Monaco

While my friends and I were staying in The French Riviera for a few days, we hopped across to Monaco to visit the Monte Carlo Casino.
This was our excuse to get dressed to the max, well, as max'ed as you can get on a 21 day camping / backpacking trip around Europe! I think we all gave a valiant effort!

On our way to the casino we visited the palace that the royal family resides in - stunning!!!
We also drove along the same track that the Formula 1 races will be held on which was a pretty amazing moment really. How often do you get to watch some adrenalin-rushing sport on telly and get to say, 'Oh! I've been there!'?

Sadly, I lasted all of two minutes around a blackjack table inside of the casino. I lost my twenty euro's just as fast as I put it in - then I realised that I should rather spend my limited cash at the bar and watch the more experienced people give it a bash. So I tottered off to a grand little bar in the corner, my proverbial tail between my legs and ordered a horrifically strong Bloody Mary.  I watched as each of my friends slowly did the same as I did, some venturing off to the slot machines and some, like me, lingering around the tables to watch the pros.
I'm normally pretty decent in blackjack and poker - it must be something to do with the intimidating environment. There are all these upper class business-men in Hugo Boss suits floating around and sour faced losers working on your nerves as their chips slowly deplete.

So all in all, Monaco was not very kind to me and my puny purse but it was jaw-droppingly beautiful nontheless.

A few Euro's shorter than I like to admit, we left France and headed back into Italy.. to a beautiful city in Tuscany called Firenze.

♥