Jacaranda

The Casino Garden boasts many spectacular and rare trees but at the moment, none create shade and catch the eye quite like the beautiful jacarandas.

The Lady and the Queen

An attractive lady photographs Regina - a 2005 sculpture by the Spanish artist, Manolo Valdés - part of an exhibition of his monumental heads in the Casino Gardens. The blue tree is a Jacaranda.

There is an absolutely beautiful sculpture of Queen Mariana, by Manolo Valdés, below the Opera House. Click on the link.

The Tiger

'Tiger' guards the Monte Carlo Bay Resort & Hotel.

Created by the Croatian-born sculptor, Mornar, you can read more about the artist by clicking on the link.

Dames/Femmes

This is the Ladies/Women's loo at the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel.

In the smaller photograph someone has crossed out Femmes and written Dames. A dame being a lady, and a femme being a woman. What is even more surprising is that no one in the hotel has cleaned it up.

So which should it be?

Larvotto Beach - the Jazz Lounge at La Note Bleue

La Note Bleue is not only a beach restaurant but also a Jazz Lounge at night - you see a small part of it here. The ambiance is superb. And always beautiful fresh flowers.

The friendly servers we saw a couple of days ago work here.

Larvotto Beach - the Furniture Painter

You don't expect to see furniture for sale on the beach, do you?

If you get bored with bronzing yourself, you can find all sorts of interesting things to buy for your house or apartment. And you can even watch the furniture being painted. You'll find these delights near to La Spiaggia, which is the end of the beach nearest to the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel.

A couple of days ago, Diederick from Arona Every Day visited Monaco and I had the great pleasure of meeting him and his son and daughter-in-law. Do click on the link to take a look.

Larvotto Beach - La Note Bleue

Meet David and Sandra, two of the friendly servers at La Note Bleue, the beach restaurant and Jazz Lounge on Larvotto Beach.

Larvotto Beach - the Parasols

We're back at Larvotto Beach. A cruise ship is out at sea. Tables are being prepared for lunch at the Miami Plage restaurant.

Toys for Boys

If you own a mega yacht, it seems you own a Ferrari. This one was parked alongside one of the big yachts. The tyre looks brand new, doesn't it?

Men at Work

Crew members move cushions from one end of this boat to the other.

No Day Work

If you walk alongside the yachts in port, you'll see notices on most of the entry-phones: Fully Crewed. No Day Work.

Click to see more of the Lady Lola.

Grand Prix - Truth

The Grand Prix wouldn't be the Grand Prix without a plethora of pretty girls.

Here's one who was working on one of the many stalls selling Grand Prix memorabilia. She was friendly and smiling yet in this photograph she looks pensive, with a quiet dignity. Photographs are so much of the moment - the instant we press that button, aren't they? Do they tell the truth or not?

Grand Prix - Turquoise on the Red Carpet

One of the many stands in the pedestrian street where the vendor is getting ready for Practice Day.

Grand Prix - What's wrong?

Alright, not the greatest photo, I agree, but there is something wrong in this first photo.

We are in Monaco, yet the policeman is French. The smaller photograph shows you a Monaco policeman.

The French policeman told me he (and others) had been called in to help during Grand Prix week. I think he was enjoying himself on the streets of Monaco.

Grand Prix - the Dummies

At Grand Prix time even the dummies in the windows wear ear protection. We're in Rue Grimaldi, which is primarily a shopping street. The reflections though show shutters and balconies from apartments above the shops.

Grand Prix - the Tyre Movers

During a break between practice sessions, suddenly the track got busy with snakes of tyres being towed from the Pit Lane and along part of the track. Each team had a different colour vehicle with guys holding onto the tyres to prevent them falling off.

Watching the Grand Prix: 7 - be a Marshal

Of course I'm kidding. These marshals are highly trained and I doubt they get to see much of the Grand Prix, as they'd need to be totally vigilant in their work at every second. It's also dangerous.

There are 650 marshals at the Monaco Grand Prix. The ones you see here (taken on the Thursday during a break between practice) are known as Chefs de Poste. There are also Commmissaires au feu, Commissaires de signalisation and Commissaires d'intervention. The ones you see here, I believe, are the ones who would quickly remove a crashed car by hooking it up to one of the many cranes around the track, allowing the race to continue as soon as possible.

