Mediterranean Cruise Day 3: Monte Carlo, Monaco & Provence, France

Wednesday was a fantastic day. We were in Monte Carlo, Monaco and Eze, France. I had been looking forward to seeing Monaco and it was everything I always imagined. Eze was a pleasant surprise, Provence is such a charming region of France. I awakened this morning in time to watch the sunrise illuminate the coastline of Monaco. There were a number of beautiful yachts in the harbor, all sparkling clean and shiny. I could see the famous Casino from our ship- it has a commanding presence in Monte Carlo. We first traveled to Eze, France which is part of the Provence region. It is a very old village with history dating back to the Ancient Romans, with influences still visible to this day. Like much of this area, the Middle Ages brought the destruction of many Roman statues and effects, but over time they were rediscovered and restored in some fashion. Eze is an area with a winding pathway up a steep hill, with the peak 1,500 feet above sea level. Eventually we reached the peak and visited the remains of the ancient castle, which today is surrounded by a cactus garden and sculptures. I did some shopping and stopped for tea at a nice cafe.

above: there is nothing like a fresh piece of authentic French bread!

Monaco
Our visit to old Monte Carlo was surreal- the Palais (Palace) and other buildings was like trip back in time, but all with pristine architecture and streets so clean you could eat off of them. Unfortunately I'm having problems with uploading photos while at sea...so I'll try uploading more again tomorrow. Here are some photos of Monaco:

above: The Palace

above: changing of the guard at the Palace

above: The Cathedral

above: inside the Cathedral

above: Look closely at the details in the doorway.

-Messiur Richard Rockhil