Saturday, May 11, 2013

Menton, Monaco, Nice, and back to Amsterdam

It was pouring with rain by the time we got from Ventimiglia to Menton - just 10 minutes down the train track. We had one umbrella to share between us only!  That was enough though to keep our cameras dry to take some photos, and the wet pavement gave off lovely reflections of the colourful buildings as well.  With the rain, it wasn't that warm either, so we tried to walk briskly to keep warm.

Menton is beautiful - one of my favourite places along the Coast in this part of France.


We stumbled into a Lemincello shop that were giving tastings.  So we tasted everything which made my bad cold feel better, and also warmed us both up. I would have loved to have bought a bottle it was so nice, but unfortunately we were travelling light - no checked in baggage so it was out of the question!

Some of the bottle sizes were ginormous!


We wandred down to the waterfront and to the pier and took photos of menton reflected in the sea.  Such a beautiful town

We had bought a french pastry which here is still wrapped - it's a chocolate meringue but with a very hard outer. It was wrapped in plastic.  We devoured it at the train station later and I made a real mess! Chocolate meringue everywhere!  But it was very yummy!

We decided to climb the hill towards the big spire to see what that church was like.  So this is going through the colourful alleyways.


We found the spire!!!!  I must be so fit now compared to when I left NZ with all the hills I've climbed!



Back down to the bottom of the town then we walked back to the train station to catch a train to Monaco, our 3rd country in one day!

Monaco was very pretty - starting right from the train station.  Anne said 'Look - the window shutters are dirty' then realised they were marble and not dirty at all!



By this time it was pouring with rain and we were wet and miserable, so we walked straight to Monte Carlo Casino. The gardens were beautiful...


No photos were allowed in the casino, and this is the only one I got of the casino  - it is a reflection in a glass ball sculpture outside.  I did have a flutter though, and won 20 euros.  I gave Anne 5 euros and she lost that. So 10 euros up - I was happy!


We then wandered back to the train station along the waterfront.  Huge super yachts were parked there, gearing up for the Grand Prix.  Signs of the Grand Prix were up along the streets, and seating was being put in place as well. 


We found the pedestrian subway to get to the train. Pretty fancy with marble and mirrors!  So we had a play!


The the train station pedestrian subway itself - a very long tunnel all in marble.  Very flash!


Just a few minutes wait for the train and we were off back to Nice.

We picked got changed into dry clothes, then packed our bags and headed for something to eat, before going to the airport and flying back to Amsterdam.  A great Weekend!


No comments: