Summertime in Menton - Pollution

See that fug over the Old Town? It's particularly evident in the smaller photograph - (click to enlarge) - where you see an oppressive haze over Monaco in the distance. This is pollution caused by too many cars. On the day I took this photograph, the speed limit on the autoroutes had been restricted in an effort to reduce emissions from cars.

Since then, the sky is clearer - and I presume those restrictions have been lifted as I've not read more in our local rag, Nice-Matin. So don't feel too sorry for those of us who live here.

The photographs were taken from the Italian border.

Summertime in Menton - La Foule

La Foule = crowds. Crowded beaches. That's Menton in July and August - at least on the public beaches, one of which you see here. You can spread out a little more on the private beaches in Garavan.

On the left you can see the lifeguard sitting in his tower and in the foreground, left, one of the beach showers. In the distance, again left, you see part of the Old Town. Further away - Italy.

Summertime in Menton - Karting

Each summer, you'll find one weekend devoted to Karting. This year the 36th Grand prix was held and here you see one of the heats. I can't imagine how hot these kids must have been in their gear but presumably they don't think of that as they dream of growing up to be Schumacher or Hamilton, both of whom started in Karting.

The races are held at the far end of the Sablettes Beach and prove very popular with visitors who sit in the cafés, sip their cooling drinks - and enjoy all the excitement.

Summertime in Menton - the Bikini

Suntan lotion, beach towel... and a bikini - et voilà!

Summertime in Menton - the Créole girl

So many beautiful Créoles in Menton last week. Here's a young beauty waiting for people to buy her produce. More gorgeous dreadlocks as per the guy you saw yesterday.

The tablecloth you see seems to be traditional. Nearly all the stalls were decorated with this same checked pattern.

Summertime in Menton - Dreadlocks

This great looking guy was part of the recent Créole festival in Menton. I adore dreadlocks. If I come back in another life, I'll request, 'Rasta hair please.'

In the smaller photo, you see another guy with his dreadlocks pinned up.

Do you like dreadlocks?

Tomorrow - a gorgeous young beauty - and yes, her hair is worn in dreadlocks too. After that, we'll be over my dreadlocks obsession - and get back to the beach.

Theme Day: Metal

The first of the month and Theme Day. Today's Theme is Metal so here's an rusty car I pass every time I drive down the Route de Gorbio to Menton. In winter, the vegetation dies back somewhat. At the moment, it's gone a bit crazy. What car is it? Perhaps an old Citroen? Anyone know?

It's hot and humid in Menton. The ozone level is nearly critical - people with breathing problems are told to stay indoors and the speed limit has been reduced on all motorways in the Alpes-Maritimes. The major culprit, of course, is the motor car, so perhaps it's just as well this car died long ago.

There are 184 City Daily Photo bloggers from all around the world taking part in today's Theme. Why not pay some of them a visit and see what 'metal' they found in their city to delight you. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Thanks to Don, a regular visitor to Menton, who reminded me about this car.

Summertime in Menton - the Créole Beauty

This gorgeous lady was working in the Guadaloupe tent at the Créole Festival. Note her face piercings - even a stud on a tooth. And how about that smile? Isn't that just fabulous.

373 year ago, the French landed in the West Indies. Since then, the history of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean has been intertwined. Christopher Columbus came from Genoa, Napoleon from Corsica - Josephine was a Créole. Menton paid hommage to this history recently - over three glorious days - when the town came alive to Créole rhythms, traditions, food and drink.

You can read more on the Créole peoples by clicking on the link.

Summertime in Menton - Festival Créole!

Summertime in Menton means Fêtes galore - in Menton itself or in the surrounding hilltop villages. The Tango festival is over and, suddenly, we are into Créole - and how wonderful it is. Dance, music, clothes, food, wondrous drinks - great people - everyone having the best time.

Here you see some of the dancers crossing the road and walking back to their digs in the Old Town.

Summertime in Menton - the Tattoo

A waitress at one of the cafés in the centre of Menton.

The Colours of Passion
By Andrea Weist

The song of the needle
Is the song of my heart,
And my love of the pain
Meets my love of the art.

The liquid, fresh ink
Tells of my thirst,
And I drink of my passion
Until my heart bursts...

And the colours of joy
Can be seen on my skin;
Brilliant as sunrise,
Delicious as sin.

Nathalie at Avignon Daily Photo mentions non-permanent tattoos (and a white rat!) in her post today. It now occurs to me that perhaps what we see here is a non-permanent tattoo? It could easily be henna, couldn't it?

Summertime in Menton - the Dog Beach

There are two beaches that allow dogs in Menton - so both are great places for me to take photographs for Riviera Dogs. Dogs are very much part of Summertime in Menton though, so here's a happy dog today.

