Circus! - Shampoo and Blow-Dry

Even camels get a shampoo and blow- dry before they perform at the celebrated International Festival of Circus in Monte Carlo.

Well - alright - perhaps the blow-dry is an exaggeration...

Circus! - the Camels

Camels in Monaco! One of the acts appearing in the Circus this year is this troup of camels - they have two humps. Apparently the two hump camels are less common than the one hump ones.

Take a look at the one below - you've not want him to kiss you, would you?

Circus! - the Clown

The circus is back in town! Monaco's famous International Festival of Circus is in its 35th year.

Each day the clowns board the special circus car and drive around the Principality - here's one of them, make up ready but not yet in full costume.

The Monte-Carlo International Festival of Circus is an incredibly prestigious event amongst circus folk and it is Princess Stephanie who has the final say as to which acts from around the world (comedy, acrobats and animals) will be invited to perform and compete for the various awards. Her father, the late Prince Rainier, was passionate about circus and so is the Princess. You see her around the circus all day long, chatting with the performers and trainers and making sure everyone, including the animals, are happy.

Black Cat for Luck

We are a couple of streets north of Monaco in Boulevard de la Republique in Beausoleil. Cats are so agile, aren't they? This one had no problem in walking along a narrow ledge and then jumping onto the railing.

Right foot forward...

Right foot forward...at Larvotto. A family in step with each other.

Regrettably more fur, but you'll always see real fur in Monaco - perhaps this coat isn't?

Garnier's Casino

The back of the beautiful Casino building. It was designed by Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opera House. Construction of this beautiful Belle Epoque building started in 1858 and finished in 1863.

Fans and Feather Boas

The Lanvin windows in Monaco are 'happy' and fun too - male mannequins with fans and feather boas - all great fun.

Photographers

There's always something or someone to photograph in Monaco...

The Faux Poivrier

As you see, the rain has gone - we had glorious sun for two days (well, a part of each day) but we are now back to overcast skies - in fact more overcast than this. We are on the terraces below the Casino - it's lovely to walk here and sit under a False Pepper Tree if we want. That's Cap Martin in the background and beyond is Menton and then Italy.

Phone Call...

Sometimes a photo can be cropped and used twice! This is the right-hand half of a photo you've seen before... click HERE.

What the Stars Foretell...

Seems Monte Carlo ladies read magazines on astrology.

Niche

There are so many sculptures in Monaco - this one is above the entrance to the opera house in the Casino building.

Brassed Off

Are some banks in Monaco a bit too grand?

Spring already?

These two think it's Spring with much wooing going on...but what's he doing with his head inside her beak?

View from Moods

The photo was taken from the gardens outside Moods, the nightclub at the back of the Café de Paris. On the right you see the Fairmont Hotel. In the distance, we are looking at Cap Martin.

Lady in Black

She came to me one morning,
one lonely Sunday morning,
her long hair flowing in the midwinter wind...

The 'Coco' Chanel Classic Suit

Don't you just love these dolls in the Chanel shop? Each one is wearing 'Coco' Chanel's classic 1950s suit.

Reina Mariana

Queen Mariana in silhouette. She stands below the Casino and was sculpted in 2004 by Manolo Valdés, the well-known Spanish artist who lives in New York.

Pole Vault

The roots of this magnificent tree in the Casino Gardens make a temporary home for some wooden poles - or perhaps they are a permanent support for the tree?

Through the trees darkly...

Whilst waiting for the sun - when will it return? - at least the clouds make interesting patterns over the back of the Casino building.