I got an early start again today because I had a full day planned for Monaco. I packed my bag and was out the door before I knew it. I stopped at the same boulangerie as yesterday and got a baguette. It wasn't warm, and it seemed as if it was made awhile ago. I ate it while I walked to the train station, but I was less than thrilled to be eating a sad baguette on a cold morning. The city was completly empty until I got to the train station. The buildng was buzzing with activity, and there was a huge crowd in front of the board. I spotted the next train for Monaco and waited for the track to be announced. I saw the train move up on the board, and a track letter appear. I booked it to track G, asked the worker if the train was going to Monaco, and hopped on.
The train went passed several towns that all had names ending in "sur mer". The ocean was sparkling and beautiful, and I couldn't wait to get to Monaco. I was a little nervous about having my ticket taken, but no one ever came. The stop for Monaco came, and I got off the train. I went down several flights of stairs until I came to the bottom floor. I remembered that the museum I wanted to go to first, Villa Paloma, was on road Jardin Exotique and that there was a public elevator to get to the street. I got into the completely mirroed elevator next to the sign for the direction Jardin Exotique and went up. I found myself in a plaza on a very steep hill. I figured that the museum was up the hill so I started walking. I could swear that all of Europe is built on hills. The hills in Monaco were so steep that I thought I was going vertically.
I kept following the signs higher and higher up the hill until I reached a small park. The park had big cages that had large fake birds in them. I took a few pictures and kept going. I finally got to the entrance of Villa Paloma and was not disappointed. It has the best view in Monaco; or at least one of them…there are a lot of great views in Monaco. I checked my phone and discovered that it was only five minutes past ten. I spent some time exploring the garden and then found my way into the museum. It was free because it was the first Sunday of the month. The villa is beautiful with a wonderful mosaic on the floor of each level. There are stained glass windows with big pink roses and white doves in front of each staircase. Today was the last day of the exhibition of Gilbert and George. Their art was disturbing at least. The first painting I saw really sums up their style. It took up a very long wall in one of the rooms, and was made up of many black square frames. The image was of Gilbert and George, naked, and in various poses. In the center was a cross made of poop. That's all you need to know about the exhibition.
One of Gilbert and George's more tame works
I left the villa and spent a few moments taking pictures outside. I felt like the luckiest girl alive to be taking pictures of such a beautiful location. I was hesitant to go to Monaco because I didn't think there was anything to do there. Yeah, yeah, yeah famous casino, but what else. If you do nothing but sit at the beach all day it is still worth the effort to get to Monaco.
The view from the museum
After the museum I went in search of the second museum on my list. Of course I got lost instantly in the maze of hills, elevators, and picture taking. I made my way to a main street, or more like hill, and started walking straight up. I stopped to take pictures of the boats in the harbor. Some of them were big enough to bankrupt Bill Gates. The street led to the back of the casino, and I took a few pictures of it. It reminds me of a pink, seaside version of Garnier buildings. After the casino I kept walking along until I stopped a sculpture in the distance. I had read online that there was a lot of sculptures in Monaco. I went to find the sculpture and wound up on a promenade overlooking the ocean. I think I took more pictures of the water today than of art. Worth it.
The famous casino
The ocean
After seeing all of the sculptures, and a very cool rainbow mosaic on a rooftop, I went back to my museum hunt. I wandered along the road until I found a staircase leading to another main road. I followed that road and ended up on the promenade near the beach. I saw signs for the Girabaldi Forum that was supposed to be near the Villa Sauber museum. I figured that I'd see the museum eventually so I kept walking. I passed a sign for a Japanese garden that caught my interest, but I kept walking passed it. The beach was calling my name. I took more pictures of sculptures as I walked along until I finally wound up at the beach. The beach in Monaco has tiny pebbles instead of the huge rocks in Nice. I sat on the retaining wall for a bit before continuing on.
The beach was filled with beautiful men playing beach volleyball on specially made courts, and not so beautiful men in speedos. There were beach-goers everywhere. I walked passed the designated beach areas for the fancy hotels and the chairs that you have to pay for. I saw a building off in the distance that I thought could be something interesting to see. I walked along in the shadows behind several hotels until I wound up in an area where even the bus made a U turn. I made one as well and started to head towards civilization. I finally saw the sign for Villa Sauber and went in.
The beach
The museum is in another adorable villa with a garden outside. The whole villa was a decayed white, and was very picturesque. The art was very modern and interesting. There were miniature scenes in boxes on the wall in the first room. The second room was an actual construction of what seemed to be a girl's bedroom. Next up were some collage works and several paintings. At the end of the hall was a very disturbing piece. There was a video playing about a woman's grandparents, and included several screams. The whole room was dark except for a few spotlights on the other works in the room. There was a whole table covered in pottery that couldn't be seen due to the darkness. There were several other works such as pottery and paintings, but most of it couldn't be seen. I felt very disturbed in the room and left after a quick inspection.
Villa Sauber
The garden outside of Villa Sauber
The second floor held three different movies. There was also a room with several works in it, and the door had been transformed into a yellow house made of felt and ribbons. I'm starting to like modern art more and more…or at least some of it.
I left the museum and went to the Japanese garden. I delighted in taking pictures in the garden. The gardener took notice of me exploring and asked if I wanted him to take my picture. I enthusiastically said yes. I have very few pictures of myself in Europe, and now I at least have one from my holiday. I left the garden and decided to go back to the train station. I walked to a park with several sculptures in it, and then walked along the front of the Monte Carlo. There's an art piece called the "Sky Mirror" in front of the builidng that reflects the sky and the casino. It was so beautiful that I had to tear myself away. I got distracted when I was almost there by a carnival and a sign leading to the ceanography museum.
The Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden
My picture in Monaco!
The sky mirror
I thought I was on holiday!: Hotel de Paris
I walked along the back of the carnival and promised myself that I'd return for some carnival food. I was bound and determined to find the oceanography museum after my mom mentioned it to me. I kept following the signs, but they seemed to be leading to nowhere. Finally I was confronted by a steep staircase with a sign stating that the oceanography museum was that direction. I climbed the huge hill with great difficulty and stopped to take pictures of the sea. I then preceeded into the vieux ville. It is a cute tourist area where the Prince's palace is. There were many souvenir shops and restaurants tucked into the narrow alleys. I spotted one souvenir shop selling some cheap postcards. I wanted to buy some, but I had no stamps to mail them. I saw a tabac across the way and inquired if they sold stamps. They did, and I bought two. I went back to the souvenir shop, bought two postacards, and wrote them while sitting near the cliff. I mailed one postcard to myself and one to mom.
From the top of vieux ville
Next up was trying to find the oceanography museum that I had worked so hard for. I walked past a beautiful church and stopped to take a few pictures. I followed the signs and finally found my way there. Too bad it was 10 euros. I wasn't going to pay that much to go to an aquarium. I left and went back down the mountain.
The church in the old town
I hobbled back to my hotel and paid the bill. My train leaves at 5:22 am tomorrow and I needed to settle my bill. I mistakenly thought that my hotel was 150 euros for three nights, but it ended up being 179,90. I'm always over budget.
I googled some things for tomorrow and then wrote my papers. I'm so excited to see Rome. I have a lot of things I want to see, and I'm not getting there until almost three. I really have to pack the day to the fullest. Ugh it's time to go to bed and it's not even eight. Oh, the life of a traveler.
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