Got up and left Cremolino early to go enjoy the twsitie mountain roads without traffic as I make my way to the coast. Amazing ancient roads going through forgotten mountain towns with so many turns I almost got dizzy : )
But then again, the morning dew made things interesting at times.
Ovada to Rossiglione to Sasello, where I had a great midmorning breakfast and coffee at a very lively cafe in this small town lost in the mountains. Only Italian here. Then on to to Savona on the Mediterranean and then towards Monaco.
Monaco is spectacular, just like in the movies, as you approach from the top of the mountain and into the harbor. Finally figured out where to park my motorcycle and set out to explore Monte Carlo.
Lots of people from all over the world ... lots of tourists ... lots of designer stores ... finally saw some nice cars - Ferraris, Bentleys, Lamborghinis ... a couple of super yachts in the harbor ... it all reminds me a bit of Las Vegas and Dubai.
The Casino de Monte Carlo is a beautiful building perfectly maintained. Had a quick lunch near the casino and decided to ride a couple of more hours West.
The area around the Cote d'Azur is very rugged ... mountains that drop sharply into the mediterranean ... the highway is the tunnel-bridge-tunnel type and the rural roads are twisty nightmares going through a myriad of little villages and lots of traffic. Riding a little bit of both made it fun.
I imagine this coastline looked like the Alps from at the bottom of the Mediterranean before it filled up 5 million years ago.
I can see now how people love this area ... great terrain ... quaint mountain and coastal towns everywhere ... beautiful blue ocean ... wineries .... scenic and twisty roads everywhere.
After a while I found a great hill town with great views to spend the night in ... Bormes-les-Mimosas, close to St, Tropez but not as crowded.
The town was beautifully maintained and full of artisan shops. Had a Nutella crepe and a cappuccino at a cafe with a terrace overlooking the hill with the Mediterranean in the background ... practicing my French now : ). And, then risotto at the hotel for dinner. A good day with a little bit of everything to keep things very interesting.
Tomorrow, I continue to head towards Andorra along the coast.
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