Two days and Two Nights in... Monaco!

Okay, well I'll have to admit, it wasn't two days and two nights in Monaco. It was two days and one night in Monaco and the other in Montpellier. 

Now, I know how excited you must be to see the beautiful pictures of Monaco, but first I will have to tell you about the wonderful Montpellier.

First of all, we stayed a night in Montpellier because our train to Monaco left Montpellier at 7:05 in the morning, and there was no way that we would be able to make it for that time all the way from Cap d'Agde.

So we decided we would spend the evening in Montpellier. We got there, we found a nice hotel (for the price), we ditched out stuff there and went out to eat and explore the city. 

After a night out on the town, we got back to our hotel room and got all cozy in bed, after all it we had to wake up early the next morning. As my eyes were closing, Pat found a bug in our bed.

I could not believe it. It was probably one of the scariest and most disgusting things, because the more we looked through the sheets the more bugs we found. And not only one kind. There were ticks and bed bugs. I have heard so much about bed bugs and how impossible they are to get rid of, and if they get on your stuff, you're a goner. After a couple minutes of standing there in shock and checking for bugs on myself, my clothes and my baggage, I had to go down and speak with the manager. I told him that there were bugs in my bed. His reply: there are bugs everywhere. I would give you another room, but my hotel is full.

So I marched right back upstairs went bug hunting. I collected three ticks in a glass and we packed up our belongings and went back down to the reception. I handed the glass to him and he looked at me and said: these aren't bugs. I couldn't believe it. I grabbed the glass from his hand, shook it a bit and the bugs started crawling everywhere. So to make a long story shorter, at one in the morning we had to find another hotel. So much for going to sleep early so we can arrive in Monaco fresh faced! 

Now, I think before I do anything in any hotel (from a Hilton to the crappy motel on the side of a highway) I will be stripping the bed completely and do a thorough inspection. 

One of the ticks. Yes, they were on our wall.

To get to Monaco, from Cap d'Agde, we need to take the train from Agde to Montpellier, then Montpellier to Marseilles, Marseilles to Nice, then Nice to Monaco.

This picture was taken at our stop over in Marseilles. Beautiful steps just outside of the train station.

Waiting in Marseilles.

I loved most of the train stations that we stopped over in, they are all so big and nicely designed. Everything about them scream European.

I think what I love most about Europe is the feel it has. The buildings, designs, and the way that the cities function. Everything is so different than what I'm used to. I love the European lifestyle.

Getting on our train to the "Principauté de Monaco"

A view of Monaco.

We arrived in Monaco, not knowing where we were headed, we had no hotel, no destination. We were tired after a sleepless night then a five hour train ride. We were walking around with all our luggage. It was just horrible. 

We researched online before we had left to Monaco, for affordable places to stay in Monaco (because everyone knows how expensive Monaco is). Most of the hotels that we saw were at least 300 euros a night, and there was no way that three pastry students can afford that. There were no hostels or  hotels under 200 euros a night being listed.

But then we stumbled upon Hotel de France.

And man were we happy. It was 90 euros for one night, for three people. We really lucked out. 

It had three separate beds, and a private bathroom! (Unlike the hotels that we stayed at in Montpellier)

We checked the sheets and everything was clear. Hotel had wifi and was very centrally located. 

A dream come true!

Monaco is probably the only country in the world that you will see more Ferraris on the street than any other car. I am a person that doesn't really know much about cars, but I can tell you that I saw maybe five cars that are not luxury cars.

There were Porshes, Ferraris, Lamborghini.

Any man would have been walking around with their mouth open.

The wonderful yachts.

Some of which are bigger than my house.

I can just imagine what the houses of the owners of these things look like.

Tour bus! 

Did you know that Monaco does not charge their citizens any taxes.

There fore they are not allowed to gamble in their own and very famous casino?

Because the citizens are saving money on their taxes, the government does not want them to gamble it away.

The Casino Royal.

I gambled away 5 euros. 

Desiree gambled away 5 euros.

Pat gambled away 20 euros but got 80 in return.

I'm never lucky. :(

(But I guess I'm lucky in the way that I know when to stop, right?)

Every street in Monaco is lined with Orange trees. Too cute!

Although someone told me that the oranges from these trees are the best that they have had, when I tried one, they were so sour!

Beautiful European architecture, that I just can't get enough of.

How could you not love these balconies!

Can you imagine, Louis Vitton,YSL, Dior and Chanel all on the same street!

Beautiful.

We went into Louis, and fell in love with many things.

We also went in Salvatore Ferragamo, and also fell in love with many things.

Then we decided to go to Zara. Didn't fall in love with anything.

I guess that's because it's all so affordable. :(

Walking in the gardens that lead up to the casino. 

(The fancy building in the background.)

A view of the port, and basically all of Monaco.

It's teeny tiny.In two days we saw everything, twice.

It is a grand total of 2 km squared.

But it is also the most dense country with 15,142 people per km squared.

It is a small country filled with fabulous people, places, and things. 

I fell in love!

Right behind me is where Prince Albert and his wife live. 

I am sitting on a mountain of cannon balls.

This area had little war monuments and statues of canons and cannon balls.

This one is for Chelsea, I know how much you love seagulls.

But seriously, these seagulls were so pretty. They had yellow beaks and feet. Ours at home are oh so grey. Blah. And they were HUGE, probably twice the size of ours. They were so pretty and majestic.

Special parking lots for electric cars. Too cool. You can plug your car in, let it recharge, then take it for a spin again! I'm loving the little sign that says only electric cars, and the little car is made out of a power cord. So cute!

View of the smaller. This port held the boats that are not "worthy" of the main port, these boats were too small and didn't make the cut.

They still look huge to me!

(By the way, every building that is in the background as a pool on the roof with palm trees.)

A neat little underwater jazz bar. It was nice inside, but unfortunately they were charing 15 euros the drink.

A little outrageous, even for Monaco!

Mallards!I just loved them swimming in the middle of the city in the fountains. So nice!

The restaurant that we ate in. It was along the main port, and its decor was suitable for that. The whole inside looked like a boat. (You can slightly see it from this picture.)

Very good pasta. :)

The Famous Casino by night. 

It's so regal looking. (Especially when valet men park the 200,000$ cars right in front of it)

While in Monaco, I noticed a couple things. 

    -In every shop, restaurant, or any kind of buisness, a picture of Prince Albert and his wife must be exhibited. Every picture is the same, in every shop, and they mostly are in the exact same frame. It was a little bit odd.

    - There was not one homeless person. I think Monaco is the only country where they don't exist.

    - Probably 50% of Monaco's population (roughly 16,000 people) are policemen. Yes, there are that many.  At least 2 or 3 at every corner.

    - Monaco does not accept everyone to live there. You must make a certain amount of money, and having a clean background doesn't hurt. So putting one and two together, Monaco's policemen get paid a ton. So, go to Monaco, and become a police. Awesome job, awesome pay, awesome life.

     - Everything to the Monaco-ians, is about cars, and races, and ferraris. Probably because of that car race they hold. Super cool.

     - They are very "green" people. There are roof top gardens on every roof. Even gardens on every wall of buildings. It was so nice to see!

Anyways. 

My advice visit Monaco, I loved it.

But seriously, you don't  need more than two or three days. (A great little stop over in a Euro trip!)

xoxo