The Great Monte Carlo Swimming Pool Quiz

If you are a Monaco Grand Prix fan, you'll know the swimming pool by the main port of Monte Carlo. A few days ago it was being filled (as you can see in these photographs) - ready for the season - ready for the visitors - ready for Sally from Sydney Daily Photo who will be swimming in it when she visits in June. So the question is - how long does it take to fill this pool? First correct answer gets a postcard from Monte Carlo. Results: Monday.

And the winner is: Thanks so much to everyone for the guesses. Well, it should come as no surprise that the winner is someone who knows about swimming pools, indeed has a blog about swimming pools. Of course, it's Sally from Sydney Daily Photo who guessed it exactly. I was told it took between 5 and 6 hours to fill and Sally guessed 5.5 hours. I have to say, had I not seen the many jets filling the pool and the rate at which it was filling, like many others, I'd have guessed days rather than hours. Some of you took this into account but guessed slightly below the correct time. Postcard will soon be on its way to you, Sally, and the pool is now ready for you and your family in June!

Tree trunks?

Villa Les Roses was built in 1910. The photograph below shows another entrance to this lovely house in Cap d'Ail.

Notice the gate posts above. They appear to be tree trunks but are, in fact, fashioned in concrete. You see this on terraces in the south of France. Instead of wrought iron railings or carved balustrades, you have what look like criss-crossed branches of trees but are actually concrete made to look like wood.

A glimpse through the trees...

This is such a typical Riviera view especially when taken - as this is - in Cap d'Ail, which adjoins Monaco. These same sort of views, same beautiful houses, same wonderful trees are to be seen at Beaulieu, just a little further along the coast towards Nice - or at Cap Martin near to Menton.

I had to take my dog to the vet this morning in Cap d'Ail. Afterwards, a short stroll with a friend who lives there - plus our dogs - and here, a glimpse through the trees of that Riviera view.

Purple Pansies

Monaco gardeners planting pansies outside the Casino and just in front of the Sky Mirror installation by Anish Kapoor. To see the full glory of this installation, please click on the link.

This beautiful garden is never allowed to look less than pristine and on the day I took this photograph, I saw at least 8 gardeners hard at work, replanting various beds.

Theme Day: Water

Tulips by one of the fountains in the gardens opposite the Casino in Monte Carlo.

Today is Theme Day with 179 other cities taking part. Do click on their links below to see how other bloggers have interpreted the theme of water. There are many wonderful and inspired photographs - do go visit.

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Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Gordio, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Reina Mariana

This is Queen Mariana, sculpted in 2004 by Manolo Valdés, the well-known Spanish artist who lives in New York. You can glimpse, in the background, Botero's Adam and Eve, which we'll visit another day. These beautiful statues are in the gardens at the back of the Casino.

(Taken with my old camera - Canon Ixus 850 IS)

Dreams to dream

The port of Monaco: always something to see - always dreams to dream.

Tiptoe through the tulips with me...

Here - the tulips I was photographing when I got so pleasantly interrupted by yesterday's Monte Carlo Gentlemen.

If you want a laugh - and to hear Tiny Tim on YouTube - singing Tiptoe Through the Tulips, please click on the link.

Monte Carlo Gentlemen - 3

The tulips drew me to the Casino gardens yesterday but things pretty soon got more interesting. These two guys asked if I'd take their photograph in front of the casino. They've got to be Italian, haven't they? And of course they are. They're from Bologna. Lucky Bologna ladies is what I say.

And yes, this was much more fun than photographing tulips!

Expo Ecofuturiste: The Earth is My Garden - Olivier Roche

There were several works of art in this exhibition that I loved but this is my absolute favourite. When I first saw it, my heart stopped - the words seem to float in the air, following the shape of the trees. It's quite wondrous or is to me.

You can see in the small photograph a longer shot of this. (click on it to enlarge) And in the third photo - The Earth is my Garden - Open your Eyes.

Olivier Roche is a visual artist photographer who lives and works in Nice. To read more about him and see more of his work, please click on the link.

'It is perhaps through awareness of who we really are and the understanding of the universality of things that we can respect nature, diversity and others' - Olivier Roche.

Thanks so much to everyone who has stayed the course and visited all the exhibits. Tomorrow, back to everyday Monte Carlo.

Expo Ecofuturiste: Energy - Maurizio Del Piano

Maurizio Del Piano, sculptor, painter and designer, was born in Costa Volpino, Italy. He initially experimented with his first art forms through painting and later, through sculpture, expanding his creative solutions between sculpture and painting in over a thousand works. He prefers working with glass: the most appropriate expression of his reflection on light and his poetics on time. Please click on the link to see his website and read about and see more of his work.

Tomorrow - the final day of this exhibition and my favourite installation. Do come back!

Expo Ecofuturiste: Ode au Soleil - Hannelore Jüterbock

Hannelore Jüterbock was born in Berlin and educated at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich, Florence and Rome. In 1980 she founded the group of artists "Stall' and set up the "Ateliertage."
Hannelore has acquired a certain international reputation thank to her painting 'Lussback', 30 metres long and on display at the Munich Cultural Centre. The painting represents the beginning of her research on translucidity. She was awarded a Silver Lion in Venice.

This work is installed in the fountain opposite the Casino.

'The sun is our future. Peace on earth with no nuclear energy' - Hannelore Jüterbock.

Expo Ecofuturiste: Virus - Valentine

Stéphanie Materi was born in Casablanca. She sculpts under the name Valentine. 'A lover of contemporary art with a feeling for sculpture. She began to take an interest in the art of recycling and to experiment with creation using various materials. Her meeting with Patrick Gibelli (an experienced artist) brought her into her own. (Patrick's Le Scalaire has already been featured in this series). It would be a metallic and anti-conformist world that she would evolve. Her entry into this new world through the 'Virus' confirmed her quest to reflect upon the fusion between ecology and science. When the 'Virus' was exhibited, the contamination had already begun. It influences the senses of each of us, revolutionaries, to push each and every institution to engage upon a veritable mission to save our future.'

