Fête du Citron: Corso - La Frustica

La Frustica is an Italian folklorique group. They've played in many places including New York. Click on this link to hear them on YouTube in New York City.

La Frustica started life with a small group of enthusiasts but has now grown to a very respectable size with a wind section and another section dedicated to typical local instruments, made out of a startling array of materials.

The Festival is extremely popular in Faleria, near Rome - their home base - a happy event with no social barriers or political content, a typical village celebration.

The orange and lemon float you see in the last photo represents Sicily.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Groupe Folklorique

Not all the entertainment comes from abroad. This is one of several folk groups from Menton. See the little boy on the right...he's trying to remove the plastic spray stuff that was aimed at him. The girls and ladies are wearing costumes representing the original Mentonnais clothes.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Pirates!

All the acts parade around the 3 kilometre circuit, stopping every 100 yards or so to perform. The pirates were great fun - much banging of drums, a sword fight which naturally the girl won to great applause! And a Johnny Depp (sort-of) lookalike too.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Clowns!

The clowns. The car has a mechanism that lifts the body up high, slopes it backwards, slopes it forwards. All great fun as the clowns fool around. You can see how the kids have had fun spraying the car with that plasticy spray stuff.

The beautiful girls will be back...

Fête du Citron: Corso - Oooh la la!

Each year, when the girls from Brazil appear, the crowd go wild. A couple of visitors were standing behind me and as the beautiful girls gyrated towards us (you'll see more photos of gyrations, guys!) the man kept saying: 'Oooh la la, Oooh...oooh la la! and more --- Oooh la la! He was beside himself. His wife and I laughed and I turned to him and said 'Calme-toi.' It didn't help.

Today is the first International Online Free Expression Day. Nathalie at the beautiful Avignon in Photos has written in detail on this. Please click on the Avignon link to read her post and how to Take Action.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Corsica

A wild boar represents Corsica in the parade. You might remember Corsica was also featured in the Jardin Biovès. Click on the link to see more.

In the smaller photo, you can see a young girl wearing Corsica's national costume.

Tomorrow? Oh la la......

Fête du Citron: Corso - Group in white

This group were charming - and their music. I wish I knew their name or even where they are from but I don't. Plaintive music accompanied the man rolling around on the ground but I don't know what it all meant. Wouldn't want his laundry bill.

If anyone knows of this group, do let me know.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Ostriches!

These ostriches moved so fast and were quite scary. Their heads would swoop about and suddenly descend on the crowd, grabbing someone's arm.

You can see they are getting sprayed with that sticky stuff from a spray can. The kids had a ball. So did the adults, come to think of it.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Confetti!

It wasn't until I read Fabrizio's Torino Daily Photo today that I realised it's International Women's Day. Takes a man...

And so, inspired by Fabrizio's beautiful photograph of a little girl (do click on the link) here you see fun and games with confetti at the Corso. May these girls grow up to achieve their full potential.

Tomorrow - meet the clowns!

Fête du Citron: Corso - Madagascar

This char (float) represents Madagascar. If you missed the earlier posts, you can read about how these floats are constructed at THIS LINK.

This year's festival - the 75th - has beaten all previous records with 250,000 visitors. The last 'best year' was in 2003 when the theme was 'Pinocchio.' In a few week's time, we'll know what next year's theme will be.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Polynesia

During the nearly three week long Fête du Citron, there are three daytime Corsos (parades), two night-time Corsos and of course you can visit the Jardin Biovès to see the permanent displays, many of which we've already seen.

The Corsos consist of 10 chars (floats) made in the same way as the permanent displays - ie of lemons and oranges. They are each towed around the 3 kilometre route by a 4 x 4 vehicle. In addition to the floats, we'll be seeing 2000 musicians and dancers who have come from 20 different countries to perform.

In the top photograph you see some of the dancers preparing to perform. They are standing outside the beautiful English church in Menton which you can see if you click on the link. The small photograph shows the same beautiful girl performing later.

Below you see Polynesian musicians, followed by the dancers. The guys on the left holding stools follow them around as every few yards they stop, sit down and perform with their drums.

