A Rainy Day in Monaco

It was raining when we arrived in Monaco and it’s raining now while we await departure.  Monaco is probably one of the few cities in the world that can look good in the rain.  Shoved in against the mountain cliffs, the streets are tidy and the buildings and gardens well-tended.  As we walked through the port, we were approached by the driver of an open air tour bus.  He offered us two of his three covered seats.  The bus was one of several that circulate allowing you to get on and off during the day, and was perfect for our purposes.  We rode around for a while, got off at the prince’s palace, ate a nice lunch of seafood at a small French restaurant, and continued on the tour back to the warm and dry ship.

Monaco is a study in excess.  Two-thirds of the residents are foreign, making their “homes” in Monaco for tax purposes only.  To walk around the port filled with humongous yachts is enough to make you thankful you don’t need to keep up with those Joneses.  The yacht docked next to us seemed to be large enough for an extended family or two.  Our bus driver pointed out a new 20-story apartment building under construction which would have only one apartment per floor, each floor complete with a swimming pool and garage.    Such is life in Monaco.  We’re moving on.