Nice

Damn! A stroke of bad luck today: It is raining in Nice. We have a full free day today so I was planning on wandering the streets and walking the promenade by the water but now I’m stuck in my room. Boooo. I got out for a little bit this morning before the rain came but it was already overcast so I wasn’t able to get the best pics in the world. I put the camera on a setting called Vivid which jacks up all the color levels so it doesn’t look as gray as it was. Oh and their water is amazing. I’m guessing it’s because there’s no sand to dirty it up. Or because someone told me so. Ooooooh preeeeeeety.

On the way home from the beach I stopped at a place to pick up new sandals. Then I had to walk the rest of the way with this:

It’s cool though because I’m in Europe – guys wear purses here.

After catching up on some writing in the hotel, I decided it was about time I went for a run. I mapped out a nice route along the water, suited up, threw on my headband and went out into the pouring rain to run along the coast:

Ok dear friends and family, I’m going to share something with you: For some reason, around the two mile mark, during a full sprint, soaking wet, with this view on my left and rain falling all around me, I started crying. I’m not even joking. It’s ok for you to laugh because you really had to be there in order to understand. Actually I was there and I don’t even understand. It was just one of those moments of clarity where everything you are doing, thinking, wanting and stressing just disappears and is replaced with the true Awesomeness of the world. Anyone know what I’m talking about? I’m not high I swear. Either way, crying is cool because I’m in Europe – guys wear purses here.

Tonight we head into Monaco for a fancy dinner and to gamble at the famed Monte Carlo Casino. We have to dress to impress even though no one will be impressed by us since they have so much money. I’m fully planning on some rich dude throwing his keys at me and asking me to park it up front, which will be awesome because I’ve always wanted a Ferrari.

Oh wait, maybe people will be impressed. Nice work everyone!

People thought Pip (far right) was a model because she’s so tall (and beautiful) so they wanted pictures with her. Good work Pip. It looks like the guys had some height and arm-interlocking issues in this picture. We’re suave though. Melted Tracey’s camera we did.

Our dinner was decent - a prix fixe menu. I had some kind of pastry, salad nicoise, pork with mushroom sauce, potatoes and chocolate cake. The nicoise salad had tuna on it and I thought they meant Ahi tuna steak but it was just canned tuna. Write that down so you don’t make the same mistake. On to Monte Carlo…

Obviously there are no pictures allowed in the casino so there isn’t too much for y’all to see at this point in the game. It was cool going because I think James Bond has been there a few times and there were some seriously rich people there. But otherwise it was small as far as casinos are concerned. There were only like eight tables in the main room and four of them were roulette. The back room had a bunch of slots but by bunch I mean like 50. I guess the draw is that it’s basically the original casino.

It was crazy crowded outside with a bunch of people trying to take pictures of fancy cars with people in them just in case the people that got out of the fancy cars were famous and then they would have pictures of famous people getting out of fancy cars. I wasn’t interested in that so I went to another casino to play a bit more. Tracey was taking pics outside though so I borrowed some from her to show you what the action looked like. Here you go:

We had to be back on the coach at 10:30 which was kind of lame because we were in Monaco but whatever I’m sure they have good reason. As we were leaving a sick white Lamborghini showed up. I didn’t take a picture because I didn’t want to give the driver the satisfaction. That means I’m jealous, right? Whatever screw that guy.

I’ll leave you with these photos of the famed hairpin turn from the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s right in front of the casino. Thanks Tracey.

What was that, Day 12?  Wow.