Postcards from the Past: Monaco

 

Playground of the Rich and Famous

When and Where:           11/2000 – Monaco

22nd Country Visited; 16th European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

·    Monaco, the world’s second smallest country, is smaller than Central Park (NYC).

·    One-third of Monaco’s citizens are millionaires.

·    People who live in Monaco have the highest life expectancy of any country in the world.

·    Citizens of Monaco (Monegasque) are banned from gambling there despite Monaco being home to the famous Monte Carlo Casino. 

 Prior to going to Monaco, I knew very little about the country.  I did know that Princess Grace, formerly known as American actress Grace Kelly, was born and Philadelphia and married Prince Ranier of Monaco.  Princess Grace died after losing control of her car and driving off a cliff situated on the border of Monaco and France.  Kelly Drive in Philadelphia was named in her honor.

 Back in 2000, I took my first Mediterranean cruise with my friend Allan.  During the cruise, we made a port stop in Nice, France.   A short drive away from Nice is the micronation of Monaco.  Monaco is a bustling city with elegant shops and modern apartment buildings dotting the coast.  During our stop, we were able to see the famous Monte Carlo Casino.  Over the years, the casino has been the setting to many movies including “Oceans Twelve”, “Iron Man 2” and the James Bond movie “Golden Eye”.  The elegance and opulence of the casino immediately caught my eye.  As we made our way through the city, it was obvious that Monegasques are the wealthiest people in the world.  Exiting Monaco from a different location, our bus made a series of sharp turns to climb a mountain on the French side.  We arrived in a small French town Eze, which had quaint outdoor restaurants and cute shops.  We strolled around taking in the chill vibe of this stunning town and the views of Monaco below.  Monaco is a destination I need to see again.  My first stay was short but memorable.  

Looking down on Monaco from Eze, France

Monaco








Comments

Anj said…
Sounds awesome- count me in! 😉
January 25, 2023 at 3:54 PM
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