Monaco/Monte Carlo

A short 40 minute drive from our home is the world famous Principality of Monaco, with Monte Carlo as it's capital. It is really quite a place. Spotlessly clean, with high roller casino, fabulous aquarium, royal palace, Formula One Grand Prix race, and yacht-laden port, it is a fun place to go. Monaco has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since 1297, currently Prince Ranier III, making it one of the longest ruling families in all of Europe. Monaco is just under 2 square kilometers big. The Grand Prix has been held here since 1911 and is the one sport that will get more attention than the local soccer team. Being a principality, Monaco has it's own flag (red and white, in halves), it's own telephone country code, and it's own spot in the U.N. Monaco also has a yearly faire for kids.

Here Steve and Patti are up at the Palace taking in the views of downtown Monaco first, then of the port.

Connor and Jeff play on some old time cannon balls and cannon that decorate the grounds around the palace.

Here is a very nice picture of the Musée Océanographique de Monaco. It is perhaps the best aquarium in all of Europe and is world-renowned. As you can see, it overlooks the Mediterranean, and is actually right on the cliffs overlooking the sea. The water used in the tanks comes from the Med. You can see the pipe at the bottom of the middle columns. It has 90 display tanks, some of which are floor-to-ceiling tanks. Very impressive.

Here are two more pictures of the actual royal palace. It is not a very impressive palace, and the tour of the insides does nothing to changes ones opinion. Especially if your used to touring around Versailles or Fountainbleu. But it is all the Monégasques have, so you just have to enjoy it for what it is. It has a changing of the guard, but puleeeeze. If you've seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in London then this one will just make you laugh. There is just two or three guards !!

Here is a wonderful shot of the very center of Monaco, right at the harbor. You can see the Olympic size swimming pool right on the harbor. The race course for the Monaco Grand Prix goes right through here, along the road that the buildings are on. We never got to see the Grand Prix, which is fine given that some 500,000 people crowd into this small little place for the race and tickets can run upwards of $300 a pop.

Here Patti and Jeff are in the gardens surrounding the casino of Monte Carlo, home of James Bond when he feels like gambling. It actually costs money to get into this casino, so we haven't been in it. But it is a beautiful building, and they only let Ferraris, Maseratis, and Porsches park around it. The yellow and red structure is a big thing made of balloons. The casino was built between 1878 and 1910. Men must wear a coat and tie, and gambling accounts for almost all of the governments budget.

Steve, Jeff, and Connor in the gardens around the casino.

Updated Sun Oct 27, 2002 10:13am CET