Monaco | R. Doug Wicker

Tag Archives: Monaco

November 22, 2013 · 5:35 am

Monaco — Part 2

Monaco Panorama

Ursula and I easily put in at least eight miles by foot in Monte Carlo. That was not an easy stroll, either. It required considerable climbs and descents along some very hilly terrain and navigation for quite an impressive array of steps.

Monaco from On-High

But the views this city-state offer are worth the trek. We found the best way to determine what to see was to take the scenic “train” along its circuitous route, then hike on after disembarking. We could have made use of the HO-HO (Hop-On, Hop-Off) tourist bus, but €8 beats €26 any day ($11 U.S. vs $35 U.S.). Unfortunately we just missed the changing of the guard by about five minutes. That takes place at 11:55 A.M.

The Grimaldi Home

Besides, being out on the streets and hiking up to the casino allow the car enthusiast to see some really great sets of wheels.

Bentleys — Buy One, Get One Free?

Not to mention the fantastical yachts that bob around in the harbor.

Lots of Yachts

Some interesting trivia on this place (according to our “train” tour): The population is about 320,000. Crime is remarkably low, but then there is one police officer for about every sixty residents (if you do the math that comes out to a force of about 5,300 officers).

Monaco Panorama

Another striking sight along the shoreline are the crystal clear, blue-green Mediterranean waters. Definitely take the time to photograph this sight, as it makes great background for laptops, blogs, and other applications benefitting from tranquil and calming scenery.

Crystal Clear, Blue-Green Waters

As I write this it is day three of our eight-day transatlantic crossing (our fourth such crossing by cruise ship). Stops after Monaco included Marseille, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville (where I had a really close shave, but more on that later), and Lisbon. I’ll be presenting photographs of these locales in the coming weeks. During those stops we also visited the Sagrada Familia, Sintra, and Alcazar Palace, all of which will have their own special blogs. Even though this posts on, November 22, it is today only Saturday November 9, and we should have returned to El Paso not later than Monday, November 18.

I hope you’re looking forward to a continuation of this series. Meanwhile, here is today’s photo gallery of Monaco:

Monaco

Reflections in Monaco Harbor

Monaco

Monaco Boat Harbor

The Yacht Harbor

Monaco

The Casino

Monaco

Boats, Yachts, Masts, and the Ryndam

Royal Residence

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Tagged as cruise ship, Holland America, Monaco, Monte Carlo, MS Ryndam, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel

November 20, 2013 · 5:35 am

Monaco — Part 1

Monaco Panorama

We spent the last day of October hobnobbing with the rich and famous in Monaco. Well, kinda . . . if “hobnobbing” means crossing the streets on foot while dodging Bentleys, Rolls’, Ferraris, Maseratis, and Aston Martins. The poor man’s car in this country seems to be the BMW, followed closely by the Porsche. As they say in the upper income strata, “Ford and the world Ford’s with you. Rolls and you Rolls alone.”

Aston Martin Virage

Not surprising considering that this diminutive principality (House of Grimaldi) has the highest median income in Europe — well over €200,000 per annum (about $270,000 U.S.). And for proof you need look no farther than the yachts that blanket the harbor like some incredibly opulent carpet of fiberglass and polished wood.

Not a Bad-Sized Boat

Of course there is at least one entity designed to pry some of that wealth from the wealthy. No, I don’t mean the tax code — Monaco has one of the lowest tax “burdens” in the world. I’m talking of course of the infamous Casino Monte-Carlo. It’s quite an impressive building, especially when lighted up at night.

Casino Monte-Carlo at Night

Just how efficient is this mechanism for wealth exchange? Well, I almost could have said that I lost my shirt at the Casino, but it had just dropped out of our laundry bag so we picked it up off the floor and continued on without placing so much as a single bet. Here’s another view of this legendary casino:

The Casino

The country of Monaco and its primary and largest district of Monte Carlo (which roughly translates to “Charles Hill”) offers so much to see that I’ll be presenting more on this MS Ryndam port of call in a second segment on Friday. Until then, enjoy today’s gallery. Just click on any image below to start the slideshow.