Almost ready...

The stands are in place, the yachts are moored and the liners are arriving - it's almost Grand Prix time!

Automobile Club de Monaco

The Grand Prix of Monaco is organised by the Automobile Club, whose windows display photos of past winners. There is a Ferrari engine on display as well as various trophies. The Club itself, provided you are a member, is a great place to go for lunch. Almost like an English Gentleman's Club and really good, cheap food too. I've eaten there a couple of times when I've been lucky enough to have been invited to lunch by a member of the Club.

Princess Grace Rose Garden - 2

Let's get away from the chaos of Grand Prix preparations and take a walk in the Princess Grace Memorial garden. It's the right time of year now - the roses are blooming and not a marked leaf or a greenfly in sight. This is just one corner. I'll show more another day.

Cage of steel

Grand Prix preparations have been going on for weeks and the stands and barriers are still being put up. This is shot just before the Start Finish line. You can only cross the roads in a few places where special gates have been left open. For the three days which include the trials and the race itself, you cannot take a car out of a garage without a special permit that has to be applied for in advance. Then you can only drive at certain times. Otherwise, you are stuck. That's it. Monaco is surrounded by a steel cage. I took these photographs yesterday and we still have ten days to go. I'll show more over the next few days.

Here you see gates that will eventually close down the pedestrian street of Monaco.

And here is how you walk from the pedestrian street to the supermarket or the bank or wherever you want to go.

Heart attack!

If you've got to have a heart attack, then have it in Monaco. You'll find these machines all over the place - or rather the person who saves your life will. This was taken facing the port - on the left you can just see a part of the stands up and ready for the Grand prix which takes place on the last Sunday of this month.

An orchid for my lady

There is a small street in Monte Carlo, Avenue des Beaux Arts, which is known as the most expensive shopping street in the Principality. It's jammed with THE most expensive shops, Yves St. Laurent etc and in the midst of the designer shops is a wondrous flower shop. Here is just one of their offerings. Some orchid...

Up we go...

There is an enormous carpark below the casino gardens - it goes down many many levels into the bowels of the earth, with exits and entrances on each corner. This is the escalator that brings you out just by the Café de Paris. The escalator doesn't move until you step on it and then, off you go. Escalators and lifts get everything moving in Monaco - ease from one level to another - although in this case it's simply to get out of the car park. There is a beautiful indoor garden just before this moving staircase. As I've perhaps said before, all parking in Monte Carlo is free for the first hour.

Hôtel de Paris - 2

The entrance to the prestigious Hôtel de Paris, which is on Casino Square and just by the casino itself. Good place to stay for the Grand Prix although doubtless fully booked long ago. Perhaps the doorman should get off his portable telephone and clean the hotel car! Or perhaps he'll calling a minion to do just that. You'll find a 'longer' shot of the hotel here.

Let's go shopping, girls!

Monte Carlo has shops - believe me, it has shops! Here's just one - this is on a corner, right by the Winter Sporting and Cinema and across from the Casino and casino gardens.

Police Station!

Here's the answer to yesterday question! As you can see the building is a police station. Well done to Aigars Bruvelis from Riga, Latvia Daily Photo, who got it right. And welcome to the DP family, Aigars.

What building is this?

Yesterday, we had a building that was perhaps too pretty for a bank. Today we've got this unusual looking building which is located on the corner of Casino Square, adjoining the Casino gardens. Can anyone guess what it's used for? Tomorrow I'll post a photo of the whole building and then you'll see. Clue: it's a public building.

How pretty is YOUR bank?

Isn't this a pretty bank? I suppose it doesn't matter where we put our money - or our overdraft - but I'd think it would be rather nice to have it in a building like this. Mind you, you have to be a Monaco citizen or resident to have an account in Monaco OR (I believe) be in a position to deposit a specific (it's large!) sum of money to open an account. This building faces the casino gardens - in other words it's opposite the casino itself with the beautiful gardens in between. The building you see at the back - it's just peeking above the building is the Millefiore, the tallest building in Monte Carlo.

Vroom Vroom...

Yes, it's coming up to that time of year, folks. Monaco Grand Prix. Everywhere you walk you find fenced off areas, barriers are being put up, raised seating is being erected. Here you see seating being installed opposite the casino - this is the north side of Casino Square. Cars will whizz past these stands en route to Lowe's Hotel, which isn't Lowe's Hotel anymore but everyone knows the bend by that name. The second photo shows the road that goes down to Lowe's.

When visitors come to stay, I always give them the Vroom Vroom tour. In other words, I drive the full course of the Monaco Grand Prix, starting and finishing at the Start/Finish line - bien sûr - and with accompanying Vroom Vroom noises!

