An Iris for Isabella

A Gorbio garden

Today is Isabella's 400th post and for the moment, her last. Isabella's Naples Daily Photo was one of the first CDP blogs that caught my eye, and since then, I've never missed one of her posts. How I'll miss those beaches, the wonderful birds and of course, Big Al, the aligator. But most of all, I'll miss Isabella's wit, generosity of spirit and sense of fun.

Isabella quoted Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in yesterday's post and so for you, Isabella, here is Longfellow's favourite flower - the iris.

Still - in a way - nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small - we haven't the time -
and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time. - Georgia O'Keeffe.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy...and come back someday, Isabella.

A Grave Birth

You never know what you'll find wandering around the beautiful cemetery above the Old Town.

I wonder how the inhabitants of this grave would feel if they knew a seagull had taken up residence to sit on her eggs?

She kept a very beady eye on me so I didn't stay long.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Last Day

The truth is I feel a bit like the dog you see in this collage who seems to be saying 'get me outta here!' I'm getting bored with cars and we can't have the photographer bored... so, tomorrow, time to move on to other joys of Menton.

Here are a few cars you've not yet seen. The lady in the top middle photo, by the way, is one of the judges. There's a Merc. 190 SL - there was a 230 too but not in this collage.

Thanks so much to everyone who has followed this series and for your very welcome comments.

Tomorrow - on to pastures new...

Les Anciennes Fleuries - NOT a Topolino!

After the event, this car was featured in Nice-Matin and referred to as a Topolino. After much Googling, the Topolinos I found didn't look like this car. Indeed, Richard from Zurich Daily Photo had featured a Topolino - very different as you see.

Richard suggested I write to Fabrizio from Torino Daily Photo who knows all things to do with cars and Fabrizio assures me that this car is definitely not a Topolino and Nice-Matin had got it wrong! Well, we all know that you can't believe all you read in newspapers.

The Topolinos (Micky Mouse - or more correctly Little Mouse) refer to the

- Fiat 500 A produced from 1936 to 1948.
- Fiat 500 B produced from 1948 to 1949. Type A and B
- Fiat 500 C produced from 1049 to 1955 (Fabrizio's father had a blue one). Type C.

The car you see in this photograph is simply a Fiat 500, a special series model that was first made on the 4th July 1957. In fact, the very newest Fiat 500 was introduced last year on the 4th July.

Thanks very much, Fabrizio for all this information. Big kiss to you!

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Célia et Sébastien

Remember Célia, the beautiful young girl doing her make-up in the motorbike mirror? And featured a day later in the 1925 Renault Torpedo?

In the small photo, left, you see a sweet young girl but in the main photo we see a sensuality that reminded me of Jeanne Moreau - somehow it demands to be seen in black and white. Amazing to me how photography can change the way we see. And what we see changes a photograph!

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Simca Six

There's always great interest at the concours. Little boys, big boys, mothers - everyone wants to look inside and admire.

Another tiny car - this is a 1949 Simca Six Decouvrable.

Simca was founded in France in 1934. Originally associated with Fiat but later independent. In 1970 it became defunct and was taken over by the Chrysler group.

The Spanish parody group, Los Inhumanos, had a popular song called Qué dificil es hacer el amor en Simca 1000! (How difficult it is to make love in a Simca 1000!) One presumes it would be even more difficult in a Simca Six!

Les Anciennes Fleuries - MG + 3

Everyone proudly poses in front of their cars. Here you see grandfather, daughter and grandchild in front of their MG - obviously a newer model than the one we saw the other day, but still a minimum of 25 years old - as are all the cars are at this concours.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Fiat 600 Jolly Ghia

"In 1958, Fiat shipped a number of Fiat 600s to the Italian design house, Ghia, for conversion into the Jolly. Featuring wicker seats and the option of a fringed top to shield its occupants from the Mediterranean sun, these cars were originally made for use on large yachts of the wealthy. Arisototle Onassis owned one.

With a cost of nearly double that of a standard '600' they were made in a very limited production. It's believed that fewer than 100 exist today, each one being unique. 32 Jolly cars were used as taxis on the island of Catalina off the coast of Los Angeles in the years 1958-1962." - Wikipedia

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Belle

This lady was taking a rest on the wall by the fountain, watching the crowds milling about the cars and waiting for the time when her car would be judged. I never did see her in the car, but I'm pretty sure it was one of the beautiful Hotchkiss.

