Kermesse - Books

Books - certainly the reason I go to the Kermesse - apart from it being a great social get-together with friends. Amongst the many stalls are two selling books: one with books in French and the other - the larger stall - has books in English. At the English book stall, as soon as one book is sold, there is another to replace it. The hardbacks were 2 euros this year and the paperbacks were, I think, 1 euro. Many people arrive with a bag of books (this is a charity after all) hand them over and then proceed to buy more.

You can see, behind the stall, one of the supports for the circus roof that you saw yesterday.

Tomorrow I'll show you how inexpensive food can be in Monte Carlo.

Kermesse - Le Chapiteau

This is the Big Top in Fontvieille. The Kermesse is held here each year, as is the dog show, the world-renowned circus competition, of course and all the big fairs. Fontvieille, which includes the apartment buildings you see, is built on land totally reclaimed from the sea. You can see the heliport - the flat white building. Menton and Italy are in the distance.

Tomorrow, we'll go back inside.

Kermesse - Paella

Here you see Prince Albert sitting down to paella with the various organisers of the Kermesse. Don't you love that here you see a Prince drinking out of a plastic cup and I'm pretty sure those bowls are plastic too. Personally, I have a lot of time for Prince Albert - his interests are sport, the environment, Aids charities and much more. He always has time for people. I watched him as he walked around the Kermesse, meeting and greeting people with time to spare and with real interest.

The gentleman in the foreground is Colonel Lamblin. He used to be the late Prince Rainier's Chamberlain and stayed on for a while to help Prince Albert. Now he is retired but as you see is clearly delighted to be spending time with the Prince again.

Kermesse - Prince Albert of Monaco

Each December, a Kermesse (charity bazaar) is held in the circus tent in Fontvieille. In aid of Saint Vincent de Paul, Saint Paul's Anglican Church, the Reform Church of Monaco, the British Association of Monaco, the Spanish community and the Greek Orthodox community, it's always a social occasion, particularly for the British community in Monaco. The circus tent is filled with stands selling old clothes (often designer clothes and you'd better believe it for 5 euros) - gifts for Christmas, English food for those that miss home, English books, French books - and later - lunch. We all stop for lunch (great food) and take over the tables that fill the centre of the tent.

Prince Albert visited every stall, spoke to all the participants, posed for endless photographs and then sat down and had lunch. Come back tomorrow and I'll show you what he ate and after that we'll take a look around the Kermesse - see what's for sale and meet a few people.

Yesterday was World Aids Day and you'll see Prince Albert is wearing the badge. His sister, Princess Stephanie, is President of Fight AIDS Monaco.

Daily Photo Theme Day: Bridges

A temporary bridge but an iconic one for Monte Carlo at Grand Prix time. This bridge gives access to those holding tickets for stands in the port area. Anyone who has watched the Monaco Grand Prix, here or on television, will know this bridge is right by the Start/Finish line.

Today is Theme Day for the Daily Photo Family with over 120 of us posting photographs of a bridge from our city or town. Do take time to visit and enjoy:

Boston (MA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Inverness (IL), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Stockholm, Sweden - Setúbal, Portugal - Brussels, Belgium - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Hyde, UK - Manila, Philippines - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - London, England - Austin (TX), USA - Toulouse, France - Weston (FL), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Selma (AL), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - North Bay (ON), Canada - Arradon, France - Paderborn, Germany - Durban, South Africa - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Portland (OR), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Wichita (Ks), USA - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Grenoble, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Arlington (VA), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Cheltenham, UK - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Saratoga Spgs. (NY), USA - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Nashville (TN), USA - Toruń, Poland - New Orleans (LA), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Melbourne, Australia - Moscow, Russia - Trujillo, Peru - Château-Gontier, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Joplin (MO), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Brookville (OH), USAChateaubriant, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Baziège, France - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Detroit (MI), USA - Riga, Latvia - Nelson, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Cape Town, South Africa - Sydney, Australia - Dunedin (FL), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Radonvilliers, France - Turin, Italy - Montpellier, France - Kansas City (MO), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Wailea (HI), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Terrell (TX), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Budapest, Hungary - Montréal (QC), Canada - Sharon (CT), USA - Le Guilvinec, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - London, UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Orlando (FL), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Paris, France - Mainz, Germany - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Darmstadt, Germany - Naples (FL), USA - Torino, Italy - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - The Hague, Netherlands - Minneapolis (MN), USA

Balls

A pot of spikey cactus at the entrance to a beautiful house adjacent to Casino Square.

A boozy night?

Not a usual sight in the Principality of Monaco. The streets are normally pristine. Obviously the local residents had a 'very big party' or the company who empties these containers, didn't. This was taken in a small street just off the main port. And is that a small umbrella amongst the discarded bottles?

