Of course Monte-Carlo
also lies in the most glorious part of the Cote d’Azur as opposed to being in the desert, so there’s that as well.
A prominent feature on the square which is named after it, the Casino de Monte-Carlo is instantly recognizable. It was built in the mid to late 1800s, with up to a few decades difference between some its parts. The fact that it’s over 150 years old gives it a genuine feeling, a piece of the past surviving into the present. Its designer, Jules Touzet, has been dead for 99 years. Yet all that has really changed, seen from the outside, is the type of expensive cars parked in front of it.Actually, it does appear that the few places in front of the Casino are by far the most sought after spots in the universe to park your Ferrari, Bentley or Rolls. Although probably the valet will be doing that for you.
Inside the Casino, you can’t help but feel you’re in a museum of some kind. Except that you can win or lose considerable amounts of money in this one. And you wonder if the ghosts of the people who made a fortune, or lost it, still roam the place. (As far as I could tell, all was normal)
The only slight thorn in the eye comes when you stroll past the 21st century computerized gambling machines, which stick out like a sore thumb in a place as beautiful as this. The gambling tables with the polished wood and colorful cloths are much more inviting by contrast. Of course there are also separate gambling rooms with higher limits for those with very deep pockets and an overdeveloped sense of adventure. Even the glass terrace has been outfitted with the necessary security cameras and gambling tables, so on a nice day you can gamble with a lovely view.
I’m not much of a gambler myself, perhaps because I prefer the odds to be in my favor, but spending a little bit of time in this Casino was a very memorable experience. The atmosphere inside is so welcoming and full of life itself, you just want to soak it up. Particularly as the sun goes down and the lights come on. Like in a dream, you just imagine sitting down at a Blackjack table, asking the dealer for chips and ordering a Vodka Martini. Shaken, not stirred.
Details from Posta-Magazine:
http://www.casinomontecarlo.com/
