Today I learned that the Hallelujah chorus is international reaction to, "WE DID IT!" As we were eating breakfast, three of the servers were trying to peel back a giant canvas to reveal a giant sunroof. It was stuck for quite a while, but something finally clicked and the fabric folded in like an accordion. The manager exclaimed/sang: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! It became the theme of the day and is probably what I'll be think if I cross that finish line in a few days.

Today's highlight was a trip to Monoco. After a short workout (more on this later), Ace and I took a cab and then a train to rock of Monoco.

When we arrived, we realized that Google and Grimaldi do not agree. We couldn't pull up any maps on our phones and couldn't find a resource nearby so I relied on my masterful sense of direction (ha) and we found our way to the Rock of Monoco. We wandered down the narrow streets and checked out the views of Port Hercules on one side and Fontvielle on the other. We watched the changing of the guards at the Prince's Palace, walked above the Exotic Gardens and found a 4th century theater overlooking the sea where I stopped to take a bow. Hallelujahahaha.

My favorite part of the day was the cathedral. It is enormous, but simple and IT has the best view of the ocean. It was the same cathedral that Princess Grace and Prince Rainer married. And are buried. We walked around to view the paintings, sculptures and confessionals in the alcoves surrounding the pews. We sat for a bit and I said a little prayer for my mom and grandmother - thanking God for the gift they were in my life. We were allowed to walk around behind the chancel to view all the crypts and memorials to all the princes of ages past. I imagined being the priest - able to look out past all the parishioners to the ocean. I probably would have been overwhelmed with the sight and lost my place in the service.

Today was actually a test of waiting. We waited in line for a train ticket. We waited around for the changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace. We waited for a train out of Monoco to Nice. We waited for the next train out of Monoco to Nice. We waited on our waiter to bring us our check as she ate dinner with her boyfriend a few tables away.

The train waiting was the biggest thing and fortunately we were able to sit a lot for that. The train workers are currently on strike and many of the trains are not running. So, when we returned a la gare in hopes of catching the hourly train at 2:30pm, we learned that the next train was 3:27pm. We walked down the street to a bus stop and sat on the bench watching cars. It was sort of an anti-Grand Prix: a beautiful parade of very expensive, gorgeous fast cars - going slowly. As Ace remarked on our return to the station, I've seen more Bentleys in the last half hour than I've seen every other day of my life. [There were even a few (with chauffeers not parents) in the pickup line at school earlier in the day.]

We arrived and realized that the 3:27 train was suprimme:canceled. The next available train was with a different company at 3:44. Which actually arrived at 3:54. Fortunately, it was non-stop to Nice and we arrived home in 15 minutes. Hallelujah.

We had another dinner of pizza and salad, I took a bath and was asleep by 8:30. Hallelujah.