Monte Carlo Weekly Photo

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!

08 August 2009

Lady on Bench

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

It's been a while since we had a Monte Carlo lady, so here's a pretty one on the Rue Princesse Caroline which is the pedestrian street leading up from the port. This street has benches in various places all the way up, so there's a usually somewhere to sit and chat.

07 August 2009

Parade of Eagles - 'S.O.S. Ecology'

This eagle, by Avi Kenan, is called 'S.O.S.Ecology.'

The artist was the winner in his category in the 'Eco Art Parade.'

06 August 2009

Parade of Eagles - 'Yiskaago'

This eagle flies above the pond in the Casino Gardens. It's by the artist François Maurin and is called 'Yiskaago.'

Interestingly, in the first photo, the eagle is facing one way and then, went I went back to photograph it again, it was facing the other.

05 August 2009

The Child and the Dachshund

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

In June we met a real Monte Carlo Dog, a tiny chihuahua, all dressed up in pink and owned by the owner of an art gallery in the Winter Sporting. That day in the gallery, I photographed this wonderfully effusive and adorable child with her 5 month old dachshund puppy called Titta. They were in gallery because her mother was helping the owner with the vernissage. They live in Genoa, along the Ligurian coast in Italy.

04 August 2009

The Palace Guards

Honor, Loyalty and Devotion to Duty is the motto on the flag of the Palace Guards, a group created in 1817 to provide 24-hour security for the Palace, royal residences, the Sovereign Prince and his family.

The Guard is composed of 3 Officers, 15 Sergeant-majors and 80 Privates, all highly trained French military men. It has been reorganized several times since its inception and in January 1904 Prince Albert I renamed them "COMPAGNIE DES CARABINIERS DU PRINCE".

These are the Guards one sees each day promptly at 11:55 AM in front of the royal entrance on the Palace Square performing the ceremony of the Changing of the Guards. This tradition is performed in full dress uniform, black in the winter and white in the summer, and has not changed for more than 100 years. But this ceremony is only one of the many duties of the Palace Guards. They escort religious and civil and ceremonial processions; and ensure security for sports and other public events in the Principality.

03 August 2009

The Players

What game are these two playing? They throw something (dice, coins?) on to what looks like a book? If any one knows, do leave a comment and I'll include it here.

The players sit in a little niche outside the Quai Des Artistes restaurant on the far side of Port Hercule, just before Stars n Bars.

02 August 2009

Night: the Cupola

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Let's stay in a 'night' mood after yesterday's Theme Day.

It took me a while to find out what this building is, so beautifully adorned by an interesting cupola. Well, I'm told it's a bank. Perhaps it wasn't originally a bank but hey, this is Monaco, so who knows? The photo was taken from the terrace of the Hôtel Hermitage looking down on Port Hercule and the area of Monaco called La Condamine. You can see the Palace on Le Rocher in the background.

01 August 2009

Theme Day: Night - Girls' Night Out

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

It's the first of the month and as always it's Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. Today's theme is Night and this is a Girls' Night Out in Cap d'Ail, which adjoins Monaco. They are eating at Le Cabanon, a great little restaurant right on the rocks at the beach - very simple, great food.

To see how other bloggers in our world-wide City Daily Photo community have interpreted this theme - and I promise you there will be endless delights - please click here to view thumbnails for all participants

31 July 2009

Parade of Eagles - 'Love your Life'

This eagle is called 'Love your Life' and is by artist, Gitte Peters. It stands in the Casino Gardens.

30 July 2009

Parade of Eagles - 'Why?' again...

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

This is another shot of yesterday's eagle. Just loved how the little girls, dressed in white, are enjoying this sculpture. Please click on THIS LINK to read about Eric Brocchi, the artist, or simply look at yesterday's post.

29 July 2009

Parade of Eagles - 'Why?'

The Parade of Eagles is on the theme of ecology and the environment and in particular it speaks of the Bonelli eagle which is about to disappear in this region.

