The Damaged Plaque

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

This is the damaged plaque seen above an attractive pharmacy on le rocher. (see yesterday's post) Hard to read what it originally said but it shows the royal coat of arms. S.A.S. means His - or Her - Serene Highness.

Matching Coral

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A beautiful old pharmacy on le rocher.

The Prince who Loved the Sea

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Prince Albert 1st was an eminent scientist and seaman who founded the Oceanographic Museum in 1902.

He lived from 1848 - 1922 and is the Great-Grandfather of the current ruler of Monaco, S.A.S. Prince Albert II.

I love the position of this sculpture in the Saint Martin Gardens - looking out to sea, the Prince is obviously doing what he loved best.

Note: the couple you saw yesterday are slightly more occupied in the smaller photo today!

Bronzé

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"I'm browner than you are!"

A young couple in the Saint Martin Gardens on le rocher.

Maryse with Mirror

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You can't turn a corner in the Saint Martin gardens without coming across a sculpture.

This nude lady (come to think of it, there are an awful lot of nude ladies in these gardens) is called Maryse au Miroir or Le Temps Inalterable. She was created by Cyril de la Patelliere.

Tranquility

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Monaco for its tiny size has several beautiful gardens. This is one of my favourites - the Saint Martin gardens on le rocher. Not a big garden but peaceful, with a view of the sea, benches to sit on, sculptures everywhere - what more does one want?

"You owe it to everyone you love (including yourself) to find pockets of tranquility in your busy world.”
~ Bhagavad Gita

Jacks

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Concrete shapes in water. A sort of 'break-water' I suppose. We are in the Saint Martin Gardens on le rocher looking down on a tiny corner of Fontvieille harbour.

They remind me of a bunch of 'jacks' - although jacks are made of metal and not quite the same shape. Remember the game of jacks?

Gull and Girl

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The sculpture is called Girl on a Chair and it's displayed within a small children's garden just below the main square where you find the palace.

The sculptor is the Danish artist, Keld Moseholm Jorgensen and it was made in 1981.

The Oceanographic Museum

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

The Oceanographic Musuem rises majestically from the sea to a height of 279 feet and took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie, a village high above Monte Carlo. It was inaugurated in 1910 and is dedicated to its founder Albert I, who was a major navigator. Here you'll find his laboratory ships and collections of marine fauna including a skeleton from a 66-foot whale.

The famous Jacques Cousteau was director of this museum of marine sciences for many years and in the basement, you will find the world-famous aquarium with its extraordinary show of marine flora and fauna. With 4,000 species of fish and over 200 families of invertebrates, the aquarium is now an authority on the presentation of the Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystem.

In the distance you see Cap Martin jutting out into the sea and beyond that you'll find Menton and then Italy.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Flag Throwers

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

You often see a group of flag throwers at festivals in the south of France. This group come from Ventimiglia just across the border in Italy. In fact, come to think of it, all the groups I've seen are Italian.

This is the last day of the 18th century festival. Thanks so much to everyone who has visited.

Tomorrow - we'll stay on le rocher for a day or so as there are a few good things I'd love to show you and after that - we go on a boat trip to Cap Ferrat and Villefranche.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Dragon

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All part of the music group, Manoar, here's the fearsome dragon who belches fire when stoked.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Hurdy-Gurdy

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

There was a great group at the festival - called Manoar. They played ancient music on old instruments or replicas of old instruments.

This is a vielle à roue, which my dictionary translates as a 'hurdy-gurdy or viol.' The player straps it to herself and then turns the wheel at one end whilst she has notes to play with her other hand.

In the smaller photo you see, behind her, a sort of old fashioned xylophone.

The people in the background are laughing at another part of this music group - a dragon. We'll see him tomorrow.

Theme Day: 'Big' - a Cruise Ship in Villefranche

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

A cruise ship in the bay of Villefranche dwarfs the coastline. Villefranche-sur-Mer is just along the coast from Monaco and not far from Nice. I was in a small boat so it was easy to get up close and personal.

Once again it's Theme Day and to find out how other CDP bloggers around the world are interpreting the 'big' theme, please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Goblin

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Even goblins need water. This stand sold false ears, scars (yuck) horns, horrible heads - ghouls and ghosts and even Harry Potter's Sorting Hat.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Waitress

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Even the waiters and waitresses dress up in XVIIIth century costume - which really adds to the atmosphere on le Rocher.

This Italian restaurant, as you might guess, is called Pinocchio.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Nails

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Yesterday, we met the blacksmith. Today we see what he is making and you'll see you can buy this hand made nails. Aren't they beautiful.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Blacksmith

Copyright 2009 Monte Carlo Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Meet the blacksmith.

In the smaller photograph he is explaining how the bellows work (by pushing on that piece of wood he has his hand on). Tomorrow we'll see what he is making.

The quality of all the displays, the costumes, the enthusiasm and energy of the participants - it made for a fascinating day and one could almost imagine how it might have been all those years ago - well, perhaps without the smells...

Fête XVIIIth Century - Music whilst you Eat!

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Lunch in a restaurant in one of the narrow back streets on the Rocher where a group of Strolling Singers entertain guests.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Tour Guide

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The tour guide gathers her charges. Whether this group are here specially for the Fête, I don't know as there are always loads of tour groups on the rocher. Can't be so easy to live here and have tourists walk past your door and under your windows all day long.

Fête XVIIIth Century - Participation

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A lady and child throw flower petals as one of the parades passes below.