Paris to Avignon to Nice to Monaco to Nice to Paris

As you can tell by the title, we have jumping around a bit.

In Paris, BT and I met up with Matt, who has a friend here in Paris. We had a few drinks and got to see the night life of Paris, including a very sketchy bar that the Perisians go to on weeknights. Our hotel was right in the heart of the Parisian Bohemian capital, which made the whole thing quite the adventure. We decided to make that our home when we return to Paris for the final few days...

After the evening in Paris, we shot down the TGV (speed train) to Avignon. There we saw the Palace of the Pope. This huge dwelling was used by 4 Popes during the 14th century when Rome was under seige. The term Rome moves to where ever the Pope is, so Avignon became Rome for nearly 100 years. Not quite the Vatican, but certainly impressive and very interesting.

Then...a rental car to Nice...ooof...is there a story there...not even 2 hours after picking up the rental car, did we find ourselves with a flat, on the side of a French highway with little European Smart cars wizzing by us at 100 mph. We had to put on the spare, and called the rental company. Turns out, they expect us to buy a new tire...we are still not sure what we are going to do about that, but a fight will certainly ensue...who will be the victor you ask? Make a guess ;)

Once we got to Nice (going VERY slowly the whole way since we were on a spare) we found a great little hotel, and set out for the evening. After a nice meal on the beach side street, we went into a Casino...and oh my word... The French do not take gambling lightly...the term "gaming" has no connection with Casinos. The room is completely silent, and you have to go through a whole series of loops just to get into the building. Matt lost 200 at Black jack...but don't despair...there is good news comming.

Yesterday we headed off to Monaco. This place is really amazing. Words can't describe it, but this little independant country on the French Riviera has money to burn, and the richies know how to do it in style. We have never seen so many high class cars in our lives! We toured the Palace grounds, and the Aquarium of Monaco, which were all really fantastic...but the creme de la creme was the Monte Carlo Casino. The pastiche of this place was uncanny. After the same rigamarole as Nice, we found our selves inside the most magnificent casino any of us had ever fathomed. Matt decided he could not come to the most notorious Casino in the world, and not try again...so he pulled another $300 out, and decided to give it one last try. You should have seen the cards...all, one after another...good call after good calll...the lady two seats down was quite the good luck charm, and was somehow able to call the cards as they came...truly amazing...we left the Monte Carlo Casino with 3 times what we came with...we were in awe...After the trimphant win, we watched a bit...and a guy at the Roulette table was betting 30K at a time...we saw him loose some, and win about 80K as well...I will never understand that kind of money...and will doubly never understand people who would throw it away on a game as stupid as Roulette...but it was quite the sight to see regardless.

BT and I dropped Matt off at the train station this morning...we are going to go hit the beach for a few hours, and then catch the night train back to Paris tonight. AN update will come after we meet up with Andrew, and really cause some trouble in Pairs.