Today's eagle, displayed in the Casino Gardens, is called 'Why?' and is by Gorbio artist, Eric Brocchi. Gorbio is the village where I live and you can see Gorbio on Menton Daily Photo today.

Do click on Eric Brocchi's website to see him working on the eagle. It's fascinating.

28 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - "L'Aigle de la Paix''

This sculpture in the Casino Gardens is by Anna Chromy and is called The Eagle of Peace.

27 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - 'Giving Wings - the Protector'

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Soaring high above the Casino Gardens, this is 'Giving Wings - the Protector' by Zivo.

26 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - 'Hawkology'

25 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - Cartier's 'Eagle Eye'

What is so interesting about this year's display in Monaco is that it's not only in the Casino Gardens, but is all over the Principality. In addition, whilst all the eagles have been decorated by artists, some, like this one, have been decorated by a commercial company. Here you see 'Eagle Eye' decorated by the Studio de Creation of Cartier, the jewellers and displayed outside their Monte Carlo shop. You'll note, being Cartier, the diamond eye (well, alright, perhaps not a real diamond).

24 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - 'Unchain my Heart'

Outside the casino and getting a lot of attention from the visitors, is 'Unchain my Heart' by Fanny Blanchlande.

All 55 eagles will be auctioned at the end of the exhibition in October - profits go to Prince Albert's Foundation.

23 July 2009

Parade of the Eagles - Buzz Aldrin 1969

There's an exhibition of 55 decorated eagles throughout the Principality. There are four different shapes that the various artists could choose from - ie flying, standing, etc.

This one is called 'The Eagle has Landed' - Buzz Aldrin 1969 - on the Moon. The artist is Patrice Borrello.

If I'd been concentrating I'd have put this particular eagle on Monte Carlo Daily Photo two days ago - ie the 40th anniversary of those first footsteps on the moon. Buzz Aldrin himself will be in Monaco on Monday the 27th July where he will be guest of honour at a party organised by Prince Albert.

22 July 2009

Gustave Eiffel's Cupola

This is the beautiful cupola of the Winter Garden in the Hotel Hermitage - designed by no less than Gustave Eiffel of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris.

21 July 2009

The Winter Garden

This is the Winter Garden of the beautiful Belle Epoque Hôtel Hermitage. Tomorrow, the cupola.

20 July 2009

Driving Shoes?

About time we had a Monte Carlo lady so here are two for good measure. Two pretty ladies outside the Hôtel de Paris so naturally they get a doorman each.

I want to know how she drives in those high heels?

Tour de France update - yesterday saw Alberto Contador make his move and he looks unbeatable. Lance Armstrong is in second place, Bradley Wiggins is third. Today is a rest day - I need it!

Here is a fascinating article from the New York Times on what the riders eat on the Tour. Thanks so much for Kate from Visual St. Paul for sending it to me.

19 July 2009

Modigliani?

Made of tiny mosaic tiles, is this a copy of a Modigliani or an original work, in his style? It decorates the terrace of a restaurant, Quai des Artistes, along one side of the port.

Tour de France update: The main positions haven't changed much. However yesterday Mark Cavendish was disqualified for apparently edging a competitor into the barriers at the end of the race. The commentators, looking at it from an aerial shot, said the road simply narrowed. Am sure there will be an appeal by the Columbia team.

And awful news - a woman spectator was killed and two others injured, by a police motorbike. The leading group of riders passed through her village and suddenly she ran across the road, before the pelaton had arrived, and the bike hit her. Too awful.

18 July 2009

Lavinia's Shoe

I met Lavinia's shoe at a lunch party in Beaulieu. It's a very Monte Carlo shoe, don't you think?

We've left the Tour de France for the moment, although it continues of course. If anything happens that relates to any photos I have, of course I'll post them. Yesterday two riders got shot with pellets - not seriously hurt but not nice! Police are investigating.