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Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in wealth and glamour. We never saw James Bond in the Casino Hotel De Monte Carlo playing chemin de fer, but we're sure he was there in a private room somewhere. The Ashton Martin was parked outside with the several Ferraris (red of course) and a Lamborghini or two.
There is no anchorage here and when I called the marina on the radio the attendant nicely but firmly told me I wanted the small boat marina as his marina did not handle boats under 150'. Fortunately the price for small boats was reasonable and we stayed several nights soaking up the ambiance.
The highlights were an incredible car museum owned by the King who is a Monte Carlo racing fan and a tropical fish aquarium. I hate to say it but the fish in that aquarium were about the only ones we saw in the entire Med.
In the US we have started to see those heart defibrillators in airports and stadiums but Monaco was the first place we have seen them on random street corners. Actually the ones we saw were just outside the doors of the casino and the jewelry stores and no doubt they get a lot of use after people see the prices of the baubles on display.
One part of Monaco that remains a mystery to us is the giant 100' tall statue guarding the harbor entrance- it is of a nude pregnant woman.
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Hotel Casino de Monte Carlo
Ventana with all the powerboats
Classic cars
