Monaco and the Aquarium

It all makes sense now. It is perfectly, undoubtedly clear why people love the French Riviera. Why anyone with a tinge for glamour and a lust for excitement would chose to vacation here. And for anyone who is not exorbitantly rich and has a predilection for gambling.... the possibility you might just go very broke. When we got off the bus I might has well have been wearing my tourist vest. I yanked on Erik's shirt so hard it formed wrinkles.

We were atop a long hill looking down at THE gardens and The Monte Carlo Casino. Perfectly manicured and precise, rows and rows of aromatic flowers and shrubs. Once we got closer it was a tough choice. I was oogling the building, and Erik the cars. We each switched occasionally, of course, but between the 2015 Mercedes, and the unique architecture and tiling of the Monte Carlo, we could have been there all day. I will commend our classy ability to not touch the cars. Many of our peers were 'opening the doors' or 'on the hood'.. most of me wanted to scream (!) 'college education, don't touch!!!'









Monaco is formed around its pier, and situated between mountainous bluffs. The bluff dips in the middle by the pier, on the outskirts of both sides you have a jaw dropping view of billions of dollars of glamor cascading through the mountains. Every step brought a different view accompanied with a different view of the palace. Someone pinch me, this place exists.









I was so excited I was able to justify not one but two croissants. I ate the first one and as the buttery sins absorbed any thought of being able to back out, I tromped right back to that bakery and bought another. Singularly, a croissant is my kryptonite, but while sight seeing in Monaco?! You're kidding, just put a few in the bag and don't make a scene.

Of course we made it up to the palace and enjoyed the best view in town. The classic buildings, some dating to 1553, only added to the allure. Hundred year old buildings with French doors and windows, winding gardens atop the bluff, talk of princes and princesses.. just about as fairytale as it gets.













Erik and I were walking the perimeter of the park when we walked passed their aquarium. I don't think he would've noticed had he not seen the massive poster of a real great white. He stopped dead in his tracks. Erik LOVES great whites.. I mean, LOVES them. As in, I ask a question about great whites and he answers 'well, *WE* think x,y,z'- that is some love! So when we knew there was some sort of a great white shark in there, no question was left. He looked at me and every inch of his face said 'PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!! DO THIS FOR ME'- of course we did it.


The first thing when we walked in was a 14 ft. long tank with a real, perfectly preserved great white in a blue formaldehyde. You said nothing. You did nothing. It was a great white shark in your face. The power of this animal is terrifying in a really amazing way. I am struggling to put words to the magnitude of this creature and all its beauty. The sheer size of it and evident muscle, the ultimate machine. There were of course no pictures. The whole area was under video surveillance, so we adhered. After some searching, I found this photo of it on the web-




We spent hours. Hours and hours.

















After the aquarium we were both in shock at the day that we just had. Every day has a certain element of awareness to it. I am giving it my honest effort to 'be here, now' and I think I'm doing a pretty decent job of it. However, the fact that our days our numbered makes incredible days like this all the more special and close to my heart. Maybe if I try hard enough, emerge deep enough, it will never have to end. In the event that it does, I will continue to stay aware of just how amazing this life is.