From the Redneck Riviera to the French Riviera...we are livin now!

Our next stop in the French Riviera was Villefranche Sur Mer (A little harbor town near Nice). We found a hotel on the harbor in Villefranche with a great view. While the drive getting there, through Nice and down the winding roads was a bit tense, it was all worth it when we saw the beautiful bay that is surrounded by cliffs and filled with swaying sailboats.







Because our balcony had such a great view we decided to picnic each night over looking the harbor. No restaurant there offered a view like this.




We strolled around the docks at night and got a closer look at some of the "average" boats along the "cote d'azur":




Something else we have noticed all over France are the fresh flowers and how well maintained the public areas are kept.


Monte Carlo, MONACO:
On our last day on the coast we took a 15 min train ride from Villefranche sur Mer to Monaco, the second smallest country in the world (I couldn't resist snapping a photo of a license plate).



Our plan for the day was a bit of sightseeing, swimming at the beach, maybe the tables, then dinner. However, after arriving I realized I had packed everything except my swim trunks. No problem,right? Just head over to the Monte Carlo mall, hit the dollar store and grab a cheap pair. Wrong...I knew I was in trouble when I walked into the mall and saw dark marble floors throughout and noticed that none of the clothes had price tags on them. In the cheapest store there, I found a great bathing suit, that I will no doubt wear for the rest of my life, for just less than $100. What a deal! After the mall we made the short trek over to one of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen. We relaxed there for the day and enjoyed the clear water and the view of the yachts.





After a perfect day at the beach we toured the famous Monaco harbor. I haven't been so excited to see a harbor since I returned from my last Navy cruise. The amount of luxury and opulence is indescribable. The thing we were most surprised about was the fact that you can walk amongst the boats and gawk as long as you want. I did notice that most of the yachts had full time crews from 4 to 20 people, so all you can do is look.







We took the water taxi ride across the harbor. At 1 euro a ticket, it was well worth the price because during our 10 minute trip, a massive yacht glided through the channel. The yacht carried only two passengers (not including the crew of course) who were enjoying an afternoon cocktail on the aft promenade deck. After more research we found out that this was the 11th largest privately owned yacht in the world. Simply amazing...I wonder if they need a good helo pilot?



So, after a few weeks of fresh vegetables, fresh fish and foie gras it was time for a return to the burger. We dined at the celebrity-visited All Star Cafe in Monte Carlo. Monaco's version of a sports bar is decked out with Formula 1 paraphenalia, which we missed by only a week.



Ahhh..... the contented look that only comes from a huge bacon cheese-burger and a couple of frozen margaritas.




Next stop: The Alps!