Rick attended the most glamorous sporting event in the world, the Grand Prix of Monaco, held in Monte Carlo, Monaco by the Automobile Club de Monaco. The rich and famous were there, as were royalty, rascals, and raconteurs. In Monaco, for those three magical days, every man is a playboy and every woman is a princess.
Rick was in Monaco for about a week and while there he took in the sites and sounds and now, on this Web page, he shares it with you. Sit back, relax your finger on your mouse's button, and transport yourself to the "crown jewel" in motor racing's calendar. The smells: fine leather, exotic colognes, the salty sea air... The sights: gorgeous women in the latest fashions, sunglasses perched on trendy men's foreheads, gleaming exotic cars that pepper many people's dreams... The sounds: 20,000-RPM Formula 1 cars screaming against apartment buildings and stone walls. This is an experience of a lifetime.
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 Signs advertise the obvious...nobody in Monaco would miss the Grand Prix |
 America's finest makes an appearance between the Euro-sleds in front of the Cafe de Paris. |
 The ultra-rare 1994 Bugatti EB110: quad-turbochargers, V-12, four-wheel-drive. |
 The shopping is top-notch in Monte Carlo. |
 A palace to wagering: the Monte Carlo Casino. |
 Detail of the Monte Carlo Casino. Maybe the statue is reaching out for a loan... |
 In front of L'Hermitage Hotel: a Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR roadster, one of a handful in the world. Well over $1 million. |
 Looming above Monaco are its jagged cliffs. |
 The Monegasque police are so friendly: this chap was handing out appetizers. |
 Life in Monaco: a dog contemplates...what, exactly? |
 Ferrari's latest supercar: the $650,000 Enzo Ferrari, in front of the Casino |
 The Enzo's fanny. |
 The Lady Moura, the most expensive private yacht in the world. Owned by an advisor to Saudi Arabia's king. |
 Just in front of Prince Rainier's car museum: a lovely plaza with a small shopping mall. |
 Harborside in Monte Carlo. |
 The entrance to Monaco's harbor. The biggest ship in the frame? Why, it's Prince Rainier's, of course. |
 The Monte Carlo Grand Hotel's view of the sea. |
 The Monte Carlo Grand Hotel, tucked under and away, but never forgotten. |
 Formerly the Loews Hairpin, now the Monte Carlo Grand's. One of racing's most famous--and treacherous--corners. |
 The entrance to the Monte Carlo Casino. |
 Just outside L'Hermitage Hotel. |
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 Five-time world champion Michael Schumacher speeds by just feet from my feet. |
 Fernando Alonso rockets past me in his Renault. |
 Alonso again. |
 I was so close to Alonso, I could see the seems on his driving suit. |
 Some of my fellow guests on the balcony. |
 A view from the balcony: yachts n' F1 cars...paradise! |
 The lovely catering spread for us balcony-dwellers. |
 More of my fellow race fans peeping the action. |
 Meanwhile, inside one could catch the action on Monte Carlo's cable-TV broadcast. |
 A view from the street: packed stands. |
 Another street view, this time with a rocketing Renault on screen. |
 The yachts were a fun place to be...some in bikinis, some in fireproof suits. |
 The breakfast catering spread at one of the apartments. |
 Yet another catering table at a "viewing" apartment. |
 Jos Verstappen speeds by in his Minardi as Ralph Firman's yellow Jordan exits the pit lane. |
 Verstappen again. |
 A Coloni F3000 car in a support race. |
 If you're going to live in Monaco, you might as well park your 'copter on the roof. |
 During racing days, every building along the circuit is jam-packed with spectators. |
 Toyota's Cristiano DaMatta doesn't heed a "yield" sign. |
 At no other F1 track on earth could fans get so close to the action. |
 Corner workers assist a stranded F3000 car during a support race. |
 If you're a racing fan, this is heaven: Michael Schumacher, his Ferrari, and the sunshine. |
 A Ferrari banner and a Ferrari in one frame: Barrichello passes. |
 Monaco is all about color and Firman's Jordan-Ford lends to the atmosphere. |
 Firman, again, exiting the pits. |
 Giancarlo Fisichella exiting the pits. |
 Also seen from my balcony: the Piscine turn and the swimming pool chicane. |
 That grand harbor and its party boats. |
 Monaco's a gorgeous burg. |
 Nick Heidfeld in his Sauber-Petronas. |
 A place to stay: the Hotel Durante in Nice, France. |
 Directly outside the entrance to the Beau Rivage apartments, Ralph Firman pilots his Jordan at ear-shattering speed. |
 A view from one of our balconies. |
 Ibid. |
 Ibid. |
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 See the Cavallino Rampante? See a Ferrari fan! |
 Glitz and glamour is what Monaco's all about. |
 A fan of Scottish driver David Coulthard. |
 After the race, the lovely server toasted with a glass of bubbly. |
 The terrific Gordon and Pati. |
 Gordon, Noreena, and Pati in the Nice airport. |
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 A like-new Jaguar XKE along with other goodies. |
 Detail of the royal crest, painted on the door of a horse-drawn carriage. |
 Ayrton Senna's helmet. |
 Gone after nine years, yet still the fans love the great Senna. |
 Senna lifted the poor and now they lift him to heaven. |
 Interior of Rainier's Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR. He has number 12 of 25 built. |
 Rear of the CLK-GTR. |
 Nigel Mansell's 1989 Ferrari F1 car. |
 Ibid. |
 World Champion Mansell's "office" in '89. |
 A gorgeous HS. |
 "Okay, Rolls-Royces! Line Up!" |
 The museum features many Brass-Age cars. |
 A '68 Maserati Mistral. |
 Detail of the badge of the Touring workshop. |
| Go to Page 2 of photos HERE |
