Monte Carlo Weekly Photo: August 2009

31 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Goblin

Even goblins need water. This stand sold false ears, scars (yuck) horns, horrible heads - ghouls and ghosts and even Harry Potter's Sorting Hat.

30 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Waitress

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Even the waiters and waitresses dress up in XVIIIth century costume - which really adds to the atmosphere on le Rocher.

This Italian restaurant, as you might guess, is called Pinocchio.

29 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Nails

Yesterday, we met the blacksmith. Today we see what he is making and you'll see you can buy this hand made nails. Aren't they beautiful.

28 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Blacksmith

Meet the blacksmith.

In the smaller photograph he is explaining how the bellows work (by pushing on that piece of wood he has his hand on). Tomorrow we'll see what he is making.

The quality of all the displays, the costumes, the enthusiasm and energy of the participants - it made for a fascinating day and one could almost imagine how it might have been all those years ago - well, perhaps without the smells...

27 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Music whilst you Eat!

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Lunch in a restaurant in one of the narrow back streets on the Rocher where a group of Strolling Singers entertain guests.

26 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Tour Guide

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

The tour guide gathers her charges. Whether this group are here specially for the Fête, I don't know as there are always loads of tour groups on the rocher. Can't be so easy to live here and have tourists walk past your door and under your windows all day long.

25 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Participation

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

A lady and child throw flower petals as one of the parades passes below.

24 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Parades

Parades galore for the Fête and cloud hanging low over the Prince's Palace.

23 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Dressing Up

One of the fun things is that visitors can - for 25 euros - hire a complete costume and so participate in the Fête. Do you suppose the people in the photo below are visitors or part of the proceedings? I don't know but think they are probably the real thing.

22 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century -Žilina to Sagres

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

I was intrigued with these guys' t-shirts. They are driving from Žilina in Slovakia (where they live) to Sagres in Portugal. Both cities are marked on their shirts. It will take them two weeks. They left Žilina the day before they arrived in Monaco. Here they pose just before the start of the Fête.

Hope you had a great trip, guys!

21 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Violinist

There were several groups of 'travelling musicians.' Meet the violinist.

Note the charming old streets of the Rocher - often a surprise to visitors who expect to see only high-rise buildings in Monaco.

20 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Lunch

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Even XVIIIth century ladies need lunch. This lady was involved with the jewellry stand we saw the other day - remember the dead fox?

19 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Pirates

There were all sorts of Johnny Depp types in front of the Palais Princier. Note the quality of the costumes. The black outfit seen below is made of pieces of leather finished with three rather lethal looking knives.

18 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Candle Maker

Continual dunking of the candles into the wax is what makes a candle and here the children help too.

In the last photo, you see how the wax is kept liquid with the heat from the fire underneath. The little boy has a block of wood to stand on as he was too small to reach the vat to dip his candle into the wax.

The candles sold at 1 euro each.

You can see the candle maker's dog on Riviera Dogs today.

17 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Necklace

Dead animals used as mannequins on the 'medieval' jewelry stall. And below, a lady buys a bracelet.

16 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Asses' Milk

This stall sells products, particularly soap, made with donkey milk - I suppose in the old days it was called asses' milk. The sign says that the milk of the donkey is the closest to the milk of a woman and that it will cure skin problems such as eczema.

This lady put some cream on my hand and it felt good, not greasy. I intended buying some before I left and regret I forgot.

15 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - Gunpowder

In the main photograph, the gunsmith is pounding the gunpowder in a pestle and mortar, prior to putting it into the ivory funnel you see in the lower photo, which is then used to channel it into the pistol.

14 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Programme Lady

As you can see in the small photograph, the man handing out the wine tries to persuade the young lady (who hands out the programmes) to have some wine. She looks a little unsure and then agrees.

I wonder if they had red nail polish in the XVIIIth century?

We see the Palace in the background - note the weather, low cloud over le rocher and humid that morning. No wonder the wine was welcome.

13 August 2009

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Wine

This is the fourth year the Mairie (Town Hall) of Monaco has put on this festival in honour of Prince Antoine 1st, who was responsible for much of the beautiful architecture in the Principality.

It takes place on le Rocher, the part of Monaco where we find the Palace, the Oceanographic Museum and the Cathedral.

So come along, put on your 18th century clothes and let's have a good day out. And first...why a glass of wine, of course.

In the last photo, you see the wine cart being pushed towards the Mairie - the workers (and there were an enormous number of volunteers) were offered a glass of wine to help them through the day.

12 August 2009

The Opera House

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

A zoomed photo taken at dusk and from exactly the same position as yesterday's photo. The steeples you see are the casino building and specifically, the opera house, designed by Garnier.

Note the turquoise cupola far left. You can see a close up of this by clicking on the link.

11 August 2009

Dusk

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Dusk in Port Hercule. We are looking at Avenue d'Ostende which runs from Ste. Devote up to Casino Square. Lights are being turned on. People wait on rooftops for the fireworks to begin (see yesterday's post).

10 August 2009

All Lit Up

Each summer Monaco holds an International Fireworks competition. Every three weeks a different country presents its display. Last night it was the turn of Austria. You have to get to Monaco early if you want a parking place and as you can see in the small photo, people line up around the port awaiting the wonders to come.

The jury judges on creativity, technique and synchronisation with the music. In three weeks time it will be France's turn and then we'll have a result.

Note the yacht (centre, foreground of the main photo) with its swimming pool lit up. No one skinny dipping tho, which might have been fun.

09 August 2009

Hibiscus

Hibiscus in the Jardin Saint Martin on le Rocher. This is one of the most peaceful gardens in Monaco and well worth a visit when you are in the vicinity of the Cathedral or the Oceanographic museum.

My preferred photo in terms of image was the smaller one on the left but I felt the two with the wrought iron railings and view down to the port of Fontvieille tell more of a story. So here are all three!