The internet connection onboard has been sucking even worse than usual. It's been so bad that I couldn't upload yesterday's entry despite numerous attempts. So glad I paid $150 for this.
Today is the cruise's final port of call in Villefranche. Sandwiched nicely between Monaco and Nice, it's a great place to start exploring France's Cote d' Azur...
After a great drive along the coast, the first stop was Monaco...
It's a beautiful place, with plenty of photo opportunities...
And since you can't visit Monaco without a visit to the Casino at Monte Carlo...
The interior is pretty spectacular... even if you have to pay 10 Euros to see it. I was going to go all James Bond and play some Roulette, but the lone table they had running was packed so I played slots instead. After winning 30 Euros almost immediately, I was going to cash in... but felt more than a little silly cashing in such a meager amount, and instead played it all until it was gone.
Lunch was at the famous Cafe de Paris...
After which you are given time to wander around the pricey shops and see the sights... like the infamous hairpin turn of the Monaco Road Race...
After goofing around in Monaco and Monte Carlo, the final stop was the medieval village of Eze, which was pretty cool...
And that was that. The last port excursion of the trip, and time to go back to the ship...
Just in time... the clouds are really starting to move in.
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Fantastic pictures – I last visited that area about 9 years ago but remember it well. Villefranche especially was nice, we stayed in some apartments further around the bay, and I love Eze.
Eze was a pleasant surprise. I thought it would be nothing more than a touristy stop-off, which it was, but the village itself was very cool to explore!
I can’t wait to see all the souvenirs you’re buying me! I hope they’re as tacky as I envision.
I have Mickey’s head on a top of a nose-hair trimmer. Is that tacky enough?
My parents went to Monte Carlo a few years back and got all dressed up to go to the Casino and said it was amazing. I’ve never been but Monte Carlo is certainly on my list of places to visit before I pop off this mortal coil.
The orientation video said -explicitly- that you had to wear proper attire to enter the casino. So there I was in a suit for the entire excursion when only one or two other people were dressed up.
When I got to the casino, I saw they were letting ANYBODY in, no matter how they dressed. Turns out that during daylight hours, they are really lax on the dress code, so I didn’t have to sweat it out in a suit after all.
Even so, I’m sure that tourists only see a fraction of the actual casino. All the “big” gaming surely happens away from annoying tourists.
Now adding Monoco to my list of “must visit” places.
It’s a beautiful place to visit, but very… VERY… expensive. I don’t know that I could afford to stay there, but it was nice to pass through for a while.
Nice! Monaco is on my list of places I’d like to visit. Mostly because Tom Boonen lives there.