October 29, 2011: We woke up early the next day on a bright Saturday morning at 0500H packing our things up because we will be going back to France. Our sojourn in Italy was been over and we ran out of time because I will be leaving on Wednesday back to the United States.
We even missed going to Sienna and Gemingniano because our times could not allow us anymore plus our bodies have succumb to fatigue and stress already. I think I was also brewing a cold and I started to cough occasionally now and my nose was been stuffy plus I've been sniffing and sneezing at times and was been spitting thick yellow phlegm.
We left early at 0700H at Genova bidding goodbye to our dutiful and amiable hosts Melchor and Maricelle and also to their cute daughter Ashley. I could not forgot my stay with them in Genova. Their hospitality and warmth in accommodating us was beyond compare. It was a very tacit and emotional separation yet full of friendly wishes and gratefulness.
The reason we left early because me and Doreen wanted to pass by Monaco to meet with my cousins from my mom's side. It takes four hours for the train to reach Ventimiglia and from there we will transfer with SNCF going coastal towards the south of France. So we estimated by lunch time we will be in Monaco.
Leaving Genova was very melancholic and poignant because I have developed some fund memories of my week respite at the Chavez's apartment and plus Genova served as the home base of our travels all over Italy. I wish may be some day I could be back here and revisit my prior travels. That will be a more poignant situation to be in.
So we left Genova from the platforms of the Genova Principe Platform and then off to France. The ride to the border was very pleasant and uneventful and the car where we're at was full of travelers.
When we arrived at Ventimiglia we immediately bought a ticket for the SNCF train going to Monaco. It was only a short trip and we were al packed up to go home to Aix-en-Provence carrying our backpacks and some bags for our goodies from Italy which Doreen bought when we're at Genova.
When arrived at the Monaco train station at 1200H we immediately looked for the ticket counter to buy tickets going to Aix-en-Provence for the 1830H train so that we can leave on time. My cousin was been touching base with us trying to know if we arrived in Monaco already and we told him to meet us outside the train station.
My cousin had picked us up at the station and had helped us with our backpacks then we headed to the port where their yacht was docked. The yacht was named ICEBLUE and it was colored gray. It looks like a submarine and very contemporary. It was not that big yet good to accomodate at least five families inside.
We then toured the yacht and went at the top to take some pictures of Monaco and it's surroundings. Then we went to the dining hall to eat our lunch. I was starving and hungry so I ate with my heart out with no embarrassment or drama. I know my cousins were very happy to see me so they really accommodate and entertained us superbly.
They even broke some bottles of wine for us and I drank like a maniac not knowing I was drank, good thing I was not buzzing yet. The lunch was good and we talk and talk white they take turns going to shower then we were off to stroll Monaco by foot.
Our time constraints really spoiled our stay so our tour was just shortlived yet it was fun to see what Monaco is and what it has to offer for each tourist like me.
We went to see the Monaco casino which is globally famous and the palace of the Grimaldi's. And when our time ran out we hurried to get our stuff at the yacht and headed back to the train station.
Unfortunately, the train had left us so we went up to the ticket booth again to reroute our tickets. And we rerouted our train from Monaco to Nice to Aix-en-Provence. We will arrived there at 2200H and when we arrived we were so tired and drunk from drinking wine at the yacht.
I can't believe I will ever see my cousins there and for the first time it was a good feeling to have reunited with them. It was just totally and madly unforgettable as well as mind-boggling.
Aaaah..... it is really a small world to have seen somebody who's pestering me. Life is full of chances and if you blew it there's always an alternative and that was just exactly what had happened to me lately.
Ce'st la vie!
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