Nice ... it is nice

The drive plus breaks took us 8 hours, and we arrived into Nice at about 5.30pm. By that point I was utterly exhausted and could feel my anger levels rising out of pure exhaustion. We had an included dinner at a restaraunt and the girls were trying to get me to go out after with them. At first I agreed but you know when you are sitting at a table, looking about and wishing everyone would just shut the hell up, that you are most certainly not in the party mood. I had reached tantrum level of tiredness and I knew that if I went out I would be wearing the cranky pants. I don’t want to be sulky in the corner. So, after dinner, I walked back to the hotel with all the other sicko’s who were coming down with colds. A half hour shower later and asleep by 9.30pm. We had a sleep in day tomorrow, so I turned off my alarm and slept, and slept, and slept. I woke at 8.30am, and it was good. I had revived my enthusiasm for being overseas and was ready to continue.

I spent the morning with Jade and Jodie who were doing their washing and then Jodie and I went shopping for our Monte Carlo Casino experience that was to come later that night.

Cherie, you will be proud to know that I am now the owner of a new, sparkly town dress and shrug. We were all keen to dress up and look our best. We were having to pay, after all, to get into the grand casino. Nice was very beautiful and I would love to go back there for a relaxing holiday. It is coastal but has pebble beaches. The area is stunning with houses built up onto to the hills surrounding, but each house is very rich looking.

We left for Monaco at 4pm. We had to stop first at Fragonard, the French perfumery, and once our nostril hairs had been sufficiently burnt away, we headed off for a walking tour of Monaco, the second smallest county in the world. The Vatican is apparently the first smallest and I have now been to both. Woot!

We walked up to the castle in Monaco. It looks hideously fake. Sort of like a plastic castle from Disneyland. It was even lit up like Disneyland. However, the views are amazing and I learnt a few interesting things. For example, unless I become a millionaire and prove my worth to the Prince of Monaco, I will never be a resident. Also, if I ever have a yacht and wish to make port in Monaco, it better be a super yacht with swarkovski crystal taps in the loos and gold filigree etc. You have to have mega bucks to be allowed to reside in Monaco.

We had dinner at a restaurant down from the “castle”. It came with wine. Lots of wine, and more food than one person should be able to consume. They really like to eat in France. And eat. And eat. And eat. I thought they might have to roll me out of the place.

After dinner we headed to the Casino. Let me start of by saying, the only casino I have ever been into is the Skycity. Monte Carlo is nothing like that. At all. Here is why: 1) you have to pay 10 Euro to get in, 2) everyone is dressed nicely and the seats are dry 3) no one smells like BO or pee, 4) there are only about 50 pokies and a heap of roulette tables. No card games. 5) There were people dropping a thousand dollars at the roulette table, every time, 6) there was no harsh lighting 7) the walls were painted like that of a 17th Century French palace with gold filigree and floor to ceiling frescos.

I and every other person there with us felt like we didn’t really belong. On the up side I won some cash. Originally I had put aside 20 Euro to gamble, but when that was gone, I was a bit like ‘Well, damn, I am only here once and I have 20 Euro left. Why not?’ So I did. One particular pokie machine was calling out to me... a Star Wars one, complete with theme tune and C3PO talking to me. It was a sure thing. Ha. I got down to my last 6 Euro and was questioning my skills of finding the ‘sure win’ when suddenly I began getting free spins and games which were not only shiny but interactive. I made my 40 back and then another 10 on top of that. Oh yeah! I was quite pleased with myself. I cashed it in.

We headed to the other casino in Monaco called The Sun and I ordered a single drink. A lemonade and apple sour vodka. It set me back a whopping 13 Euro. Good bye winnings.

We got back into Nice around midnight, and then it was off to bed for an early rise. We were off to Florence.