Monaco and a Nice Halloween

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.

Nice 2

We arrived in Paris this afternoon on the TGV, aka the fast train. We're in an apartment in the 11th arrondisment and steeling ourselves for our embrace of the City of Light tomorrow. Oddly enough this is the most bizzare keyboard I've had yet. So bare with me if it comes out badly.

We had intended to pass through Nice on our way to Barcelona, but fate had other plans and we ended up spending four nights there. We heard about a place called the Maeght Foundation in the small town of St. Paul du Vence where there is an unparalleled collection of sculpture by the Barcelonan surrealist artist, Joan Miro.

We all really enjoyed his stuff and the setting is fabulous. There were also works by Braques, Giacometi , and Chagall.

Afterwards we went to the beach at Nice but the air was a little brisk for swimming. On the way home we stopped to get some props for making halloween costumes for the next night. Jasper got a dog mask and couldn't wait so put it on on the tram on the way home.