Monte Carlo Ladies - 7

This Monte Carlo lady is walking towards the gardens that are just below the Casino.

Decoration

Part of the façade of a building - perhaps in need of a clean-up - just around the corner from the market.

Market - Flowers

The market is in the Places des Armes. You can see a photograph of this beautiful square by clicking on the link. It's situated below Le Rocher (where you'll find the palace) - you can just glimpse Le Rocher behind the flower stall.

Market - Fish

Monte Carlo market. I stopped to buy a fish for dinner and asked the fishmonger the name of the eel-like creature with the decorative skin - and if I could take a photo. A few minutes later, he was arranging his best fish on this white board for me to photograph. He explained that his brother is the fisherman and he sells the fish and a few minutes later, I found myself with an invitation to go out on the boat one day to take photographs!

I just love people who take such obvious pride in what their sell or what they do. You can see the care he is taking to artistically arrange the fish for me to photograph. What a guy!

The eel-like fish is called murene (moray eel) which he explained is a carnivorous fish - a type of conger eel - but one with really vicious teeth. The ancient Romans bred this fish and used to satisfy its voracious appetite by feeding it a wicked slave or two. The big red fish is called chapon - another name for rascasse, which is the scorpion fish or hog-fish, much prized in the making of Bouillabaise, as is the eel. The smaller red fish is a rouget (red mullet) .

A smile for you

I snapped this man up a ladder outside the Metropole Centre (see below) and thought he'd not noticed me, but when I walked past him later, he called out - 'Hey, take a photo of me smiling then!' - so I did. Has this sort of thing ever happened to you?

The Church of St. Charles

When Prince Charles III decided to create Monte-Carlo in 1866, this area of the Principality was nothing but a huge plateau sloping gently towards the sea from the top of Monte Agel. At that time a sparse population lived in the few villas and houses scattered over the olive groves and scrubland. The only chapel that existed on the plateau of Monte-Carlo was Saint Laurent's chapel which was an ordinary private oratory, so any religious services had to take place in Saint Nicolas' on Le Rocher - Monaco's only parish church.

Prince Charles III had already anticipated the rapid growth of Monte Carlo due to the Casino and the rapid rise in the population and between 1879 and 1883 he built this church, replacing Saint Laurent's chapel, and naming it after Saint Charles Borromeo, his patron saint.

In shadow and half way up the steps is a modern sculpture of Cardinal Seduto, which I'll show you another time.

This photograph was taken from the Boulevard de Moulins, from which you can gain access to the church.

A night out in Monte Carlo - 7

We've dined, we cross the square and walk past the brightly lit Casino on our way to the carpark. The red and white flags, by the way, are to celebrate Monaco's National Day.

Another 'Night out in Monte Carlo' might include a visit to the Casino, perhaps we'd go to Jimmy'z, the famous nightclub - or to The Living Room, a piano bar where we can dance. Monte Carlo isn't short on nightlife.

When you visit the Casino you have to show your passport - which will then be photocopied - and you have to hand in your camera before entering this magnificent Belle Epoque building, designed by Charles Garnier, who designed the Paris Opera House. (Do click on the link) There is a charge for entering but it's well worth it to see the splendours within. Monaco citizens, called Monegasques - are not permitted to enter the casino. Monaco residents (there is a difference) are.

This is the last day of our Night out in Monte Carlo, but I know it won't be the last time we visit this part of Monte Carlo. Thanks so much for sharing the evening. I enjoyed your company.

And happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating today.

A night out in Monte Carlo - 6

We've had our champers and nibbly-bits in the American Bar, the ladies visited the loo, now we go to Le Grill for dinner. We cross that beautiful lobby and take a lift that goes only to the restaurant on the 8th floor. I couldn't take photographs in the restaurant but I can tell you it's decorated in dark blue - tables are wide apart - and it was full of The Beautiful People. There is a central roof that opens to the sky - in fact, the roof was opened whilst we were dining, but the edges of the Mistral were hitting Monaco, and the wind whipped the tablecloths, so it was quickly closed again. The views from Le Grill over Casino Square are wonderful but all the doors to the terraces were closed and whilst I did take one photograph through the windows, it's not good enough as the flash caught the glass.

Le Grill has one Michelin star. The waiter almost apologised that they didn't have more. The Louis XV downstairs has three. I've only ever eaten in two Michelin one-star restaurants in my life and this is the second, so I wasn't complaining and I'm glad my menu didn't show the prices. My companion told me I could have anything except the caviare from Iran. We had poached eggs with white truffles to begin - the freshest eggs imaginable and perfectly cooked (I think they must keep chickens in the basement along with all that amazing brandy) - then I had a grilled sole with steamed vegetables and my companion had Lobster Thermidor. We drank a bottle of Le Bellet, which is a really good Côte de Provence from the Nice region. It's the oldest wine of the area and has a faintly floral fragrance much sought-after by connoisseurs (I copied this from the Internet!) - it was good tho and very different to the usual Provence wines that I often drink.

