...a little rain must fall. OK - but NOT on my vacation!!! I was awake at 6 a.m. and shortly after, the thunder rolled in and the rain started to pour down!! THAT changed everything!! Naturally, I had assumed French Riviera - sun, sand, blue skies - and left my warmer clothes and umbrella back in the chateau!! The weather map on TV shows France as a solid wall of rain, cloud and lightning! Anybody feeling sorry for me yet?! Not likely - especially on a Monday morning!
So...I am travelling in a strange country, speaking a different language, navigating unfamiliar roads and communities and what completely baffles me?!!!! THE KEYS?!!!!! It has taken me all week to figure out how to get the trunk of my car open - even with reading the manual (in French!!). It was a fluke most days - keep turning and twisting until it opens and hope you can get it to do it again!! Now I finally understand the "trick"!
Today, it is the key to my hotel room!! I had some trouble yesterday getting into my room but, again, trial and error and persistence finally got me in! I went downstairs this morning to get a key for the safe (to leave my computer while I'm gone) and asked how the keys work. I thought I understood (asked my questions and got the explanation in French) and came back up to be totally locked out!!!! No amount of twisting turning, clockwise, counterclockwise, pushing...worked!! Back down to the desk where I asked for help again - in English this time!! Maybe it is a comprehension thing?!!
The manager (male) came up with me, showed me how to open the door then made me do it myself!! I'm not sure if I caught a hint of condescension or if it was just me feeling terribly stupid but it was not one of my finest moments!! It's all in the key and the knob doesn't even turn from the outside?!! Not sure why I bothered with a key to the safe 'cause I sure couldn't break into one of these rooms!!
FYI - the key at the chateau is NOT a French style key...just an English key that has also decided to provide me with some challenge in my life!!
But, I suppose if this is the biggest hassle I have over the next month and a half...I am doing well!!
It didn't look like the weather was going to clear this morning so I bit the bullet and headed out anyway. My travel agents (aka Mom and Dad) did a great job finding this place - close to the boardwalk and shops and only a few minutes from the train station. But, I had no sooner stepped out of the hotel than the heavens opened and it POURED!!!! I moved quickly (but having forgotten to take my city map, wasn't totally sure where I was going!) and finally took refuge under a covered car park area!! I was drenched even after such a short walk! It let up a bit and I moved farther down the street, passing a dollar store type shop (a Euro store?!). I went in and asked if they had any umbrellas - good thing "parapluie" is such a cool word and one I've always liked!! I'm never sure if I have the genders or tenses correct but they knew what I wanted and pointed me in the right direction.
I stepped out of the store and the RAIN STOPPED....and... the SUN WAS PEEKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS!!!! It was good news of course but it couldn't have decided to come out just a WEE bit sooner?!! Now I have two umbrellas to lug around Europe!! Oh well...
On to the station and I got my ticket with no problem. The train was crowded until Nice so I got stuck in an aisle seat on the opposite side of the sea. I could still catch glimpses and it was an ominous looking body of water - dark, dark sky and the water was several shades of turquoise. I was itching to capture it but no photos to add to my quickly expanding slide show!! : ( The car emptied out at Nice and I had a seaside seat for the remainder of the trip.
The approach to Monaco is not the breathtaking, death defying route you see in the movies but rather a very long and dark tunnel. I was just happy that I didn't have to drive those roads in order to see the area!! The station however is something to see - built right into the mountain and a series of levels and arches and lines!
It was raining again by the time I reached Monaco. I bought some postcards in the station then tried to find a taxi to take me to the Oceanographic Museum where a "zoo train tour" is based to do the city highlights. No luck with the taxi. Time was ticking and I am not one to just stand around and wait so off I went on foot!! I had found a map at the chateau so I at least had some sense of where I was going. I did ask a woman to show me where I was (on the map!!)and she was very helpful sending me on my way (I was heading in the right direction!!). A LOT of stairs and about 3 km from the station but again, amazing views.
It was still raining/drizzling but nothing like the downpours in Cannes!! AND, I had my trusty umbrella now!!
The yachts in the harbour are even bigger than the ones in Cannes and there are workers all over the city setting up for the Grand Prix next month. The amount of steel is incredible and there are workers on every street setting up the barriers and grandstands. It takes them 6 weeks to set everything up and 3 weeks to take it all down again. No wonder they say that unemployment is at a bare minimum there!!
I got to the Musee Oceanographic - a massive, ornate building high on the cliffs!
The train tour left from across the road (obviously on the other side of the building from the photo view!) and I was there with 10 min. to spare! 
This would not normally be how I would choose to see any city but, with the rain and the limited time, it was my best option and a good tour. I like having a commentary to tell me just what I am seeing and there's always some history involved.
We did a 30 minute loop of the major areas - along the Grand Prix circuit (MUCH slower however!!), past the luxury hotels and shops (more Chanel, Cartier, Escada...!)
and on to the Casino. At a cost of over 10 euros just to enter the building, I was quite happy to save my money and stay onboard!! Quite a magnificent building though!
It is surrounded by gardens and fountains - all very opulent (but not easy to photograph from inside a moving train!!)
Back up the hill to the old city with the state buildings and The Prince's Palace. There was also the most elegant looking school I have ever seen!! (No picture!!) We drove by the Cathedral where Princess Grace and Prince Ranier were married and are buried before returning to the museum.
By this time, the sun had come out and the rain and dark skies of the morning were all a distant memory. Warm, sunny and the whole city came to life and sparkled! I wanted to start my photo journey all over again!!
I decided to walk back up to the Old City and take a closer look at some of the things we'd driven by. At the Palace, the guards were much more relaxed and "at ease" than those at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle!! The Queen would not be amused!!
I went back to the Cathedral and wandered around inside. Lovely building with little niches all around the perimeter for each and every saint imaginable?! People were lighting candles along the way. Again, not being Catholic, I wasn't sure how one chooses the saint to light a candle for?!
All the former princes are buried there and their tombs are set in a ring behind the altar. The final two sites are Princess Grace and Prince Ranier. I have always been a fan of old movies and admired Grace's poise and quiet elegance. A gracious woman who is still obviously loved and missed.
The old city is a rabbit warren of streets going off in all directions and crammed with souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes and sandwich shops. I bought a warm panini to eat as I soaked up the atmosphere. Bought some stamps and found some steps to sit on while I wrote. Talk about inspiration!
I was reluctant to leave but didn't want to be getting back to Cannes too late. My legs were also starting to remind me of the stairs and hills I had been scooting up and down without a thought!! I took a different route back and saw more lush gardens and spectacular vistas.
Many people were taking photos with their significant others and friends in the frame. I quite prefer it like this!!
I took 136 photos today and it is extremely difficult choosing just a few to share with you! As I have said before, there is a photograph waiting to be captured around every corner in this part of the world!! The landscape and lines, colours and textures amaze me!
I feel like I am in a totally different world much of the time and yet...there is always something familiar to remind me of home...even in Monaco!
I leave Cannes tomorrow and head back to the chateau. I am going to go to the market in Saint Tropez and pick up some things for my final days in St. Laurent. Sunshine and more warm weather in the forecast!
On Saturday I will return my rental car to Aix-en-Provence. I will spend a couple of hours seeing the sights of that city before I catch a train for a week spent in Arles. There is to be Internet connection there so I will be back online and keeping you updated on my travels and adventures. It is wonderful to be able to share this trip with you. The next best thing to being here?!
