Monaco visitors all seem to agree that the tiny nation is utterly seductive. I would
have to agree. There is some confusion as to what to call it, but the official name
of the sovereign state is The Principality of Monaco. The kingdom, which our tour guide
described as "one square mile" in size, consists of six departments, the most famous
of which is Monte Carlo.
The principality is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. While the ruling prince must
exercise power within the framework of the constitution, his power is nearly absolute.
While it is a totalitarian state by most definitions, it treats its citizenry far more
benignly than any popularly elected government. It is a propserous nation whose citizens
pay no income taxes.
There really was a magical feeling about Monaco that I can't entirely describe. It would
be fun to live there for a year, but if you aren't a billionare, it might be tough!
I enjoyed sitting on my balcony and watching the mega yachts come into town in the
evening.
You'll notice from the pictures that there are a lot of cow statues (for Sherralyn's
benefit). There is a fund raising activity going on called Monte Cow Low where people
can bid on the artwork and the highest bidder wins the statue