31 October 2010

Zoom on the Palace


We're looking at the Palace taken from the far side of the port - below Casino Square. That's a long way for my relatively small zoom.

30 October 2010

Hector Berlioz


The Hector Berlioz sculpture stands in the small garden just below the entrance to the Monte Carlo Opera House. It was erected in 1903 to mark the centenary of this celebrated composer and conductor's birth. Berlioz died in 1869.

29 October 2010

Ready Money


One of the wrought-iron lamps hanging over the entrance to the Casino.

'Ready money is Aladdin's lamp' ~ Lord Byron

28 October 2010

Moonaco!


At the recent Monaco Yacht Show, the company called Moonen Yachts drew attention to themselves with this sign - and it worked!

27 October 2010

The Knot in the Beard


Deep in thought sitting on a bench outside Decathlon. How does he do that clever thing to his beard?

26 October 2010

The Recycling Bins


I wouldn't normally post a photo of a rubbish bin, but these have to be the neatest, cleanest re-cycling bins I've ever seen. In France, they are enormous and usually overflowing and often dirty.

We're in Fontvieille, almost opposite the Columbus Hotel and with the Princess Grace Rose Garden behind that tall hedge you see on the left of the small photo.

25 October 2010

Email with View


The terrace below the Elsa restaurant at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel is a good place to check emails.

24 October 2010

Late Afternoon


Late afternoon sun on the yachts in the bay although it's already left the square by the Grimaldi Forum. This was taken on the last day of the Monaco Yacht Show hence so many boats out at sea. That's Cap Martin off to the left.

23 October 2010

Chanel's Snow Lady


Last winter we had snow in Monaco so Chanel have produced an outfit to keep us all warm! Meanwhile, one of the gardeners in Casino Square works in his shirt sleeves.

22 October 2010

The Truck on Stilts


You don't really expect to see a truck on stilts in Monaco. I turned the corner in Fontvieille, just by the Princess Grace Rose Garden, and there it was. It houses a sort of cradle that gets the guys who prune the trees high up into the branches.

And naturally, because it's Monaco, notice how clean and shiny it is.

21 October 2010

Trimming the Olive Trees


We in the centre of Fontvieille today. Three men - one steadies the ladder, one is half way up and there's another hidden in the branches.

20 October 2010

Tree Lopping Time in Monaco


It's tree pruning time near the Princess Grace Rose Garden in Fontvieille and the guys are all so friendly.

Rather him than me tho! That's a long ladder and look, he's not standing on it, but on a contraption wrapped around the palm he is lopping.

19 October 2010

Shine


More of Villefranche-sur-Mer's charming old village.

Tomorrow - back to Monaco.

18 October 2010

The Kitchen Worker


We're at Villefranche-sur-Mer today - a beautiful town along the coast from Monaco, just before Nice. The Old Town dates back to 130 BC and one day I'll get some shots in decent weather. Yesterday it rained - as you see.

17 October 2010

The Old Shop


Not all of Monaco is high rises and posh hotels. Here's a charming building with an old shop on street level. It's on Boulevard Charles III which is just above the market place in Place d'Armes.

16 October 2010

Quai des Artistes


An interior shot of the brasserie - Quai des Artistes - which is on the edge of Port Hercule. Good food and atmosphere here. You may recall the ladies who lunch shot.

15 October 2010

Nude with Mirror


Fancy a decorated screen? You'll find this at the International Fair in Fontvieille.

14 October 2010

The Bra Strap


This is apparently what you wear when you don't want your bra straps to show! It's on sale at a fair that is currently taking place in the circus tent in Fontvieille.

The model, as you'd have realised, is a dummy!

13 October 2010

The Golden Man


More from a Lanvin window. Reflections of palms from the Casino Gardens.




'All that glisters is not gold'

- William Shakespeare

12 October 2010

Gone Fishin' - 2


Just to prove that the guys in yesterday's photo really did fish!

11 October 2010

Gone Fishin'


Enter the tunnel (the one the Monaco Grand Prix cars whiz through) and you pass the entrance to the Centre du Congres, Auditorium Rainier III. Walk up to the first level and often as not you'll find some guys fishing. This was taken during the Monaco Yacht Show, hence so many yachts out at sea.

10 October 2010

The Yike Bike


We're back at the Monaco Yacht Show where a guy was walking around with this brilliant electric bike that folds to almost nothing. It was named by Time Magazine as one of the top inventions of 2009. Take a look at the YikeBike website or click on the video below to see this little wonder in action. It will cost you approximately 2,635 euros or $3425. The YikeBike is designed and assembled in New Zealand.

09 October 2010

The Sandals


We're back at the Monaco Yacht Show where these sandals intrigued me. How long would they take to get off - and on?

But look carefully - is that a zip that runs all the way down the back?

08 October 2010

The Brabus Smart


It looks like a Smart car but the quality hits you in the eye. It's a Brabus Smart.

Brabus is a German high-performance aftermarket tuning company which specializes in Mercedes-Benz and Smart cars, turning them into amazing creatures. This one poses in Port Hercule.

07 October 2010

Ladies who Lunch...


...at Quai des Artistes on the port.

06 October 2010

The Lanvin Windows


The Lanvin windows on Casino Square.

Always fascinating.

05 October 2010

Time for a Coffee Break


I'm bored with the Monaco Yacht Show photos so let's go have a croissant and coffee at the Café de Paris. If you ask for a croissant, you get two because they are small - and delicious.

We'll probably pop back to the Yacht Show from time to time as I took loads of pics but 'time out' for the moment.

04 October 2010

Monaco Yacht Show - and then it rained


Rain at the Monaco Yacht Show. Fortunately it didn't last long.

03 October 2010

Monaco Yacht Show - the Coffee Table Boat


This display is on a low table inside one of the tents. The boat doesn't move but the wake does (or appears to) - you get the feeling though that it is the boat that really is moving through water.

The illusion is fascinating.

02 October 2010

Monaco Yacht Show - How About Your Own Submarine?


No self-respecting super yacht owner can manage without its own submersible. These attracted a lot of attention at the Monaco Yacht Show. They are made by a company called U-Boat Warx in a variety of sizes from a one-man submersible to those carrying five people. Take a look at website or click on the video below.




01 October 2010

Monaco Yacht Show - Ohana


This month's Theme Day is 'graffiti' and whilst this isn't graffiti (but a child's drawing) it sort of fits the bill. The young daughter of the owner of this beautiful yacht at the Monaco Yacht Show drew this design - Ohana means 'family' in Hawaiian. Later, as you see, he had her drawing painted onto the yacht.

Ohana is 43 metres long and is for charter in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter. She's also for sale at $24 million.

To see how others around the world have interpreted today's theme please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.