These marshals are sitting alongside a statue on the edge of the port of Louis Chiron, the Monegesque Gentleman Driver, a major part of Bugatti's history. Please click on the link to read about this legendary man.

There are other ways of watching the Grand Prix and I don't have special photographs - from one of the hotels, for instance, and also from a restaurant. I read in Nice-Matin that seats at one of the port restaurants were available at 650 euros a head.

Tomorrow - more shots of Monaco at Grand Prix time.

Watching the Grand Prix: 6 - from a Yacht

The smaller photographs shows how close some of the yachts are to the track - others are a little further away and then, presumably, you'd need a pretty big boat to see what is going on.

(Thanks very much to Rick from Manhattan Beach, California for the following information)

The biggest boat in the photograph belongs to Flavio Briatore, owner of the Renault team and is called Force Blue.

To the left is Georgio Armani's yacht, My Mariu apparently no longer used by him as he's bought another and it's up for sale. Click on the links to see more details of these yachts.

Watching the Grand Prix: 5 - from a Balcony or a Rooftop

It can cost a small fortune to rent a terrace or roof top for the three days of the Grand Prix but certainly it would be one of the best ways to see it. Sit back, be waited on, sip champagne and just indulge yourself.

As I mentioned the other day, it was reported in Nice-Matin that takings for balconies was down around 50% this year due to the financial crisis. As many balconies are rented privately, not via agents tho, I'm not sure how they can be sure of their percentage.

Theme Day: Feet

It's the first of the month and so Theme Day once again in the City Daily Photo community.

Today's theme is 'feet' and here you see the feet on a beautiful sculpture you'll find at the lower entrance to Monaco's railway station. It's called 'Fraternita' and was given to the late Prince Rainier in 1999 on the 50th anniversary of his reign by GLI Italiani di Monaco. The sculptor is Sauro Cavallini. (Please click on the smaller photo to see the sculpture enlarged).

To see how others have interpreted this Theme do click here to view thumbnails for all participants. You will find many great images to delight you.

Watching the Grand Prix: 4 - from the Hillside

Yes, you can watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the hillside if you don't mind being a little uncomfortable. This is below le Rocher. As you can see, a great view as the drivers negotiate Rascasse or pull into the Pit Lane. I thought this was a free area until Ed corrected me. Apparently it costs around 70 euros to sit here. Thanks Ed.

Once again, apologies for lack of good photographs - it was a muggy ol' day and this was taken from a great distance.

Watching the Grand Prix: 3 - from the ACM Extension - again

Here's a few zooms onto the Automobile Club of Monaco's extension. A bit grainy - I was a long way away.

The girl in the red cap is one of several working there - all dressed the same.

In the last photo, note the glass of champagne on the rail - hope he doesn't knock it off!

Watching the Grand Prix: 2 - from the ACM Extension

The structure (you see all of it in the smaller photograph) is the Automobile Club of Monaco's extension. This is put up each year for members of the ACM to watch the race but is also available for visiting ex-racing drivers and presumably for anyone who is lucky enough to have been given a ticket.

We'll see a little more of this tomorrow.

Watching the Grand Prix: 1 - from the Stands

You can watch the Grand Prix from so many different places. Here's the first - from one of the many stands.

Tomorrow: More ways to watch the Grand Prix.

(Photos taken at Thursday's practice session.)

Grand Prix - the Crowds

Crowds - you can't avoid them in Monaco at Grand Prix time. This was taken on Thursday practice day so you can be sure by Sunday - race day - you'd hardly be able to move. All part of the fun as the excitement builds. Here we are in the pedestrian street, Rue Princesse Caroline, looking towards Port Hercule.

Grand Prix - Lewis Hamilton & the Pit Lane

Alright I know these are very small figures but you can just see Lewis Hamilton walking in between the dotted lines. I was an awful long way away. If you watched the race you'll remember that Jenson Button parked his car in the pit lane in error and then had to run all the way along the road in front of the port to the Start/Finish line and Prince Albert. Well I took this from that distance - ie the Start/Finish line - so my little Lumix did pretty well.

In the smaller photo you see the Pit Lane, bottom right with people walking on it. Opposite is one of the stands with an enormous screen at the end showing the race. Behind some of the smaller boats. (This photograph was taken on Thursday during the Practice session).