Driving through the gut of the mountain, tunnel after tunnel, hairpin turns and autobahn like we’re in Darmstadt. Speeding into the city like it’s the 25th of May, the F1 Grand Prix was closer then ever before. We got flashed but we’ll never pay; German plate for the win.
I didn’t really know that much about Monaco. The conversations that I’ve had with people uttering statements such as “You definitely have to go to Monaco while you’re in Europe” and “It is one of the nicest places I have ever visited,” have accumulated over time and I’ve created an imaginary country in my head filled with Austin Healey’s, Jack Row cufflinks and cultured pearl necklaces. I had to go visit. Three friends and I drove to Monaco and it took no longer then an hour, but I’m sure it was supposed to be longer.
The first thing that we did when we arrived in Monaco was got a quick bite to eat in a nearby carnival by the sea. We had churros dipped in Nutella and I’ve come to the conclusion that Nutella can go with anything and it will be great. Do not question my theory.
After that, we made our way up to the Palace of Monaco. The palace was pretty cool actually. Everyday at 11:55 a.m., you can see the changing of the guard on the square in front of the palace. However, we came too late and missed it.
There were a few guards outside of the palace and I was able to take a picture with one of them. I Instagrammed the moment.
Not too far from the Palace was the Monaco Cathedral. Here lie the tombs of past members of the ruling Grimaldi family.
We then meandered down the mountain in the direction of Monte Carlo. With a population of just over 36,000 people and covering just over one square mile, Monaco is fairly small and you can see a lot of it within minutes. The view of the multimillion-dollar housing developments was very extravagant, showcasing massive yachts and exotic cars. If you look closely, you can see the Monaco Fútbol (Soccer) Stadium barricaded in the middle of the buildings.
Here is a skate park and basketball court in Monaco along with a wondrous view. The kids have it rough over here.
We stopped at a famous Cafe in Monaco, Stars N Bars Sports Cafe, to get something to eat. It reminded me of T.G.I Fridays; except for the fact Stars N Bars had a live DJ playing EDM.
After we ate, we continued our journey to Monte Carlo. It was a whopping 10-minute walk.
Walking on the sidewalk and seeing the Maserati and Lamborghini’s speed by is the norm over here I guess. It really is considered as a millionaire’s playground. A must-see location in Monaco is the Monte Carlo Casino. It was a must-see indeed.
I wanted to take a picture in front of the casino, but I got photobombed by an Audi R8. The struggle.
Hectic.