Miraculous Monaco

My Indian roommates were up early also to go to Monaco so I got up and got ready with them, but they left before me. The train only took me 20 minutes and when I arrived it was sunny and beautiful. I got on the first train to the Jardin Exotique (Exotic garden) and bought a 3 euro full day bus pass which was worth it. The Garden only cost me 3.70 euro and it was the best part of my day. From there I could see all of Nice since I was on the side of the mountain and it's one of my favorite views on earth. I hopped on a bus and rode it all the way to Monaco-Ville where the changing of the guard was at 11:55am. It was right outside the Palace Princier and they were dressed in fancy black uniforms. It only lasted a few minutes, unlike the one in London.

Then I walked over to the Aquarium and through the gardens there to the Cathedral. It was pretty but quite small. I got a hot dog and ate it in the gardens while the sun was out. Then I took a bus over to the casino in Monte-Carlo. I was standing outside deciding whether or not I really wanted to pay 10 euro to go inside. When a heavier guy named Tom came up and asked me to see my map. We started talking and he asked me if I was going to go in. I told him I hadn't decided yet and he said he'd pay for me. So I let him and he took me inside and explained each game to me. It was really beautiful inside and cool to see all the games live and not on the TV. From there we left and went to see the inside of the Hotel de Paris next door. It was gorgeous with all mirrors and gold everywhere. He had to take off to catch a train right after that so we said goodbye and I got on a bus to the Japanese Gardens.

(Aquarium)

(Casino Monte-Carlo) (Japanese Gardens)

By then it had started to rain but the gardens were beautiful anyway. I walked along the river to the beach where I only stayed for a few minutes because it was cold, then I went back to the casino. The 10 euro Tom paid covered me for the whole day so I decided I wanted to try to gamble for the first time. I got 2 chips and played that game where the guy spins the wheel and the ball in the other direction, and then the ball finally falls into a number. Of course I lost it, but it was fun to try once. They even gave me a stamp in my passport for coming to Monaco (considering it's not Officially part of France). I acutally ran into my roommates in the casino for a little bit too, which was kinda fun to see some familiar faces.

I then took the bus up to the train station where I gave away my bus pass to a guy since it was still good for the rest of the day. I took the train back to Nice and I got the same pizza and drink as the night before and was eating it in the kitchen when Robert came in and joined me. He offered me some sangria and we sat there and talked till late. I love meeting new and interesting people. I said good night to him, but earlier I had overheard a skype interview of this guy who was applying for a christian leadership position at his college. He was sitting on the stiars as I went up to my room so I asked him his name and where he went to school. We talked for a little and both found out that we were traveling alone so we decided to spend tomorrow together. I'm kinda looking forward to it.