive in a Ferrari, taken by TRO.   Sensational was his opinion!    He wasn't allowed to drive in Monaco, so was driven over the border into France for his half hour at the wheel.


Next on the program was  the hop on hop off bus to the top of the Monaco Rock, specifically to watch the changing of the guard at the Palace.   It was worth the wait in the boiling hot sun for twenty minutes to have the first row vantage point.  The crowd was around eight deep, and the selfie sticks were very much in evidence.   The Grimaldi family have reigned in Monaco since the 1600's, when they popped over from Genoa in Tialy,moored of the civil war there apparently.   They dressed as Monks, hiding weapons under the cloaks, and this enabled them  to overpower whoever was in charge at the time, and take over.  End of story, they have been ruling ever since.    This little bit of pomp and ceremony takes place each day at 11.55.  



The hoho bus took us back down the wharf area where we took the boat taxi across the harbour, and then a cruise outside the harbour on a small 12 seater launch.  This gave us some wonderful views of Monaco from the water.


It is an amazing place, just two square kilometers.    We cruised past a couple of ocean liners, and many luxury yachts, as well as para sailers, and jet skiers. 

On return to our hotel, we took a beach pack from the hotel, and headed off to the nearest public beach, enjoying a swim in the cool water of the Mediterranean Sea.

Another busy day, and we were very tired at the end of it.

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