30 September 2012

Light Refraction


This fountain is in the middle of the pond at the Parc Paysager de Fontvieille. See the colours to the left - almost rainbow colours caused no doubt by some light refraction I don't understand.

29 September 2012

Father Walter, Chaplain of Saint Paul's Anglican Church


Meet Father Walter Raymond, Chaplain of Saint Paul's Anglican Church in Monaco.  And of course, meet his little dog Sparky. This was taken at the recent vernissage of Blake's 'Angels' exhibition.

Click on the link to read about Father Walter, who is very much part of life in the ex-pat community of Monaco and is loved and appreciated by everyone. 

28 September 2012

Homage


This is a detail from the fountain that stands at the end of the Promenade de Larvotto, above the beach.   You can see it HERE (second photo)  It was created by Guy Lartigue in 1970 in homage to Princess Grace.

27 September 2012

Walled Garden


This building is in Fontvieille, opposite the port.  Almost a garden on a wall.  Note how the petunias have been chosen to blend with the curtains at the first window on the left.

26 September 2012

Monaco Yacht Club - the Dining Room


This is the dining room of the Monaco Yacht Club.  You have to be a member to dine here or you need to be invited by a member. 

Soon though the Monaco Yacht Club oves to its new building on the opposite side of the port - designed by Sir Norman Foster, no less.  Work in progress can be seen HERE.

25 September 2012

Rental Bikes


Looks like Stars 'n' Bars rent out bikes - or perhaps these are bikes rented elsewhere in Monaco. 

Nice bikes, aren't they?

24 September 2012

Break up the Blue


Everyone loves the blue skies of the French Riviera and Monaco but really a few clouds make it a lot more interesting ...

The large yacht (centre) is the Lady Moura. Click on link to see more. She's usually moored in the port (as here) but last week, like many of the permanent yachts in the port, she had to give up her berth for the Monte Carlo Yacht Show and so the bay has been choc-a-bloc with boats.

23 September 2012

Dinner with friends


Ambiance at Quai des Artistes on the port of Monaco.

22 September 2012

Manolo Valdés - Daphné


Manolo Valdés is a Spanish sculptor who normally creates monumental works.  This, though, is a small version - on display at the Marlborough Gallery. This small bronze is called Daphné and is made of bronze and iron.

21 September 2012

Half a Painting ...


A glimpse of a painting through some sort of structure - seen at the vernissage at the Marlborough Gallery.  I don't know the artist and presume the couple are in a gondola in Venice.

20 September 2012

The Marlborough Gallery - Chihuly


This beautiful vase by Dale Chihuly is on on display and for sale at the Marlborough Gallery on Port Hercule. The note alongside says 'Pine Green Soft Cylinder with Deep Blue Lip Wrap, 2002.  Soufflé Glass.

I've adored Chuhuly glass for years yet I've never actually seen any.  I've seen films about him on television- working with the glass blowers of Murano, his installations at Kew Gardens and in America, so to actually see one of his creations was an absolute treat. I can tell you up front and personal, it is absolutely beautiful.


19 September 2012

The Marlborough Gallery


The Marlborough Gallery on Port Hercule had an opening recently. It's a beautiful space in which to view art and to meet up with friends.

18 September 2012

Seafood on the Port


A restaurant at Port Hercule, luxury yachts a few metres away, low lighting, great atmosphere - platters of seafood at Quai des Artistes.  

17 September 2012

Red!


It's dusk and slowly the lights are coming on in Port Hercule ...

16 September 2012

Blake - the Veil


Although the majority of sculptures were from Blake's current 'Angels' collection, this sculpture is from an earlier collection called 'Re-think' which is dedicated to  the promotion of human rights.

Called 'The Veil' I love the way her shadows are displayed on the wall.


15 September 2012

Blake's Angels - Meet the Artist

 
Snapped at the 'vernissage' of Blake's 'Angels' collection.

Personally I think there should be a law against one man being so good looking, so charming and so talented!

Tomorrow: The Veil 



14 September 2012

Blake's Angels - Zuriel, the Angel of Harmony

 


Last night I was lucky enough to go to the 'vernissage' of Monaco-based sculptor, Blake's latest exhibition.  Canadian-born artist Blake works in clay to produce bronze and marble sculpture that are cast or carved in Italy.

