Day 12 - Florence to French Riviera (Menton) 29/12

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Now this was a day I was somewhat excited about jumping up in the morning and racing out to greet! We were going to Pisa 😊 Its so Italianish. Ok, so I have been in Italy all this time and a bit down this day also meant heading into France towards Paris .... deep breath .... oooooooo

I think it was the time I also turned into a big child! (or later in the day at any rate).

Trying to remember the order in which everything happened today! Kind of frustrating, I should have taken a map with us and circled the bits I took photos of along the way. Driving from Florence to Pisa, we had to go a back way, and couldn't take the main roads due to flooding in the area. Apparently they had been receiving a bucket load of rain and some of the rivers or something like that had flooded. Thats the wonderful thing with being on a tour in a foreign country, you can't watch the news and sweety oblivious to whatever is going on around in the world!

Anyway we get to Pisa, and it rains! Will have to remember the McDonalds bit! Everyone was there taking their token photos holding up the tower and I attempted to get my son to do it as well! Weak as effort child! When we got around the corner he played along a bit better. He didn't want to feel like a dork in the wide open I guess. We wandered around the structure and from the bit open space I have to admit around the corner in the quieter opening into the big square you can play around a bit more and get better photos! I got Joel to try again and this time we set it up beautifully! One for the mother 😊

With all the rain and the fact that I'm a hopeless shopper and really I barely bought anything on the trip in the way of proper trinkets we decided to head back to the McDonalds just outside. Oh man! What a nightmare! Apart from the fact there were like 30 people behind the counter running around and achieving nothing, there was no one serving. When a girl eventually came it was like she didn't have a clue about anything, the registers didn't have money in them, and she kept looking up to the menu board to look at how on earth to make a Sundae and a McFlurry ????????? Um hello, this is McDonalds isn't it???? Took us about ten minutes to get our order, with no one in the line in front of us mind you! I eventually found out that it was their first day of trading. I would have thought they would have had a tiny bit of staff training first? Actually I guess to be fair who on earth buys ice creams in the rain, in the middle of winter ..... Aussies do!

It was funny because again we had the black sellers offering off their goods. One of the guys ended up with a fake Rolex rip off watch for 20 euros. I dont know I would want to pay over $20 (aussie) for a watch that might easily break. His wife was hillarious as well, at one of the bag stalls, I was itching to get something, but again, a totally hopeless shopper and she ended up with a Louis Vuitton bag for 10 euro. So she did well. It was actually funny watching the way that her and her hubby played off each other to barter down the prices. Talk about a pro team. We kept being warned that we would be heavily fined if we bought anything. I mean if thats the case, why on earth allow the people an actual shop????? Dont get it.

After Pisa we were driving along and saw the flooding up close! It was pretty cool seeing the water right up near the road and all these bits and peices of farming equipement scattered everywhere where I'm guessing they weren't supposed to have been. It was then a case of driving through the Marble distributing centre of the world by the looks of it. The amount of factories with massive massive big blocks of marble was just stunning.

The port city of Genova was also interesting for a different flavour. All its train lines (or at least I think it was Genova) were stunning. The countryside around this area was so beautiful. The type of place you would want a little house on the side of a valley and live out your days quietly I'm guessing. Or at least it looked like that.

Tonight we had the option of going into Monte Carlo for a night out on the town. Now seriously if you are going to Monte Carlo, you might as well do the dinner option. I mean otherwise you will be dumped in the middle of no where while everyone eats and there is nothing open around where we went first to buy anything. Getting dressed up for that event was a bit of a blast! It was cute, in the end I suggested to my son who wanted to look "cool" for the event, to wear the black thermal wear top as a shirt just as something different. He loved the idea, and I think it suited him. I actually donned a dress as well, but as always there is little photographic proof I was even in Europe! Kids - honestly never trust them taking your photos! The amount where he didn't bother focusing, or made sure I was barely in the picture, I kind of gave up in the end and resorted to attempting self portraits (sad girl that I am).

Anyway, there was the chance of going down and seeing the beach. Stupid me didn't do that, upon arrival in menton. The burden of trying to connect back to home and let my babies know what I was up to, was something I guess if I travelled again I would need to look into a touch more. The internet was free in the hotel, but once again, being right down the end of the hall, our room didn't get any connection, so once again I looked like a total loser and sat in the stair well which had really cool reception actually! It was an amazing thing to note how many people used the stairs as well! Was barely ever alone!

Back to Monte Carlo. Heading over there by bus was really nice, for the fact you could see right across the coast lines and all the buildings lit up at night. It was so pretty. We headed first off to the Palace and saw things like the church Grace Kelly was married in, and the house of Princess Stephanie. From the look out seeing down to the beach, there was an amusement park with Zorb balls! I was so wanting to go down there. Our tour guide thought I was crazy, as I was in a dress and all, but heck, how awesome would that have been, all dolled up and bouncing in a Zorb in Monaco! Anyway after the time for photo ops were up, we headed into a little restaurant for tea. Was a very cosy restaurant. It was frustrating that they keep putting bottles on wine on the table. I mean having a just turned 14 year old boy that thinks he is nearly 21 makes it hard. Yes he copped a serving for daring to pour himself the tiniest amount of drink! Kids! I mean seriously read up all the data child on underaged drinking! Plus the fact its a public place and criminal offence! I think the poor boy learnt his lesson.

Tea was a tuna salad entree, Roast Chicken main and creme brulee dessert. All very nice. Oh with all the included meals its a touch stupid, you can basically drink all the wine you like but if you dont drink, there is sometimes a soft drink per person, other times you would have to pay for a drink, if you dont do wine. There is always water on the tables, and was the option if they didn't provide drinks for us we took.

After tea we headed over to the casino section of town. It was raining as we walked down the beautiful garden/fountain areas to the main casinos. The first stop was to then have a drink at a cafe, before having free time to wander or look in the casinos. I wasn't interested in the casinos, but it definitely was a pretty town to visit at night, even if it did rain. I thought watching the guys gush over the cars was pretty cute. I almost got stabbed when I mentioned I thought this tiny little fiat sitting with all the $$$ cars was sweeter than the rest! But that was the cute thing, there was the fiat amongst porsches, lamborginis, and masseratis (hope they are all spelt correctly) and there were also two little smart cars in the mix! Was such a beautiful contrast!

Oh I forgot to mention, heading back to the bus, there were toilets in the basement under the palaces and all. Some of the guys were all crowded around the outside of the mens totally killing themselves laughing. I walked over and noted if anyone passed the mens the electronic sliding door was automated and you could see into the hand basin room. Apparently one of the guys mistook the fancy sinks for being urinals and was caught well, going about his business! I dont think our bus laughed so much for the whole trip! The laughing went on for ages, considering it was the tallest guy of the group that made the mistake and with the height of the basins, I doubt anyone else could have reached! I know its silly, but it was all so funny on the night, and I doubt our noisy mob would be allowed back there in a hurry.

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Photos

pisa
there were a couple of structures by the leaning tower. Apparently the church was well worth looking in. we looked in mcdonalds instead :S

2 pisa
oh please joel! total feeble effort!

3 pisa
joint shot! :)

5 pisa
even the statue was better at holding the structure than joel!

6 pisa
actually thats a better lean as well! was taken around the corner so it was pisa then behind it were all those structures

1. countryside
this is just one of the many marble factories we passed

2 countryside
beautiful low clouds. it was so sweet the way they just filled in the base of the valley and you could see the tops still.

the gorgeous fiat
the black car is in the next photo! was night and I didn't use a flash. the lamborgini