23 June 2009

Dior and Denim


The Avenue des Beaux Arts is known as the most expensive shopping street in Monaco. It runs from the Place du Casino to Avenue Princesse Alice and the Hôtel Hermitage. This is the street to walk, if you want to spend serious money on designer clothes and jewels in Monte Carlo.

22 June 2009

The Monumental Heads


Two more monumental heads by the Spanish artist, Manolo Valdés, currently on display in the Casino Gardens. Well, actually three: the sculpture in the large photo is called Ivy. Tucked behind you see Ada.

And in the smaller photograph - where the person in red gives you an idea of the great size of these works, the sculpture is called Dama 1.

21 June 2009

Monte Carlo Lady - Pink and Blue


Pink and blue - mauve too. One shoulder bare. Silver shoes, white hat. She walks past the Hôtel de Paris on Casino Square.

20 June 2009

Jacaranda


The Casino Garden boasts many spectacular and rare trees but at the moment, none create shade and catch the eye quite like the beautiful jacarandas.

19 June 2009

The Lady and the Queen


An attractive lady photographs Regina - a 2005 sculpture by the Spanish artist, Manolo Valdés - part of an exhibition of his monumental heads in the Casino Gardens. The blue tree is a Jacaranda.

There is an absolutely beautiful sculpture of Queen Mariana, by Manolo Valdés, below the Opera House. Click on the link.

18 June 2009

The Tiger


'Tiger' guards the Monte Carlo Bay Resort & Hotel.

Created by the Croatian-born sculptor, Mornar, you can read more about the artist by clicking on the link.

17 June 2009

Dames/Femmes


This is the Ladies/Women's loo at the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel.

In the smaller photograph someone has crossed out Femmes and written Dames. A dame being a lady, and a femme being a woman. What is even more surprising is that no one in the hotel has cleaned it up.

So which should it be?

16 June 2009

Larvotto Beach - the Jazz Lounge at La Note Bleue


La Note Bleue is not only a beach restaurant but also a Jazz Lounge at night - you see a small part of it here. The ambiance is superb. And always beautiful fresh flowers.

The friendly servers we saw a couple of days ago work here.

15 June 2009

Larvotto Beach - the Furniture Painter


You don't expect to see furniture for sale on the beach, do you?

If you get bored with bronzing yourself, you can find all sorts of interesting things to buy for your house or apartment. And you can even watch the furniture being painted. You'll find these delights near to La Spiaggia, which is the end of the beach nearest to the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel.

A couple of days ago, Diederick from Arona Every Day visited Monaco and I had the great pleasure of meeting him and his son and daughter-in-law. Do click on the link to take a look.

14 June 2009

Larvotto Beach - La Note Bleue


Meet David and Sandra, two of the friendly servers at La Note Bleue, the beach restaurant and Jazz Lounge on Larvotto Beach.

13 June 2009

Larvotto Beach - the Parasols


We're back at Larvotto Beach. A cruise ship is out at sea. Tables are being prepared for lunch at the Miami Plage restaurant.

12 June 2009

Toys for Boys


If you own a mega yacht, it seems you own a Ferrari. This one was parked alongside one of the big yachts. The tyre looks brand new, doesn't it?

11 June 2009

Men at Work


Crew members move cushions from one end of this boat to the other.

10 June 2009

No Day Work


If you walk alongside the yachts in port, you'll see notices on most of the entry-phones: Fully Crewed. No Day Work.

Click to see more of the Lady Lola.

09 June 2009

Grand Prix - Truth


The Grand Prix wouldn't be the Grand Prix without a plethora of pretty girls.

Here's one who was working on one of the many stalls selling Grand Prix memorabilia. She was friendly and smiling yet in this photograph she looks pensive, with a quiet dignity. Photographs are so much of the moment - the instant we press that button, aren't they? Do they tell the truth or not?

08 June 2009

Grand Prix - Turquoise on the Red Carpet


One of the many stands in the pedestrian street where the vendor is getting ready for Practice Day.

07 June 2009

Grand Prix - What's wrong?


Alright, not the greatest photo, I agree, but there is something wrong in this first photo.

We are in Monaco, yet the policeman is French. The smaller photograph shows you a Monaco policeman.

The French policeman told me he (and others) had been called in to help during Grand Prix week. I think he was enjoying himself on the streets of Monaco.

06 June 2009

Grand Prix - the Dummies


At Grand Prix time even the dummies in the windows wear ear protection. We're in Rue Grimaldi, which is primarily a shopping street. The reflections though show shutters and balconies from apartments above the shops.

05 June 2009

Grand Prix - the Tyre Movers


During a break between practice sessions, suddenly the track got busy with snakes of tyres being towed from the Pit Lane and along part of the track. Each team had a different colour vehicle with guys holding onto the tyres to prevent them falling off.

04 June 2009

Watching the Grand Prix: 7 - be a Marshal


Of course I'm kidding. These marshals are highly trained and I doubt they get to see much of the Grand Prix, as they'd need to be totally vigilant in their work at every second. It's also dangerous.

There are 650 marshals at the Monaco Grand Prix. The ones you see here (taken on the Thursday during a break between practice) are known as Chefs de Poste. There are also Commmissaires au feu, Commissaires de signalisation and Commissaires d'intervention. The ones you see here, I believe, are the ones who would quickly remove a crashed car by hooking it up to one of the many cranes around the track, allowing the race to continue as soon as possible.

These marshals are sitting alongside a statue on the edge of the port of Louis Chiron, the Monegesque Gentleman Driver, a major part of Bugatti's history. Please click on the link to read about this legendary man.

There are other ways of watching the Grand Prix and I don't have special photographs - from one of the hotels, for instance, and also from a restaurant. I read in Nice-Matin that seats at one of the port restaurants were available at 650 euros a head.

Tomorrow - more shots of Monaco at Grand Prix time.
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