Hotel Alexandra Monte-Carlo

Monaco was unbelievable. I was awestruck most of the time by the fact that I was actually in Monte Carlo! Immaculate streets and gardens/parks, very clean. Designer labels and fashionable people everywhere. So small in area that every available inch of land is consumed, but still so much traffic. Amazing hills and views. The selection of photos show it best than I could describe - i took heaps of pics, so these are just a selection, but still a lot ...

... the most beautiful boats in the world are in MonteCarlo...

Language is more interesting in france. If we try to do the simple tourist things then most people can work out what is going on but when we try something else eg. going to the doctor (sue has been sick) going to a chemist.. or finding a Laundamatt.. then the language thiig is a bit more animated....

have some grat pics of Nice and French Rivierra to show when we get home...

... didn't charge me. They do if the delay is less than 2 hrs. So instead of the 4:25pm flight, I am getting the 8:15pm. Annoying because I miss seeing Nice in daytime and the train ride to Monaco is supposed to be excellent views over the Mediterranean.

So, today has basically been in transit. Saw some good views from the plane window of the Swiss Alps (at least I think that’s what those mountains were).

Hahahaha, they are playing ...

Life:
I have officially been here for one month. The time has flown by and I've learned the city of Lyon well. I have learned some more French, mostly to use in a social setting, but still have no idea what's going on 90% of the time when people talk to me. 2% is words I recognize and the other 8% of the understanding comes from pure body language. It's actually not too hard to understand what's going on as long as you understand the context. Communication is ...

... the morning shift I ran to the railway station. The return ticket to Monte Carlo was only 5 Euros, and the journey last 15-20 minutes. The views were gorgeous, but the best one was the old town of Monte Carlo and it`s cars. Jeeez! Amazing! Moreover, they would stop in order to let you pass through - before you even got to zebra. I had a very limited time, but the things I saw there made me convinced it was not my last time in Monaco.

...

... aquariums of the Musée Océanographique. This museum is not huge by any means, but it still has many unique and interesting displays. Since Stee has been dragging me to practically every aquarium in Europe I expected this one to be just more of the same. I was pleasantly surprised. This is an aquarium not to miss.

The Jardin Exotique is an interesting garden of succulents (like Cacti) that are clinging to the side of a ...

Excerpt from my entry under Nice, 9/19/2009 about Monte-Carlo.

While we were eating, the yacht gently slipped along the coast towards Monaco and by the time we had finished eating we had arrived in the harbor in Monaco. There was a limousine waiting for us that took us to the Casino de Monte Carlo. In the Limo ...

... stand.



Heading a little further up from the harbour, I marvelled at the side-by-side stores of Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Dior, plus many others. I imagined one day being invited in to these stores, rather than alarmingly dissuaded by the odd serious looking doorman with a frown that seemed to be tattooed to his forehead ...

... and from the left side - to the country itself.So enjoy the landscape and take photos!
The rest of the day passed soooo unuseful!!!! At first we didn't manage to go to the Jardin Exotique, sooo pity! I heard it's a wonderful place - it has a garden, grots and museum in it.
We drove to Italy - a lot of tunnels, the way lies through mountains. By the way it was so strange for me to see nobody at the border. I mean there is no border at all, just a little sign ...