'When the Sculptures Bloom' - Art amongst the Cacti

This work shows how beautifully art can be displayed amongst plants and in this case spikey cacti and succulents.

Once again, I don't know the artist - some of the work was displayed without this information.

'When the Sculptures Bloom' - Blake's 'Faith'

This beautiful sculpture stands near to the entrance of the Exotique Gardens and is by the well-known Monaco-based sculptor, Blake.

Do click on the link to see more of Blake's stunning work which comments on our human and spiritual condition. This piece; entitled "Faith" reflects on the loss of spiritual and religious conviction in our modern lives.

Blake is currently preparing a major exhibition of his work in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which runs from the 6 - 27 October 2011 at the Petley Jones Gallery. Click on the link for more details.

'When the Sculptures Bloom' - the Storks

Recently I was invited to the opening of an exhibition at the Exotique Gardens called 'When the Sculptures Bloom.'

Not all the sculptures were marked with the names of the artist so I don't know the name of the sculptor of these storks but they seem wonderfully at home under these exotic trees, don't they?

Hands Off!

One of the games that tourists love to play is to find an expensive car in Casino Square, lean back against it and have his or her photograph taken by a friend. I suppose they then go home and talk about 'their Mercedes, their Ferrari, their Porsche' - well, why not? We can all dream.

The man who owns this car obviously thinks otherwise and doesn't want sticky fingers on his car, thank you very much.

Of course I should be telling you what the car is. I'm not sure - it reminds me of a Jaguar E-Type a friend from long ago used to have - in fact I used to travel to the south of France in it but doubtless someone will tell me it isn't an E-type... Maybe the company Weismann does poshed-up Jags...

Monaco Yacht Show - The Instant Photographer, Nairi

It's the first of the month and so it's Theme Day - the subject: Mystery Object.

Meet Nairi (you can see this lovely lady properly in the last photo). She is working for one of the yacht companies, Jongert, taking photos of visitors at the Monaco Yacht Show. An interesting promotional gimmick and all great fun. All those bags and boxes strapped to her body are part of what produces a printed photo out of the lower right-hand receptacle. It took about a minute.

That's Nairi's photo of me in the smaller pic!

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

Monaco Yacht Show - Crew

I never did crew on a yacht when I was younger but often thought of doing it.

Did you?

Monaco Yacht Show - Still your Mind...

So many yachts, so much luxury - sometimes you can still your mind by looking at a reflection...and it all becomes a dream.

Note: the reflection was taken in THIS.

Monaco Yacht Show - Where's Johnny Depp?

On the way to the far side of the port to photograph Steven Spielberg's yacht, I noticed this pirate ship called Sadko.

Of course, she's not part of the Monaco Yacht Show and she's not even a genuine pirate ship. Perhaps there aren't any of those left?

She's a 30 metre authentic replica of a pirate schooner from the XVIth century.

So, where's Johnny Depp?

Monaco Yacht Show - Hats Off!

It was incredibly hot for the four days of the Monaco Yacht Show yet surprisingly very few ladies wore hats. Other that this lady in pink, the only hats I saw were of the baseball variety and worn by crew on the yachts.

Monaco Yacht Show - Boats on Boats

Boats on boats. In some cases, a model of a yacht, in others (see below) a toy for fun on the water.

Monaco Yacht Show - E.T.Come Home...

Steven Spielberg's yacht, the US$200 million Seven Seas, was on display this year.

She was moored way over the other side of the port near the Harbour Master. After fighting the crowds and heat to get there, I decided to take a boat back across the harbour. There are free shuttles all day to several pontoons around the show. The last photo was taken from the water.

Seven Seas is 86 metres long. She has an infinity pool with a 15-ft. glass wall that can also be used as a movie screen which means Mr. Spielberg can watch a movie and take a dip at the same time. There's also a helipad, a fully equiped gym, a spa, a massage room and an indoor cinema. The yacht accomodates 12 guests and 26 crew.

'E.T. come home...'

Monaco Yacht Show - the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé

This is a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé which was on display amongst the Burgess yachts.

The round building is the Hotel de Paris and the two steeple-like structures to the right, are part of the beautiful casino building.

Monaco Yacht Show - the Girls

Have you noticed how pretty girls, especially those with great legs, seem to go with Super Yachts...?

Monaco Yacht Show

The Monaco Yacht Show started yesterday - wall to wall luxury yachts, thousands of people, a perfect sunny day.

Some of the yachts are so big they reflect several smaller ones.

Classic Week - the Cruise Ship

Even Classic Week doesn't stop the massive great cruise ships arriving in Monaco. This is the Ruby Princess, her decks crammed with passengers getting their first view of Monte Carlo.

Classic Week - the Bubble Car, Audrey Hepburn & 'Monte Carlo Baby'

This BMW Isetta or Bubble Car as they came to be known is moored alongside a yacht that displays a poster for an Audrey Hepburn film. Look behind the car and you can see the poster. Presumably the car appeared in the film?

Monte Carlo Baby was made in English and in French (Nous irons à Monte-Carlo) and Audrey Hepburn, who spoke fluent French, was the only actor who appeared in both versions. It's one of the earliest films Audrey Hepburn made (1953) and on the set she met Colette, who suggested her for a role in the stage production of Gigi, leading to the film version and the rest, as they say, is history.

Classic Week - Hospitality

Organising Classic Week takes a lot of staff. Here we see some of those involved in hospitality at the Yacht Club of Monaco.

Classic Week - 'The Yarn of the Nancy Bell'

How about this! A poem on a piece of kit. 'The Yarn of the Nancy Bell' is a well-known ballad by Sir William Schwenck Gilbert written in 1866 and rejected by the editor of Punch as ‘too cannibalistic.’ It has often been compared to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.' (1798).

You can read the whole poem by clicking on the link, but here's a taste - pardon, the pun...


'And then we murdered the bo'sun tight,
And he much resembled pig;
Then we wittled free, did the cook and me,
On the crew of the captain's gig.'

Classic Week - Flying the Flag on 'Tuiga'

This crew member has climbed Tuiga's massive mast to fly the flag of the Monaco Yacht Club. Tuiga, who celebrated her 100th birthday two years ago, is owned by the Club. You can read about this gaff cutter, a beautiful maritime ambassador for the Principality - HERE. There is even a club in Monaco for her admirers called 'Spirit of Tuiga.'

In the photo below you can see how far the sailor has had to climb - not a job for the scaredy-cats amongst us...

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.