F1 Race in Singapore

First ever F1 Night race, first ever F1 street race in Asia, OUR first ever F1 race and Thomas's first time ever in Singapore! Whew.

AVN sign

Ok, goofy, but we couldn't resist :)

$21 ramen noodles

The good news is the MGM Grand at least has comfort food, unlike Monaco. It sucks being sick in Vegas; I hate this place anyway.

all Gaudi, all the time

Friday in Barcelona we did the full Gaudi tour: Sagrada Familia (absolutely incredible-first time I'd been inside as well), then Park Guell (got tip is to take bus 92 which drops you off at the back near Gaudi's house so you don't have to trudge up the hill from either the 24 or worse yet-Lesseps metro. Walking down the hill afterwards was bad enough...), and finally La Padrera.

pets on Las Ramblas

A row of outdoor set stalls sold everything from fish to rabbits to reptiles to an incredible assortment of birds including pheasants, parrots and an array of chickens incl a massively huge breed with Clydesdale-style feet. They also had rodents including these adorable little guys: chipmunks! I had fantasies of smuggling one home on the plane. Indubitably, I still want one!

wed is Avignon

We spent our last few hours in Avignon on Wed wandering around the Palais du Papes before heading to Perpignan to catch our train to Barcelona.

let's get awesome!

Crazy taxi at the train station in Perpignan, where we finally arrived after a 3 hour ordeal looking for the rental car return in that town...

thomas takes a dip

His first time in the Med. Apparently a little chilly, but still a good thing.

cinc sentits

Phenomenal tasting menu for lunch, with a little cava to start and a recently almost endangered white wine, godello. My fav so far was the Iberian pork belly with veloute of butternut squash; Thomas loves the scallops with jerusalem artichoke puree and ham chip. YUM.

sagrada familia

 

orange

The most intact Roman theatre in the world is in Orange.

le chat noir #3

Thomas's new friend in Orange, in front of the Theatre.

dejeuner a La Mere Germain

Le soleil is finally out today-almost too much so out on this terrace! Avez-vous du creme solaire svp? The blackbirds flying through the sky en masse are incredible.

Ch du Papes

 

best dinner so far

Was ce soir at Hiely Lucullus in Avignon. Service was amazing, food was great esp the cheese selection, wine was fantastic and local-a cotes du rhone from Ch. d'Hughes near Orange. They kept giving us little amuses bouches as well incl a bit of fried chocolate (who'da thunk?) and a house-made marshmallow which Thomas declared tasted like a peep! (yet not quite so sweet or brightly colored of course)

Frejus

About an hour Ouest of Monaco is the little village of Frejus, which used to be a Roman naval base.

nice boots

Fashionable horse w a model's physique - HUGE!

royal press frenzy

A mass of press descends on our booth surrounding Prince Albert as he tours the show floor.

le casino derriere

 

lovey pigeons

Even the rats with wings find Monaco romantic.