Monaco

Trip Start Aug 24, 2008
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5
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Trip End Sep 01, 2008


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Thursday, August 28, 2008

After another long days driving, we pass through Nice to find accommodation....opps! it's the French summer holidays, and all the places are booked out...a blessing in disguise...we end up in a quaint little town Cap D'ai situated between Nice and Monaco. Trying to find this hostel was a challenge, trying to fit our car in streets that appear to be only big enough for mini-minors. After both of our energy levels are low and patience has run out, we were blessed with a hostel, placed right on the Mediterranean. A quick swim in the Mediterranean, and after getting stung on the thumb by a little jelly fish, we went to get ourselves dressed up to mingle with the rich and famous at the Monaco casino. (Funny story: Soren had a dress shirt to go with his pants, but as travellers the shirt was crushed up in our back-pack, thinking that the hostel would have at least an iron, only to find out that they didn't have one. We put our heads together and improvised........Hair straightening irons can be use for more than just straightening ones hair sunset in Cap D'ai
sunset in Cap D'ai
 . Yep... we use a hair straightening iron to iron sorens shirt, it was a sight, but it worked like a charm. So all dressed up we catch the train one stop to Monaco.
Welcome to one of the world's smallest country, (only 2.5kms long) and if you sneeze you would miss it. The world of glitz and glamour, the rich and the famous. The amount of money in this tiny country blows our minds.  After having dinner in a restaurant that didn't take our retirement fund to pay for, we made our way to the famous Monaco casino......WOW!!! Greeted by cars, and not just any cars. There are Porsche, Maserati, lamborghini, ferraris, Bentleys, Hummers (you could never look at a BMW or a Mercedes again and think nice car), Soren didn't know where to look first, and it was like watching a little boy in a candy shop.  A little nervous about getting into the casino (have been told you need to be dressed up. Have heard people get denied). We stand up tall, push out shoulders back, gain some confidence, and walk into the casino like we own it..... success we are in. (sorry no photos of the casino inside) there are three rooms all with different architecture, absolutely stunning, thought it was quite small, only to realise that all the action takes place behinds all those closed doors. After wandering around the roulette tables we brave it, and cash in our small kitty to gamble with....ok so now we have casino chips we are on our way. I find a lady who seems to be bouncing between tables, and winning, Soren finds a lady (with killer heels) sitting in front of us who seems to be winning, and he decides to follow her lead....it pays off, we win (Soren is much better at this then I am). We cash in our chips (keep one for a souvenir) and run to catch the last train. (Interesting story: The lady with the killer heels and her partner where winning big, they appeared to have alot of money. While waiting for the train, who comes down the stairs...but them, and she is not wearing her killer heels but instead a pair of white flat shoes. Turns out that even the rich can catch the last train)
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