Classic Week - Happy 100th Birthday to Mariquita

Mariquita (Ladybird in Spanish), is a 38 metre gaff cutter and is the only survivor of this class of racing yacht, which disappeared after the Great War. This year she is 100 years old. From 1911 to 1913, Mariquita raced 69 times, winning 35 regattas - no small feat. After the war she went to Norway, was renamed Maud IV, then came back across the North Sea in 1924 to sail under the flag of her new co-owners: Sir Edward Illife and Alan Messer. Then, in 1939, Mariquita's history took a dramatic turn - once again she was sold and literally dismembered and remained for more than fifty years in a boathouse. She was saved from her Pin Mill mud berth in 1991. Restored by Fairlie Restoration, and launched again in 2004, Mariquita immediately took up racing in line with her glorious past and successes.

It takes a dozen strong sailors to haul Mariquita's 500-pound gaff to the top of the mainmast, dragging hundreds of pounds of sailcloth up with it. (see first photo) Today Mariquita is rigged with synthetic fiber rope, but otherwise the yacht is sailed just as she was when she left the Scottish shipyard of William Fife & Sons in 1911.

Classic Week at Port Hercule

Monaco's fabulous Classic Week started yesterday - real boats that sail...

We'll take a closer look over the next few days.

Bang Bang

You'll find this wonderful old cannon on the promenade overlooking the port of St. Jean.

Wedding at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - Waiting

A young wedding guest sits at the base of the war memorial outside the Mairie, waiting for the ceremony to be over.

Wedding at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

There were two weddings in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on Saturday - maybe more - I saw two. This one was a relaxed affair with standing room only. It took place at the Mairie (Town Hall) - such a pretty building.

A peek through the window (last pic) shows one of the dignitaries who presided over the ceremony.

Breakfast at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrrat

Baguette, Nice-Matin, a cigarette - taking home breakfast in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Colour in La Turbie

'Man needs colour to live; it's just as necessary an element as fire and water.' ~ Fernand Leger

La Turbie - Reflections

Reflections in a restaurant window in La Turbie.

Ayrton Senna's McLaren

Not often you see a Formula One car in Monaco, except during the Grand Prix of course. Here's a very special one. This is Ayrton Senna's McLaren in which he won the 1993 Monaco Grand Prix. It's on display in the new McLaren showroom on Avenue Princesse Grace.

I photographed it through the window, hence the reflection of palms and then saw the door was open so was able to get up close and personal.

Scene at Dusk

Early evening on the forecourt of the Grimaldi Forum. The light is fading fast although the sun still shines on Cap Martin in the distance.

And a small boy does what small boys do...

Watersport

Parasailing off Larvotto Beach - have you done this?

The View From...

From the Jardin Exotique you are looking down on much of Monaco.

Sign of the Times

The creation is called Le Signe du Temps and is by sculptor, André Bücher. It stands below the Grimaldi Forum and was given to Prince Rainier III on the occasion of his Jubilee in 2002 by the Swiss community in Monaco.

Touched by the Sun

Night falls over Port Hercule but the sun still touches an enormous cruise ship out at sea. She's too big to enter port, too big to tie up to the relatively new pontoon.

In the smaller photo, another ship spews black smoke as she leaves that pontoon - onward to new playgrounds.

These were taken from the Jardin Exotique - the cacti and succulent garden way above the port and Fontvieille. In the distance you see Cap Martin and beyond that - Italy.

The Old Gateway

This is one of the gateposts at the top on the long slope that takes you up to the rocher. The tiny roof has such an appealing shape, don't you think? - and note the plants growing out the old weathered bricks.

Joana Vasconcelos - Marilyn's Perspective

Outside the exhibition at Pavillion Bosio you'll find Joana Vasconcelos' high heeled shoe inspired by Marilyn Monroe and made entirely of stainless steel saucepans and lids. This enormous shoe rather messes up our idea of perspective, don't you think...

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

Joana Vasconcelos 'Fairytale' - Loft

It might be a little difficult to display Joana Vasconcelos' art in your living room.

Here she uses lace, crochet, knitting, plastic and leather to create her bizarre range of strange objects. In the last photo, you see ancient pieces of fabric from Portugal where she now lives and works.

'Vasconcelos' sculptures and installations reflect feminine sexuality, the role of women, and the consumer society.'

This is part of an installation called 'Loft.'

Joana Vasconcelos 'Fairytale' - Fruitcake

The Monaco Project for the Arts (MPA) summer exhibition is currently on at the Pavillion Bosio on le rocher. Called 'Fairytale' the works are by Joana Vasconcelos, an artist born in Paris in 1971 and now living in Portugal.

Two students from the Ecole Superieure d'Arts Plastiques (Monaco's Art School) worked with the artist for three months to create some of the works.

This one is called fruitcake and absolutely fills one of the rooms.

You can read more about the art of Joana Vasconcelos HERE.

The Bosio Pavillion

This is the Bosio Pavillion, part of the Art School in Monaco. It's on the rocher and is named after Francois-Joseph Bosio, who was the premier sculptor of the Emperor Napoleon. Bosio was born in Monaco in 1768.

La Turbie - Street Sign

Don't you love the carved street names...

La Turbie - Ancient Gateway

A 13th century entrance and gateway in La Turbie - charming, apart from the graffiti.

La Turbie - Climbing the Stairs

Ever wondered why the old people live so long in France? Maybe it's the good food and red wine. I think it's all the walking up steep stairs to their homes. Imagine living here and knowing that everything you need has to be lugged up and further up.

It would keep your heart well exercised, wouldn't it?

La Turbie - Pick up after your Dog!

This poster, fixed to an old gate, says 'Me too, I love clean sidewalks when I'm rolling.' You'll see many posters like this in towns and villages, encouraging people to clean up after their dogs. Quite right!

La Turbie - the Walk

'When I walk with you I feel as if I had a flower in my buttonhole.'

~ William Makepeace Thackeray

La Turbie - Take a length of rope...

Take a rope and an old log and you have a great game. This hidden corner in La Turbie has been transformed into a children's play area.

An improvement on video games, wouldn't you say?

La Turbie - Sun and Shade

It's incredibly hot in Monaco at the moment. In fact, the French Riviera is under a 'canicule' (heatwave) watch - which means everyone needs to check on any elderly neighbour at least twice a day to make sure they are alright and importantly drinking enough fluids. There is also a speed restriction on the autoroutes which is an attempt to lessen air pollution.

And so let's leave the coast and drive up to La Turbie, slightly cooler and certainly less humid.