I'm not sure why we felt compelled to go to Monaco --maybe it was the line from that ABBA song--maybe just because it was there. It seems an unlikely place for the eco-minded, being filled as it is with tourists, pleasure yachts, royalty, high rises, construction cranes, secret service agents, and automatic defibrillators. But since it's only a few kilometers from Nice, it would be rude to not pass through and pay our respects. Besides, we found out that Monaco is the second smallest nation in the world, after the Vaticaan, so we couldn't pass up the chance to add it to the list.
The Lonely Planet Guide said something about feeling like you're caught in an Escher drawing in Monaco which is a good analogy. There are highways, ramps, stairs, sidewalks, bridges, tunnels, escalators and elevators going in all directions. We didn't go into the Casino though--it costs 20 euros just to go in and gamble!
Monaco is less than 2km square but has an estimated 30,000 inhabitants, including 515 police officers and 112 soldiers to guard the Royal Family. The Grimaldi family has ruled here since 1297 when Francesco Grimaldi, 'Il Mailizia' (the cunning or BAAAD!) gained access to the Genoese fort while disguised as a Franciscan Monk. See the statue of Francisco getting ready to pull a sword out of his frock, below.
After Monaco, we decided to do a little dressing up of our own at the halloween bash at St. Exupery hostel. It wasn't anything like Halloween in the Hood, but we tried to show them how it's done in Amerka.
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