Festa di Addio di Celibato

Bachelor Party for colleague and friend, Niall B.  From left, Chris, Liam (Niall's youngest brother), Anthony D., Brian B. Stefan H., the bachelor and Charles (Niall's middle brother)

 

Niall was forced to sing Madonna's "Material Girl"....so we fellow math teachers were kind enough to provide backup!

Harroo sandwich

Did I mention that this all took place on the French Riviera?  We all met up in Nice.  Here's Anthony giving his approval in Piazza Messina.

The beach in Nice

The "purpose" of the trip was to head over to Monte Carlo for some gambling at the casinos.  We decided to go classy and get decked out....or at least not wear jeans and t-shirts.

And...yes, Brian decided to go "douchebag" and wear and ascot and eyepatch.

Here's Monaco as you step out of the train station, which is built into the hillside.

I found Monaco to be...as one might expect....very much about keeping people out.  Everywhere it seems as though you were gated off or evaluated before being let in.

 

The famed Monte Carlo Casino.  We didn't expect Las Vegas style casinos, but we also weren't expecting such exclusivity.  It cost 10 Euro's just to enter and look at the casino.  To play poker, there was a 1,000 Euro buy in.

I lost about 100 Euro's at the blackjack table.  But more exciting was seeing the city get ready for the Monte Carlo Grand Prix which is going to occur next week. 

Here's a hairpin turn right by the Fairmount hotel.  There were grandstands being erected all over the place.

Near the finish line, down at the port.

The port of Monte Carlo...

.....and the amazing yachts