Monaco-Monte Carlo Casino

Hey guys...How ya doing.....? (Mia used to say this to us almost every morning in the same tone on the bus which was quite funny).

The Contiki Crew overlooking the Harbour in Monaco

Monaco:

After having a beautiful and relaxed day in Nice it was time to get dressed up and head to the Royal palace and visit the world famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world apart from the Vatican and has been a famous area for rich celebs, high rolling gamblers and tax exiles. Prices for things in Monaco are super expensive but the legendary casino, sparkling harbour and luxury yachts and cruisers make it a sight not to be missed! We found out from one of Mia's legendary talks that Monaco had been ruled by the Grimaldi family since 1297 and this country has it's own flag, national holiday, postal system and telephone code. She also told us that Prince Rainier was famous for marrying Grace Kelly and since his death in 2005, his son Prince Albert has been in charge. We also found out that the famous Formula One Grand Prix is held in Monaco each year. 

The Royal Palace of Monaco:

Mia said we had to wear something nice that night and everyone was looking a million dollars. We were all so excited about heading to the Monte Carlo casino! We drove up on the coach to one of the highest views in Monaco to the Royal Palace of the Grimaldi family. I was blown away with the beauty and lights of this rich and exquisite sight . Once we got to the top we had to then hop of the coach and get many escalators and elevators to reach the Royal Palace. Once we were at the very top Mia walked us through some pretty streets towards the Palace. There were a few guards out the front but it was pretty relaxed considering the Prince of Monaco lived in there lol We got some photos out the front and then looked out over the beautiful harbour of yachts and luxury cruisers. The view was soooo pretty and I got shivers just thinking about how lucky I was to be standing and looking over this amazing view. I could only imagine how rich people who lived here were and was just a little envious of their lifestyle. My parents and sisters always say I have expensive taste!lol We got photos out the front of the Palace and then got a beautiful Contiki group photo overlooking the harbour. After we looked at the views and got lots of photos our group along with the Perth girls (Bec, Rosie and Sascha) went to get have a glass of wine before heading to the Monte Carlo. We stopped at a cute little restaurant/bar near the Palace and had some wine. We wished we could have stayed longer but after all having a glass or two of our wine it was time to get back on the bus to the Casino.



Brie,Tamara, Sascha, Me, Hamed, Taylor, Jess, Rachael and Tara overlooking Monaco

Me and my girl Rach in Monaco



My girls walking the streets of Monaco



Tara, Jess, Me, Sharni and Tamara outside the Royal Palace of Monaco

 

Beautiful Rachael and I in Monaco



Having a few wines in Monaco



Me outside the Royal Palace



Amazing views of the Monaco Harbour



Amazing views of the Monaco Harbour

Loving life in the streets of Monaco

Me being a BOSS in Monaco lol



Rachael, Tara and I outside the royal palace in Monaco

The Monte Carlo Casino:

So before visiting the Casino I thought that Monte Carlo was actually a country baahaa Boy I have a lot to learn! We walked along the Formula One track and many lavish hotels on our way towards the Casino. It was a fair way from where we parked the coach and on the way there we saw so many extravagant cars and couples beautifully dressed. You couldn't help but feel a little under dressed amongst these rich and famous people. As we arrived at the top of the stairs we saw people being chauffeured in their expensive cars to the casino and I loved just watching them all get out of their shiny cars looking a million dollars. I bought some souvenirs up near the casino to send home that night including a very cool purple lighter in the shape of a poker chip that says Monte Carlo Casino on it!

We walked in and had to pay a 10 Euro cover charge and show our passports to enter the Monte Carlo Casino. Apparently if you are from Monaco you are not allowed to gamble in this casino....Weird! On the way in Jess was like 'Do they speak French or Monacoonean?' baahaaaa She cracks me up and we found it hard to remember what language we were speaking in each country along the trip as we visited so many in short spaces of time. Once we got into the main entrance of the Casino it was very quite and elegant. We weren't allowed to take photos inside which was a shame but the chandeliers and crystals that were inside were amazing. We went to the bar and ordered the cheapest bottles of white wine we could find and they told us to take a seat at one of their tables and they would bring it over to us. We felt quite fancy and I loved sitting in velvet covered seats whilst looking around the beautiful casino feeling like a princess. We drank our wine and then after feeling quite tipsy went to the toilets before heading upstairs to the high rollers room.

The toilets at the Monte Carlo Casino would have to be the flashest I have ever been in!They were covered with floor to wall mirrors and had automatic basins with a full time cleaning lady inside the toilets to make sure that everything was immaculate inside them for a small fee. The toilet seats even moved around and cleaned themselves after you used them which was cool but kind if freaky as I thought I was seeing things after having those glasses of wine baaaahaa So cool and I was happy to pay to use those toilets that's for sure!

We headed upstairs and I was surprised how small and quite this area of the casino was. There were no pokies only tables which had very rich people (mainly men) sitting at them. I was a little nervous to start playing at one of the tables so Rachael and I got a cocktail which cost us an arm and a leg but was yummy and watched people playing like professionals at the tables. I decided I wanted to play so I asked a guy next to me what to do to be able to sit and bet. He ended up being a rich Australian man which was lucky and he was so nice and helped me put my money down on the Roulette table to start playing. I don't usually bet but how could you not at the Monte Carlo Casino!I played with older men who probably though what the hell is this girl doing but they all laughed and smiled at me as I tried to play and understand what I had to do. I ended up losing 70 Euros at the table so that was the end of my betting and luck that night. Even though I didn't win I had fun playing at a table full of high rollers whilst they betting thousands. There was a balcony outside the gambling area and Hamed and I decided to go out for a smoke whilst overlooking the beautiful views and pretend we were rich for the night!He even jokingly serenaded me with a Persian song which was quite romantic in a funny kind of way while we were standing outside.

Me with the High Rollers Boss cars outside the Monte Carlo Casino



Rachael the hottie walking up to the Casino



After we spent our money and rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous it was time to leave and head back to the Contiki Village. This was one of the more crazy coach rides home and the first time Porfirio had used the blue party disco lights on the Contiki bus. We had the music pumping and the lights flashing on the bus and we all started dancing in the aisles of the coach!It was so much fun and we were all so happy to be partying together on the coach in one of the richest areas in the world that night.

Me on the Contiki Coach coming back from the Casino



Partying on the Contiki coach



Me and Tay Tay Bootay Tay the crazy boy



When we got back to the Contiki Village there was another Contiki coach full of people that had arrived that night. We headed to the bar for more drinks and had lots of full mingling with people from the other group. I met some really nice people and drank with them for ages while they all laughed at me being ghetto when I was drunk lol I drank pashed one of the boys from the other group that was a DJ from Sydney that we named Squiggy!lol Tamara also hooked up with a little Spunk called Pat that night and we named him Danny Zuko lol After many drinks I noticed that Hamed wasn't around and wanted to go see him at his cabin. We hooked up and talked and laughed about the night for awhile while he jokingly gave me shit about pashing some other guy and then I went back to my cabin with the girls.

Such an amazing night and if I was rich enough I'd move to Monaco for shizzle!

Love The Unlucky High Rolling Backpacker

xxx