And look how good I was! I hid one of the chocolates, that came with coffee, in my bag so I could photograph it for you on my terrace table.

Tomorrow will be the last day of our Night out in Monte Carlo, when we leave the Hôtel de Paris and take a look at the Casino by night.

A night out in Monte Carlo - 5

So after champagne in the American Bar of the Hôtel de Paris, we ladies need to go to the loo. Don't worry I'm not going to show you an actual lavatory but here's a corner of the Ladies' Room which I think is quite smart. Actually the most beautiful Ladies Room in Monaco is in the Hôtel Hermitage where they have antique painted porcelain toilet bowls and washbasins. I did hear recently that these had been replaced. I hope not.

You see the sort of things we discuss in Monaco!

A night out in Monte Carlo - 4

We're in the American bar. How I wished I could have taken several photographs here. It's a beautiful room, dimly lit as you see. There's a wonderful long bar, a piano player in the far corner, elegant waiters - but mostly it's the clientele I'd wanted to photograph: a striking lady - of un certain age - elegant grey hair, a great slash of the reddest lipstick, a blond mink draped over her chair. Older men with gorgeous girls - wasn't it ever thus? A group of five young men with a dog jumping up for treats. . Now really I should have asked them if I could photograph the dog for Riviera Dogs but I was enjoying my champagne too much. The place was packed, the buzz palpable. A great place to sit and people-watch - but discreetly, doncha know? And really you can't take photographs...

We are drinking pink champagne. All the goodies on the table come with the drinks. In the foreground, to the right, you see a local speciality, particularly in Nice and Menton, called Barbajuan. Literally, Uncle John in Niçois, these are a sort of fried ravioli, usually stuffed with Swiss chard (a sort of spinach) and ricotta cheese. They are served warm and you dip them in the spicy orange sauce you see to the left. There are olives with garlic. The little green things look like peas and are crunchy. And the sticks in the background are light as air.

And yes, my companion smokes. Not sure what he'll do on the first of January when smoking is banned in restaurants and bars in France and I believe in Monaco too. He lives in Monaco where I'm told it is even to be banned in the streets as well, but honestly I find that hard to believe - how would they police it?

A night out in Monte Carlo - 3

Another view of the magnificent lobby of the Hôtel de Paris. Note the enormous floral display in the centre. The hotel was built in 1864 and offered the very best in comfort and sophisticated décor. It was here, in the Hôtel de Paris, that the most eminent guests came to stay and where the most prestigious society events took place. Its rare woods and rich fabrics, its golden and pastel décors, all conspire to recall the hotel's fabulous past. The hotel has 196 rooms and suits.

I took the photograph as I walked back from the famous Empire Room which was unfortunately closed and curtained - so no photograph for you.

I'm not sure if this photograph isn't slightly out of focus - one isn't supposed to photograph inside the Hôtel de Paris - and this one I snapped quickly. My companion had asked permission for me to take yesterday's bronze horse, and seeing the lobby relatively empty at that moment, the door man agreed 'mais un seul' he said. I was lucky.

This one was taken as we returned to the lobby from the Empire Room, en route to the American Bar - where tomorrow we'll have pink champagne.

A night out in Monte Carlo - 2

We've walked up the steps of the Hôtel de Paris, passed through the revolving doors, been greeted by one of the Lagerfeld-dressed doormen, of course. Just inside the lobby of this magnificent Belle Epoque building is a statue of Louis XIV on horseback. You can see the patina on the horse's knee, where it's been rubbed - for luck - by countless gamblers over the years. The casino is just a few steps away across Casino square.

Alain Ducasse's famous Michelin three-starred Le Louis XV restaurant is off to the right. You can just see the entrance in this photograph. It has a wine cellar with reputedly millions of dollars worth of century-old Napoleon brandy and Chateau Margaux 1920. No, I'm sorry, we are not eating there but do click on the link - you can do a virtual tour of the restaurant - and as you'll see it's absolutely stunning. You do need to mortgage your house to eat there tho.

To the left, out of shot, is the American Bar - that is where we'll be going for a drink before eating in Le Grill upstairs.

A night out in Monte Carlo - 1

Let's have a glamorous night out in Monte Carlo. Come with me to the Hôtel de Paris. First, we'll take a look around the glorious foyer. Then we'll go into the American Bar - pink champagne? We can listen to the jazz being played on the piano and watch the Beautiful People. Later, we'll eat - perhaps in Le Grill on the 8th floor?

So, let's begin. We'll walk up the steps and through the revolving door. Come back tomorrow and I'll show you the bronze horse, so beloved of gamblers - and which stands on a plinth just inside the entrance.