The Massage

Once a week I go to see Bruno, my kiné - (kinésithérapeute = physiotherapist). I lie on the massage table, look up and there is this print...

Claude Serre, who died in 1998, was a well-known French illustrator, with a somewhat black sense of humour.

Dark into Light

Dark into light. A passageway in the Old Town of Menton.

FREE OUR BLOGGER IN IRAN!

One of our fellow bloggers is Amir in Iran (Tehran Live). Following the recent elections and after the 17th June, his blog was blocked and recently he was picked up and is now in prison. Today, the City Daily Photo Community is coming together in solidarity for our courageous friend and for freedom and democracy for the people of Iran.

FREE OUR BLOGGER!

For Updates on Amir - click on this link.

This chestnut tree in Gorbio village in full green leaf save for a few leaves from last Autumn - leaves that persistently hang on. It symbolizes the notion that perhaps old ways need to be dropped in favour of vigorous and healthy new ones.

To see how other CDP bloggers are supporting our friend and the people of Iran, please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

AMIR IS RELEASED!
This great news came through the night of the 28th - and he is home with his family. Oh Happy Day!

Ancient Stones

A zoomed shot of the medieval village of Gorbio taken from the cemetery.

Now

You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now.

~Joan Baez

Fête de la Musique - near the Sablettes Beach, Menton

La Ronde des Plages - the Running Shoes

We're almost at the end of our 10 kilometre run around the beaches. Today, a tribute to the running shoes and those tired feet inside them.

And the rose? All the lady runners were given a rose at the end of the run.

La Ronde des Plages - the Black Tennis Shoes

Notice the girl in the lower photograph - she's late on the podium and she's wearing black tennis shoes. You see her in yesterday's post too.

La Ronde des Plages - the Pom Pom Girls

The Pom Pom Girls cheer the runners as they depart and later, they dance on a podium to welcome them home.

In the background, you see the Hotel Napoleon and alongside, a beautiful Russian chapel, which one day we'll visit.

The Napoleon Hotel has a beach webcam - it's almost in real time too - take a look - Hotel Napoleon Webcam.

La Ronde des Plages - the Team Mascot

Woolite, the sheep, is Team Mascot of Les Foulées Roquebrunoises - a great group of runners from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

She is never on a lead so long as her owner, Philippe, is around - she is never less than a few inches from him.

We met Woolite before - remember when she was swimming in the sea?

Woolite, by the way, now has her very own website - Le Blog de Woolite.

La Ronde des Plages - the Osteopaths

After the race some of the runners needed an osteopath. The team, working in a tent, were kept busy for hours.

La Ronde des Plages - Refreshments

Refreshments - and camaraderie.

La Ronde des Plages - Agony!

Agony! The last of the runners stagger home. Paper cups litter the road but somehow they avoid them.

La Ronde des Plages - the Dancer

Watch the girl on the left. She's brilliant at handing out bottles of water to the needy runners as they approach the finish line - she's almost a dancer.

She is one of 140 volunteers at La Ronde des Plages, all of whom did a brilliant job.

La Ronde des Plages - Hot!

The runners are on their way back to the finish line. In the smaller photograph, you see the winner. He led from the start.

I wonder if the runners notice the beautiful Old Town as they run past. The man in the main photograph would have nothing on his mind but that blissful cup of water.

La Ronde des Plages - They're Off!

The road is clear of cars - 1000 runners take off on the 25th annual 10 kilometre run.

The course runs alongside the beaches from the Port of Garavan (near the Italian border) to the swimming pool at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin - and then back again.

The best runners do this in half an hour - others take around fifty minutes.

La Ronde des Plages - Getting Ready

Tie those laces, stretch those feet...

1000 runners will be taking part in La Ronde des Plages - a 10 kilometres circuit of the beaches.

La Ronde des Plages - the Children

The Menton Marathon Club recently organised a 10 kilometre run - La Ronde des Plages.

Before we get on to the big boys' run, first: the children's races. There was a 1.5 kilometre run for the 6 - 10 year olds and then a 3 km run for the 11 to 15 year olds.

In the main photo, they've finished the run and are queuing to get their medals. Not all are happy with their efforts though, as you see by the expression on the boy in the black tee-shirt.

In the smaller photo, a father rubs oil into his daughter's legs and in the last photo, they are off!

Rotten

Menton is famous for the Fête du Citron which takes place in February and many of Menton's streets are lined with orange trees.

Now the oranges are rotting on the trees, a few have fallen, but it always surprises me how long they hold on. These trees, which will be trimmed soon, line each side of the Jardins Biovès - alongside the plane tree we saw the other day.

I presume they are not harvested for consumption because they are such a bitter variety - also they'd be polluted by the cars that drive past them. And of course, they are such a beautiful symbol for Menton that the authorities probably like them to be visible for as long as possible.

Tomorrow, get your running shoes on, we've a 10 kilometres run along the beaches.

Old Wall, Old Man

He's old and uses a stick but it wouldn't surprise me if this gentleman is pretty healthy. Why? Because he lives in the Old Town of Menton and so has to walk up and down steps and slopes each day. It's the same for those who live in the surrounding hill villages. They have no choice but to walk.

He's sitting opposite the Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs in the Place de l'Eglise, which adjoins the Parvis Saint-Michel - hence the beautiful mosaic beneath his feet.

Later...my buddy in Ohio wrote and asked if I'd tried this in Black and White. I had but decided to leave it in colour - to me Menton is all about the wonderful colours. Having said that, I do like it in B and W. What do YOU think? Which do you prefer?

Watering Cans for the Departed

Watering cans and a cloth - essential care for the graves in Gorbio's cemetery. The sign talks about abandoned or expired concessions.

The Plane Trees of France

The plane trees of France. Apart from Paris, one of my first memories of la France was as a teenager, driving down to the French Riviera. It took two or three days as we drove through tiny villages, stopping for long lazy lunches in the sun. There were no autoroutes in those days.

Narrow country roads, lined with plane trees - I've never forgotten - the beginning of my love affair with France.

Here's one of those wonders in the Jardin Biovès in Menton.

The Bay of Garavan

Taken from the Old Cemetery, we are looking down on the Sablettes beach. Further along, we see the Port of Garavan and just beyond, Italy. The large square area, just before the port, is called the Stade and will soon be used when Menton welcomes the beautiful pure-blood Arabian horses for their annual Championship Show. Out of shot, and to our right, is the Old Port.

Parking Place

The back wall of a private parking place just below the Monastery of l'Annonciade in Menton.

Chess à la Carte - the Winner!

Here are the two young players we met yesterday. The winner showing his delight in winning. The pair of them never stopped playing and having the best fun.

Chess à la Carte - the Young Players

This young man and his friend (see the last photo) played for hours, sometimes here with the large pieces - and sometimes at a table, against the clock and always with boundless enthusiasm.

'Every Chess Master was once a beginner'

- Chernev