Today the port of call wsa Monaco/Monte Carlo. I was here back in '09 on the Carnival Dream-so this was the one port I visited before.
From what I remember, there wasn't a lot to see in Monaco-and since we we're here until 10:00 pm est, I could see the city later, so I did what I did last time-took the train to Nice.
I walked up the hill, and followed the signs to the station. But first, I found a Starbucks-but I didn't go inside-I checked my email with the wifi. (I haven't checked my email since Barcelona).
I then found the station which was built into the rocks, and bought a ticket. I found the train was 15 minute late (or so), so I waited, and met a few of my friends from the yacht.
The train ride took about 20 minutes. Once there, I got off with the crowd, and spied a rack of brochures, and saw one for a hop-on hop-off bus. I went to the tourism office across the street from the train station, to look for the hop-on hop-off bus, which I thought might be a good way to see the city. I was told that I could pick up the bus by the waterfront-so I followed the directions down a wide tree-lined boulevard to find the hop-on hop-off bus. Along the way,I stopped at a shopping mall to use the bathroom.
After the bathroom, I continued to walk towards the shore. I found where to go to catch the bus, and that I had another 45 minutes to catch the hop-on hop-off bus, so I wandered along the beachfront promenade. It wasn't very crowded, but it was nice. It was sunny and warm, in the 60's. The beach was stone-filled.
After wandering up and down the promenade, I went to the stand for the hop-on hop-off bus, and got on. I went to a place on the upper deck, and sat as the bus drove along the promenade, up a hill, past beautiful European stone buildings, and listened to the recorded voice. It went to the top of the hill, and back down along a curvy road, past the Chagall and Matisse Museaums; I was going to get off the bus, bus as I walked to the exit, the bus started to move again; I was too late.
The bus went down the hill, and I passed a part of town that had quaint stores and restaurants. I stopped, and ordered two paninis (Which we're microwaved). Then I walked up past a church where classical music was playing, and went inside. Practice was going on, and I was the only one watching.
Then I walked through a pretty Jewish cemetary with large monuments, and further up again, following a footpath to an observation point, where I could see the beach, and watch planes landing at the Nice airport.
After a few minutes-I walked back down the hill towards the waterfront. I took a picture by the I love Nice sign, and lied along the beach along the stones to see if they we're comfortable (they were'nt bad). I also stopped for a dinner of mussels and fries at a sidewalk cafe.
I then took the train back to Monaco/Monte Carlo. I still had a few hours before the ship left-so I walked past the casino, passed the very expensive apartment buildings, and at around 9:00 pm-back to the ship. I stood on deck and watched the ship pass by the mega yachts.
After walking alongside various stores to the beachfront promenade, I found the bus. I went up a hill past the big mansions. I thought it was hop-on hop-off but thne bus didn't seem to stop anywhere. It went past beautiful neighborhoods with the usual Mediterranean scenery of Cypress and palm trees, and then went past the Chagall and Monte neighborhoods, and about ½ an hour into the tour, I finally got off the boat