Emerging Continents

Monaco seems to have almost as many statues as it does policemen. This creation is situated in the gardens of Fontvieille and is by the sculptor, Blake. You can see more of his work here.

Emerging Continents was created in 1990 and inspired by "global events of 1989 in divided Germany; in barricaded Tiannamen Square, China; in Africa and Asia, fired Blake’s compassion into imagination and action, producing this representation of these emerging Continents. They are emerging from, or trapped by, the stone that represents their history and echoes their future. Their portraits depict repression and rebellion and the work plays on the distinction between treason and revolution."

A Tree grows in ...Fontvieille

This tree, with its resident pigeons and doves, is in the gardens near to the circus tent - gardens that adjoin the Princess Grace Memorial Rose Garden. Does anyone know what tree this is? It's not a competition - I don't know either! Just curious. Isn't it interesting how the birds space themselves out on the branches?

Larvotto Plage at Dusk (2)

This is the other end of Larvotto Beach (see yesterday's post) - here you see the sunbeds and umbrellas ready for the next day's sun worshippers.

Larvotto Plage at dusk

I love the beach at dusk. Here you see the new Monte Carlo Bay Hotel in the background and to the right is the Summer Sporting, where you'll find Jimmy'z, the well-known nightclub.

Little red train

Many cities have a tourist train - here is Monaco's whizzing along the Boulevard Princesse Grace. Read more here.

Monthly Theme Day: City Exchange - Platja d'Aro, Spain

It could almost be Monte Carlo although the beach doesn't look right, does it? In fact it's a beach in Spain near to Girona. I thought you might like to see a bunch of Old English Sheepdogs in a City not my own. 150 dogs had gathered for the Euro-OES-Show from 21 different countries. The show is held in a different European country each year. Here you see the Danish contingent, posing on the beach just before getting onto their coach for the long journey back to Copenhagen.
Woof woof to you all!

Please visit these other cities taking part in today`s theme:

Rome, Italy -
Singapore, Singapore -
Tenerife, Spain -
Rotterdam, Netherlands -
London, UK -
Montréal (QC), Canada -
Melbourne, Australia -
Naples (FL), USA -
Bastia, France -
Hong Kong, China -
Mazatlan, Mexico -
Buenos Aeres, Argentina -
Manila, Philippines -
Arradon, France -
Madison (WI), USA -
Evry, France -
Seoul, Korea -
Shanghai, China -
Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia -
Sequim (WA), USA -
Singapore, Singapore -
Budapest, Hungary -
Baziège, France -
Hamburg, Germany -
Toruń, Poland -
Nelson, New Zealand -
Madison (WI), USA -
Vantaa, Finland -
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -
Mainz, Germany -
Dubai, UAE -
Saint Paul (MN), USA -
Cork, Ireland -
Stockholm, Sweden -
Menton, France -
Tel Aviv, Israel -
Albuquerque (NM), USA -
Kitakami, Japan -
Stayton (OR), USA -
Szentes, Hungary -
Stavanger, Norway -
Grenoble, France -
Villigen, Switzerland -
Paris, France -
Hyde, UK -
Moscow, Russia -
Joplin (MO), USA -
Jakarta, Indonesia -
Greenville (SC), USA -
Cape Town, South Africa -
Asheville (NC), USA -
Seattle (WA), USA -
Kyoto, Japan -
Tokyo, Japan -
Madrid, Spain -
Auckland, New Zealand -
Oulu, Finland -
Lubbock (TX), USA -
Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina -
Baton Rouge (LA), USA -
Sydney, Australia -
Maple Ridge (BC), Canada -
Vancouver, Canada -
Seattle (WA), USA -
Selma (AL), USA -
Chandler (AZ), USA -
Sharon (CT), USA -
Manila, Philippines -
Lyon, France -
New York City (NY), USA -
Los Angeles (CA), USA -
Brookville (OH), USA -
Hayle, UK -
Wailea (HI), USA -
Saarbrücken, Germany -
San Diego (CA), USA -
Boston (MA), USA -
Saint Louis (MO), USA -
Cypress (TX), USA

National Museum of Automatons and Dolls of Yesteryear

This is the entrance to the musuem - a fascinating world of automats and dolls of yesterday in period costume presented in showcases containing miniature furniture and everyday items, thus recreating the sophisticated atmosphere of the XIXth century. This was just what Madelaine de Galéo had in mind when she put together this collection, which is housed in a splendid campanile villa designed by Charles Garnier, the architect responsible for the Paris and Monte Carlo opera houses. The automats are demonstrated to the public several times a day. Prepare to be entranced at this website.