Fête du Citron - waiting for the Corso

So, here we are - waiting for it all to begin. We don't have tickets for the tiered seating so we'll be standing by the side of the road. I warn you - we need protective clothing. We are likely to be sprayed with water, bubbles, foam, tons of that stuff that comes out of spray cans and forms long dangly coloured sticky stuff on our hair - and confetti - buckets of the stuff that will be shot at us out of cannons. Are you game for it? If so, come back tomorrow - the Corso begins!

And it's not only people who are waiting for the Corso - Canelle is waiting too. Click on the link to take a look.

Walk to the Corso - 2

It's around 1.30 and we are walking to the Corso. Some people are lunching in a restaurant, some on the beach, some are simply sunbathing. These four photographs were taken with 15 minutes of each other yet people have rather different ideas as to how warm it is!

Walk to the Corso - 1

Let's go to the Corso. The Corso is the 'parade of floats' that is a big part of the Lemon Festival. I've never been before and didn't intend going this year but it was a lovely day and I had a feeling you might like to come along.

Parking is hopeless on Corso days so we've had to park a long way away and now we are walking by the sea to get to the Parade. This little girl threw stone after stone into the sea - quite big stones for a small child.

Did you throw stones into the sea or a river or a lake when you were a child?

Do come back tomorrow - we'll continue our walk along the seafront - until we reach the Corso and then we'll have fun.

Orchidée - 2

Following on from the posting a couple of days ago, here we are inside the Palais de l'Europe which is holding the Orchid Exhibition. You can see the outside of this beautiful building on the left.

The Palais de l'Europe was built in the neo-classic style
in 1909 - the architect being inspired by the great buildings of the 1850s - 1880s. It was originally the Kursaal Casino, the fourth casino to be built in the town. In those days opera, ballet and theatre companies performed for the delight of the visitors.

The building was acquired by the town at the end of the 1950s, and after 1961 was known as the Palais de l'Europe. Here you'll find the Tourist Office, the municipal library, a theatre, a gallery and exhibition halls.

Theme Day: Street Mural or Graffiti

Not Banksy, but I found no street murals in Menton. This is part of the revered French poet, Paul Valéry's famous poem 'Le Cimetière Marin' (The Graveyard by the Sea) and it's on a wall in the beautiful cemetery above the Old Town of Menton. You can read the poem in both French and in its English translation by C. Day Lewis. Just click on the link above.

"The quiet roof where dove-sails saunter by,
Between the pines, the tombs..."

There are 144 Daily Photo Bloggers participating in today's CDP Theme Day who would love you to visit them:

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, 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, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, 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 U R us, 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, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, 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, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, 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, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Orchidée

Across the road from the Fête du Citron is the Palais de l'Europe, which at the moment is hosting an exhibition of orchids. The exhibtion is free and is held each year at the same time as the Lemon Festival. There are hundreds and hundreds of different orchid displays - quite extraordinary and so beautiful. Here's just one variety.

Fête du Citron - shopping!

And so, we've visited the Fête du Citron - so what can we buy to take home? Well, unsurprisingly, all thing citrus - orange and lemon trees, mimosa trees, fridge magnets, postcards, conserves, lemon olive oil, citrus liqueurs - in particular, the delicious Limoncello - and of course - lemons and oranges. Thanks for visiting the festival with me. Come back again next year and we'll do it all over again but with a different theme.

Tomorrow, we'll pop across the road to the Palais de l'Europe where we'll pay a quick visit to the exhibition of orchids.

Fête du Citron - Adelaide

This little charmer is called Adelaide. She posed for her parents and just as they were done, I came along and wanted to take a photograph. It took three before she'd smile and even then she wouldn't look at the camera. Cute eh?

As you can see, we've sunshine but it's chilly - everyone wrapped up as if it's winter - which I suppose it is.

Fête du Citron - the visitors

Children being lined up by their teacher before walking around the exhibits. Note the trees: oranges don't just grow on the displays. Menton is not known as the City of Lemons (and oranges) for nothing.

In the photo above, you can perhaps see, amidst the light and shadow on the yellow hut, a poster. (Reproduced on the left) Presumably the number of oranges or lemons mentioned is the reward for finding the big bad pirate! These posters are everywhere at the Festival.