She was happy to be photographed - she wore a long flowing outfit perfect for the occasion and the car - and when finished I told her, 'Vous êtes belle, Madame.' And indeed she is.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - MG

Not only a British car but a car with British number plates. An MG. I don't know the year but I'm sure someone will tell me.

My first car was an MG. A TA, I think, it was. Anyway it was registered in 1939 - cost me £80. I drove it around Chelsea with bare feet, a mess of hair on my head. We were called hippies in those days! I drove the car till it would go no further and couldn't afford to get it fixed. Should have kept it - be worth a fortune now.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Fiat 500

Pretty sure this is a Fiat 500. So tiny, isn't it? They were made between 1957 and 1975. Their predecessor was the Fiat Topolino and you'll be seeing one of those too, decorated with palm trees!

I have a friend in Monaco, well over six feet tall and he used to drive around in a purple version of this car - a tight squeeze you might say and you'd be right. One day it died in a fire. He loved and mourned that car.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Renault Torpedo

Here you see the car that yesterday's young lady was getting ready to accompany. It's a 1925 Renault NN, Torpedo. The owners bought the car in 1982 and since then they've changed the tyres, the car has been repainted and a small amount of work has been done to the engine. Meanwhile, they buy parts for the car directly from Renault or from enthusiasts.

In the last photo, you see the car ready for judgement. The judges are sitting off to the left, out of shot.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Make-up mirror

A motorbike mirror. A pretty girl puts the finishing touches to her macquillage. She knows I'm photographing her and can't stop giggling.

What car is she about to adorn? Note the style of headdress, the fur, the glove.

Do come back tomorrow to find out.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - Hotchkiss

As you can see, this gathering of ancient cars is very popular in Menton. I've not heard of a display of cars and flowers before. Have you? These three Hotchkiss cars show different choices in flower arrangements.

Hotchkiss cars were made between 1903 and 1955 by the French company Hotchkiss & Cie in Saint-Denis, Paris - a company started by an American engineer, Benjamin B.Hotchkiss from Connecticut. The badge for the marque showed a pair of crossed cannons, evoking the company's earlier history as an arms manufacturer during the Franco-Prussian war.

Les Anciennes Fleuries - 1912 Zebra

Yesterday, the Automobile Club of Menton held its annual concours of classic cars - but with a twist - dressed up with flowers. It's a annual competition that considers the car, the flower arrrangements and the costumes of the drivers. All the flowers were provided by the florists of Menton and of Roquebrune-cap-Menton.

There were 25 cars exhibited - a real mix from a Mercedes 190 SL to a Cinquecento Topolino but no vehicle was less than 25 years old.

Here you see the oldest car exhibited, a Zebra of 1912. This particular car was buried in the ground during the war. Click on the link to read more about the model.

Tomorrow - a Hotchkiss.

Love in the afternoon

"France is the only place where you can make love in the afternoon without people hammering on your door"

- Barbara Cartland

So you'd like to own a boat?

As you can see, owning a boat isn't all lazing about, sipping champagne and cultivating a tan. This couple spent Easter Saturday working on their boat in the old port of Menton.

I wouldn't be taking the photo today - we've had rain for two or three days and Gorbio is in thick fog. Sunshine tomorrow - according to the meteo. Hooray!

Restoration

We are walking down from the Château in the village of Gorbio. As you can see new steps have been built on the left. In a medieval village, restoration is always needed. Occasionally you see work that is far too modern and stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. In this case, the steps appear to be made of stone and hopefully will soon weather down and blend in with the centuries old walls.

Life's a beach

Louder than gulls the little children scream

Whom fathers haul into the jovial foam;

But others fearlessly rush in, breast high,

Laughing the salty water from their mouthes--

Heroes of the nursery.


- Robert Graves

The hand of an Italian

As we all know, Italians talk with their hands, not just their voices. Look at this man - he's standing, talking to a group of men who are sitting on a bench in front of him. You can see the head of one of them. That hand never leaves his chest except to express what he is saying.

I used to go to an Italian hairdresser and if he was talking to someone else in the salon, I got my hair washed with one hand. He was incapable of talking without using at least one hand. I adore Italians! And of course, Menton is so much Italian - all the French here speak Italian. You cross the border and they speak French. And many of the businesses in Menton are run by Italians or families that were originally Italian.

Do you use your hands when speaking?