Waiting for the bus

This beauty has two wheelies and an enormous flat package and is waiting for a bus that probably never arrived.  The reason?  Later I saw her at the bus stop on the other side of the road ... still waiting.

Cathedral by night

Monaco's cathedral at night.  This is where HSH Prince Rainier III and HSH Princess Grace are buried.

The Christmas Village - Nougat

If you like nougat, look no further.  Here you'll find every flavour you can imagine and cut for you freshly whilst you wait. 

The Christmas Village - Jazz and Blues

Music for sale ...

The Christmas Village - Bored?

Bored? Tired perhaps?

The Christmas Village - in a bauble

The Christmas village in a bauble.

The Christmas Village - Chocolate Marshmallows

On sale at the Christmas Village - twisty chocolate marshmallows.

The Christmas Village - Snowman!

Suddenly the village was invaded by a posse
of live snowmen! All happy to stop and pose for a photo.

The Palace and Happy 2014!

The Prince's Palace on le rocher.  Wishing you all a happy and peaceful and healthy 2014. Thanks so much for all the kind and encouraging comments on my photos over the last year (blogs and Facebook). It means a lot to me.. Thank you!

The Christmas Village - Something for everyone

At Monaco's Christmas Village on Port Hercule there is something for everyone.  You can eat, drink, go on rides, buy gifts or simply meet up with friends for a good time.

The Christmas Village - Fast Food

Fast food - French style. And lots of Nutella!

Not sure why Santa Claus is wearing a pair of shorts and playing a guitar!

The Christmas Village - Food and Drink

This is the food section of Monaco's Christmas village on Port Hercule. Choose from one of the many food and drink stalls, find a bench and enjoy.

A Walk on 'le rocher'

This was taken on le rocher - the palace is behind me and this couple are walking towards the barrier where they'll look down on the glorious view of Port Hercule and the yachts with the Christmas village and ice-rink alongside.

I couldn't decide if I liked it better in colour or black and white - so here are both!

Iced Over

Dusk over the swimming pool on Port Hercule which has been transformed into an ice rink for Christmas.  You see the yachts in the background and on the right is 'le rocher' where you find the cathedral and the palace.

The Christmas Village

 The delight of a child at the Christmas village on Port Hercule.

The Palace at Christmas

The Prince's Palace at Christmas. 

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone.

Casino at Christmas

The Casino last night. Happy Christmas everyone!

Lunch in Eze

Christmas lunch with friends in Eze. Bon appetit!

Fontvieille Harbour

A part of Fontvieille harbour.  Yesterday was glorious.  Today - so far - rain. The buildings you see are on land reclaimed from the sea.  The rockface above is known as the 'Head of the Dog.'

Converging

Converging at FNAC ...

Jean Michel Jarre's Aeroskull HD for iPhone

The Aeroskull HD is apparently what every well-dressed iPod or iPhone needs for Christmas! It's a speaker system with a dock for your device.  The sunglasses house the speakers. There are plus and minus signs on the two front teeth.

'Jarre Technologies, founded by the musical legend, Jean Michel Jarre has unveiled its latest speaker system, the Aeroskull HD iPhone 5 Bluetooth dock.  The Aeroskull features two 15 Watt speakers hidden behind sunglasses with an impressive 40 Watt Sub Woofer covering the whole of the back of the skull as well as 1% THD (Total Harmonic Distorsion), to deliver an uncompromising listening experience.'

The Aeroskull comes in 11 colours and costs 399 euros. Click link above to read more. I took these photos in FNAC in Monaco.

Art Nouveau in Monaco

The Art Nouveau entrance to the Café de Paris on Casino Square.  Reminiscent of those gorgeous entrances to some Paris metro stations.

Promenade

The promenade below the casino - looking towards Cap Martin, Menton and Italy.

Wibbly wobbly

Reflections at the port of Fontvieille.

Falling water

If you are getting fraught with preparations for Christmas, just sit and watch falling water. It helps ...

Anyone for tennis ...?

Anyone for tennis ...?

Christmas Lights

Conversation whilst sorting Christmas lights for this restaurant in the port of Fontvieille.

Café at the Metropole Centre

The café on the lower level of the Metropole centre is always buzzing with people taking their morning coffee or meeting friends for a light lunch. Meanwhile sales staff on the level above chat whilst they wait for customers.

Double Trouble

I can't resist photographing reflections - this is a lingerie shop in the Metropole centre. 

Bruce's Brute?

Look at this brute of a car parked by the boats in the port of Fontvieille.  Perhaps it belongs to Bruce Springsteen! - after all, it says 'Born in the USA' on the numberplate. 

I gather this is a Cadillac Hummer and can't imagine how the owner manages to manoeuvre it through the tiny streets in the south of France and parts of Monaco.

Two Men ...

You never know who you will run into at the shops in the port of Fontvieille.

Christmas - the Metropole

Christmas at the Metropole shopping centre.

Kermesse - Almond Tart

An almond tart for sale on the Greek stand at the Kermesse. 

Kermesse: Sally

The lovely Sally - tireless worker for the Kermesse and always with a smile on her face.

Kermesse - Legs

Cold weather gear in Monte Carlo.

Kermesse - Concentration

Don't you love the intense concentration on this lady's face.  She is working at the raffle table which raises a lot of money for charity with its Tombola and big Monaco-style prizes.  I don't know who she is but I think she looks a bit like Mary Berry, the lovely English cookery lady on television, don't you?

Kermesse - the Workers for Charity

The ladies who man (!) the stalls at the Kermesse work tirelessly for charity.  For weeks before the event they beg, borrow and steal (not really!) items for their stalls and then have to price them, pack them up and get them to the circus tent on the morning of the Kermesse.  Then they work non-stop all day selling, selling, selling and always they raise thousands for charity.

In these two photos, on one of the British Association of Monaco stalls (BAM) you see the ebullient Anne Batt and behind her, Caroline Casely.

Those of you who are regular followers of this Facebook page will know Anne and her wonderfully funny and ascerbic comments on the style - or lack of it - when I post pics of people.