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Each April, I would set my alarm to wake up early on Sunday when it was time to watch Rafael Nadal. He would play whoever else was the other finalist. I remember sitting at home and tuning into Tennis Channel, glued to seeing clay court genius in full glory. I was so used to hearing the Spanish National Anthem played every Sunday in April.
Memories of Monaco
The Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters 1000 was always the leadoff tournament on the road to Roland Garros - the unofficial start of Spring Tennis in Europe.
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| Balcony view at sunrise over the tennis courts |
Monte-Carlo Country Club (MCCC)
The grandeur of the principality in Monaco.
The royalty in attendance.
The elegance of the ocean coast.
The beauty of the clay courts.
Residence to many tennis stars.
Wealthy elites line "Billionaire's row" at the M.C.C.C.
The Famous Monte-Carlo Poster
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| This poster at the NYC passport office inspired me to visit one day! |
It was inside a passport office in Manhattan. I was delayed 24 hours in NYC after I lost my passport at JFK. Retracing my steps in every terminal and shuttle for hours, I had only my driver's license and was in another state. I weighed my options and decided to sleep there - my 2nd time overnight at a NY airport. Then in the morning, took the first train to Manhattan to apply for a new one when the office opened.
In 2018, I arrived in Monte-Carlo via Zurich - during the Snowman Spring Festival - Sächsilüüte.
The typical recommendation is to fly into Nice, France, get an Airbnb near the train station, and then take the daily train ride a few stops to the tournament location.
Private balcony overlooking the MCCC
I thought wouldn't it be nice to stay somewhere you could see the tournament from one of those balconies they film above the tournament even for just a couple nights?
For memories of a lifetime, it was worth a shot and a worthwhile business investment.
Above is a satellite view with my AirBnB reservation highlighted in the purple box. Since it was my first (and possibly last chance to go), I had to check if this opportunity was possible. The daily lodging prices in the area during the tennis tournament were usually around $600-$1000 USD/night.
I searched for accommodations near the tournament and noticed there was one duplex with an amazing balcony that overlooked the clay courts! Confirming on Google Maps and various angles, I made sure.
The views as you can see are breathtaking. I could hear and see the tennis action from the balcony. Each morning, I would wake up before sunset to capture some time-lapse videos.
Beautiful to watch the cruise ships sail into port and drop off passengers at the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo made famous in the James Bond movie Goldeneye.
Airbnb Condo in Monaco - Welcome to the roof's top deck
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| Rafael Nadal - King of Clay |
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| Canadian Teachers - #1 Rafa super fan on the right |
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| Rafa's sister (?) at the Rafa Nadal Academy booth |
Rafael Nadal Academy Booth
I spoke to a very pretty blonde girl at the booth. Some remarked she looked like Rafa's sister - I wasn't sure at the time. She suggested that I go check it out in the Autumn after summer break is over and the kids are back in school.My promo code "JCTENNIS" gives you 10% OFF at the Mallorca HQ.
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| Go here to get the official Monaco Seal stamp on your Passport! |
French Riviera - Nice, Antibe, Cannes
Nice, France is a beautiful seaside town a hand full of train stops away. For a few hours, I signed up for a really fun Segway tour and enjoyed it very much with a group of young students. A great way to get up and down the steep hills and explore a lot of ground in a few hours.
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| Red, white, and blue lighted dancing fountains |
A very scenic and laid-back coastal town - Nice offers many shops, museums, and parks. A great way to spend any Spring afternoon or catch the sunset by the ocean.
At night, there are plenty of delicious French restaurants with street performers playing music outdoors.
With an extra few days in Frace, I took day trips to nearby Antibes and other port cities on the French Riviera. If you're shopping for beautiful yachts on the water, there is always plenty to see everywhere.
I caught this golden sunrise photo after arriving at Antibes and surveying the old castle walls that surround the old city.
On the last day of my trip, I overheard that there would be a Red Bull air race taking place in Cannes. Normally this is where the red-carpet events are held for the Cannes Film Festival. That year Solo was shown early at the festival.
The red bull air race was going to be the first-ever in France, so after dropping off my bags at the airport, I decided to go attend the event for a few hours. Why not? When in France!
Transportation from the airport and back was a bit of a mess but I am really glad I took a chance and got to go check it out for the day. All event drinks and merchandise had cashless payments. When walking down the beach, you could see large crowds gather to see the fast planes race around the pylons with their smoke trails.
Cannes - Red Bull - Air Race
Media Photos of Monte Carlo Tennis
In 2017, I was in Rome at the Italian Open for that clay-court season.