'If we all unite, we can guarantee an eco-future for tomorrow!' - Valentine

Expo Ecofuturiste: Installation Arabesque - Bernard Abril

'Through their simple appearance, the design of Bernard Abril's sculptures possess the enigmatic language of ancient writings, of muted words which force the ear to listen to the wind and the silence. Refuges without borders, they haunt us with wild thoughts. they are of another world, of another word, of anothr texture. Branches joined by careful ties, they bring to mind the mechanisms of chinese fishing nets in Fort Cochon, the small boats of Andes' Indians, dwellings in Bassora, the Kanak culture and...'

'Bernard Abril's sculptures span the history of our lives, and teach us to live in unison with our preconceived certitues.' Click on the link to go to the artist's website.

Happy Easter everyone!

Expo Ecofuturiste: l'Arbre Anomal - Aazclairicia

This installation is in the middle of the duck pond. In fact, if you look at the small photograph, you'll see a lady totally ignoring it and feeding the ducks - something she does regularly - and it looks as if the pigeons hope for a few crumbs too.

Aazclairicia is 'drawn by multimedia, his art inhabits space, and by so doing, man and his environment. He has had various solo and group exhibitions in France and at the Metropolitan Art Museum in Pusan, South Korea. His new philosphy of art beckons us to perceive the environment in a different way.'

'In order to save our water reserves, stop the deforestation!' - Aazclairicia

Expo Ecofuturiste: The earth is in our hands - Claudia Albuquerque

Claudia Albuquerque was 'born in Paris at ...l'heure bleue. In the contemporary world of image, Claudia cruises around on the fringes, animated by the noblest driving force: Love!'

'She studied in Europe and the United States. Her wealth lies in the dual culture she has finely accumulated in Paris, Monte Carlo, New York, Bel Air, Hollywood, London, Mexico...the greatest stages in the world. "Monte Carlo is the Heart of glamour in this World!" says Claudia. "This is where you land in paradise. It's Magic you're here!"'

Apart from the painting displayed here, Claudia exhibited another painting commemorating one of the five Living Memorial Groves in the city of New York, each with a clear view of downtown Manhattan, where the Twin Towers stood. This is funded by the Living Memorial Tree Foundation under the patronage of HSH Prince of Albert of Monaco, with the help and support of the NYC Dept of Parks and Recreation, AMERICAN FORESTS and the Municipal Arts Society of New York. I plan on featuring this work on September 11 this year.

'The earth is in our hands' - Albert II, Prince de Monaco.

Expo Ecofuturiste: Palm Trees - Paul Stapleton

Paul Stapleton was born in the UK and lived in Nigeria, Denmark and London before he joined the Leeds College of Art. He now lives in France and participates with his prints and sculptures in numerous exhibtion in the UK and in France.

'Biodiversity: posidonia is a grass just like palm except it decided to return to the sea. Will man force it to come back to land again?' - Paul Stapleton

Click on the link to read about 'posidonia,' which is what the artist has used to clad his sculpture.

Expo Ecofuturiste: Arbres Brûlés - Philippe Pastor

Philippe Pastor's 'Burnt Trees,' were created using charred tree trunks from the beautiful Garde Freinet (near St. Tropez) forest which burned in the summer of 2003 - burned by arsonists. Thanks to the artist's involvement with UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) they will be on display throughout the world.

These sculptures give a certain form of life to the dead trees. (Small photo shows them taken from the other side) Please click on the link to read more about the artist and his paintings and sculptures - a fascinating website.

'I saw the fires ravaging the mountains. I will not resign myself to their destruction and refuse to forget. I am appalled by such disfigured nature, revolted by the perpetrators of this destruction...this bleak spectacle is a mirror of society...' - Philippe Pastor.

Expo Ecofuturiste: Native Spirit - Elena Lindjo

In the beautifully produced catalogue that goes with this exhibition of 35 artists, this work is called 'Symphony of the Universe' but the sign in front of it says 'Native Spirit.' I didn't trim this photograph at all as the work seems to hang so beautifully amongst the lovely trees of the Casino Gardens.

Elena Lindjo is a Swedish-born artist who first came into contact with art and fashion at the age of 14, when she started modelling for Emilo Pucci in Italy during her vacation. She started acting in the theatre and was a finalist for the Miss Sweden contest. Combining modelling, acting, interior decoration and charity work for UNESCO, her life was between Paris, London, New York and Monte Carlo. Click on the link to see more of her work and read how she developed as an artist.

"Forever in motion, my paintings are expressions of energies existing in the Universe: a combination of rhythm and colour, emotion and shape, like music on canvas.'

'All things are connected in the endless symphony of the universe. Our beautiful planet is part of that harmony, so let's respect and preserve the essence of life that has created us.' - Elena Lindjo

Expo Ecofuturiste: 1er Secours - Alain Pérez

Alain Pérez is a "photographic artist who works on themes connected with museums, collections and objects relating to memory. 'First Aid' presented here is an installation for an event, a dreamlike space. The place of the human being as far as nature, time and the cultural reference brought into play are concerned.

Questioning the reality and the patrimonial representation raised by preserved animals, removed from their museum environment, regarding reality and the representation of heritage, in this case, is completed by contemporary creation. Thus this staging places the public at the heart of an approach focused on heritage, art and science."

'What if our presence on this planet depended only on our ability to dream' - Alain Pérez.