His latest collection 'Angels' is  'based on the abstraction of surface and the investigation into the interior of the human form.'

The sculpture you see here is called 'Zuriel' who is the Angel of Harmony and encourages us to be sociable and appreciate beauty.

Tomorrow - we meet the artist.




13 September 2012

Larvotto Beach


This is Larvotto Beach taken from way up high. You can clearly see the black line of the protective jellyfish net.

The second photo shows more of the foreground. 

Remember the photo I took of patterns on the water - looked like coloured marble?   It was n fact a reflection of the building I'm currently standing in (19th floor). To take that photo I stood at the very end of the large 'T' breakwater that you see in the middle of the beach.

12 September 2012

A Day on the Water


A group taking off from the port of Fontvieille for a day on the water - perhaps scuba diving? 

In the smaller photo they are about to pass the Oceanographic Museum.

11 September 2012

The Heliport


We saw this area of Fontvieille the other day - the heliport landing pad in the distance.  Here's a  helicopter taking off for Nice airport - a great way to get there and back.

I understand you can check your baggage at the heliport and that's it. You don't see it again till you arrive at your final destination.

10 September 2012

The Ship and Castle



There are several British-style pubs in Monaco.  This is the Ship and Castle in the port of Fontvieille.  Look at the pub sign - as you see, it depicts exactly where it is - below le rocher where you find the palace.

In case you wonder why it's closed - well it was only 08h.30 in the morning ...




09 September 2012

Sky Walker


Rather him than me!  No health and safety here ... 

Note the stones on the lower part of the roof. You often see this on a roof in a hill village - we're in La Turbie today.  Normally though on an older roof than this one. Presumably to prevent tiles lifting off in high winds.

08 September 2012

Dante in La Turbie


Don't you just love that a verse from Dante's Divine Comedy is engraved on a wall in La Turbie? 

You see this near to the post office - before you enter the Medieval village.  It speaks of the difficulties in accessing the village long ago.  I found this translation:


'Twixt Lerici and Turbia, the most desert,
The most secluded pathway is a stair
Easy and open, if compared with that.'

The tourist office of La Turbie translates it as 'The most solitary and deserted road between Lerici and La Turbie is close to this one with large and easily climbed steps”.

Dante lived from 1265 - 1321 and this was the first literary mention of La Turbie.

The other inscription, just along from Dante's is taken 'from the itinerary of Antonin, that described La Turbie as the “Alp Summa”, where Italy ended and La Gaule commenced.'




07 September 2012

Pollution Forbidden!


We're in the village of La Turbie today - way above Monaco.

Let's hope the dog can read and if not, that his owner takes due note.  Normally small plastic bags are readily available from dispensers in the street although many dog owners carry doggy poop bags in small bone-shaped containers fixed to the dog's collar. 

I wonder why someone has written 'I love dollars' on the sign ...

06 September 2012

The Gold Bike



You'd expect the Billionaire Club to have a gold bike, wouldn't you?

interestingly it's electric - greatly encouraged in the Principality.  We saw it yesterday from the other side - remember the wobbly buildings ...


05 September 2012

Vroom vroom


Avenue Princesse Grace.  Vroom vroom and the buildings start to wobble ...

04 September 2012

Time to Wake Up!


Early morning in Fontvieille harbour.  These boats are tucked up against the rocks of 'le rocher' and about to wake up for the day.  Way up above them is the Palace, the Oceanographic Museum and the Cathedral.

03 September 2012

Lines


 In the distance, the heliport and the luxury apartments that border Cap d'Ail.  Behind us is the lighthouse we saw yesterday and steps that lead down to the port of Fontvieille. You often see people fishing along here.









02 September 2012

The 'Green' Lighthouse


It's probably not going to change your life to know that the lighthouse at the entrance to the port of Fontvieille is powered by solar energy but anyway here it is!

Many public vehicles in Monaco are electric - so this is all part of the 'green' environment that the Prince and Monaco advocate.

01 September 2012

People Watching ...


I was on a boat watching her. She was on another boat watching someone else ...

It's what we love to do on the Côte d'Azur and Monaco - people watch!  But then doesn't everyone everywhere?

This was taken at Plage Mala, Cap d'Ail.