He's a four year old Labrador on holiday with his family from Milan. His name is Giorgio and he'd spent the day playing, swimming, having the greatest fun with a dog he'd met on the beach - a Golden/Pyrenean Mountain Dog mix called Astuss. You see them swimming together on the left. You'll find another photograph of Astuss on Riviera Dogs today. Click on the link - probably a better, sharper photo than Giorgio's but I wanted you to see Giorgio jumping for a stone.

The energy, such joy in life - living in the moment. Dogs teach us so much.

Summertime in Menton - the Microlight

Competition result!

What you saw was a plastic barrel filled with water to prevent the aircraft lifting in the event of strong winds. The one you saw is on the tail (see it again in the smaller photo). There are two larger barrels attached to the wings and you can see one in the main photo, below the water.

The aeroplane is a Murphy Renegade Spirit. Bought in Belgium as a land plane and converted, with the help of some good friends of the owner, to a seaplane in Biscarrosse in the Landes department of France. It's classed as a ULM (microlight) in France. It is unique.

The plane is moored near to the phare (lighthouse) in the port of Garavan in summer but in winter is moved to a jetty in the centre of Garavan, away from any bad weather. And guess what, I'm invited to fly in her one day?

Thank you so much to everyone who tried to guess the answer. On reflection I realise this was a difficult competition. Perhaps I should have given 'Jonathan Livingstone Seagull' as a clue but then it might have been too easy. Although no one got its actual use, Steve from New Orleans Daily Photo was the first to use the word 'weight' - so a postcard of Menton goes to Steve. And another to Uselaine of Willits Daily Photo who suggestion that it was an egg sack incubating hundreds of these wins a postcard for originality and making me fall about with laughter.

Summertime in Menton - the Tango Lesson

Each year Menton hosts four days of 'Ma Ville est Tango' - with Argentinian Tango demonstrations in the Palais des l'Europe. At various times of the day and evening, you'll find dancing in the streets of the Old Town. (The second link shows this last year.)

And here - along the sea - and in a large tent with a dance floor, you can take tango lessons.

Tomorrow: the results of yesterday's competition. Still time to enter - no one (so far) has guessed it correctly.

Summertime in Menton - Competition Time!

The boat trip is over, so how about a competition to get our sun-soaked brain cells going...

We're in the port of Garavan at Menton. What is this and, specifically, what is it being used for?

First correct answer gets a postcard of Menton. Results - Sunday!

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 11

Goodbye to Italy. We've had a great day. Lie back, feet off the end of the boat - enjoy those last few minutes before we reach the port of Garavan in Menton, tie up the boat and go on our way.

Thanks to everyone who came on this boat trip. Didn't we have fun? Perhaps we'll do it again someday.

Tomorrow - a competition. We'll be in the port of Garavan and there is 'something' in the water - what is it and more importantly, what is it used for? - come back tomorrow and take a look - a postcard of Menton to the first person who gets it right.

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 10

We're on our way home. Menton is ahead. I'm shooting into the lowering sun - the light dances on the water, the mountains are in silhouette.

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 9

Time to go home. We wave goodbye to Carlo and Susan and my friend, Donald, who lives in Beaulieu.

Donald was one of the first people I met when, 17 years ago, I came to live in the south of France. He 'knows everyone' and everyone loves Donald. He gives great parties - and through Donald, you meet great people. But, most of all, he's a really good and valued friend to his friends - he works at friendship. Barely a week will go by without a call, 'Just calling to see how you are.' How lucky I am.

"My friends are my estate" - Emily Dickinson

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 8

Oh Lordy, that's the Coastguard boat and it's making straight for us.

Shouts of, 'Carlo, Carlo,' went up. Being Italian, he would be needed to talk to them - although I'm sure they spoke French too. Nearly everyone working in these border towns (Menton in France and Ventimiglia in Italy) speak both languages. It seems we had dropped anchor too close to the beach. The law says no nearer than 300 metres - hard to judge I'm sure you'll agree. We haul up the anchors, untie our boats and move further away from the shore.

In any case, it's nearly 6 p.m. and time for us to think about getting home. Tomorrow, we wave goodbye to our friends and start the journey back to Menton.

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 7

Hold your nose and jump!

That's the railway line you see in the background. Anyone who takes a train along the French and Italian Rivieras knows you get a mighty good view.

Tomorrow, the Coastguard boat makes straight for us. What have we done wrong?

Summertime in Menton - the Boat Trip - 6

This lovely building is almost on the beach. We are in Latte which is a village between Menton and Ventimiglia. (I often come here to shop - there's a really good supermarket with great pasta and well-priced good wines).

I don't know what this building is, what it's used for but I love its proportions and, in particular, the colours. Carlo explained to me that you find these particular colours in a village further along the Ligurian coast - after Genoa and before La Spézia. I've forgotten the name for sure, but think he said Sestri Levante and certainly if you click on the link, you'll find lots of houses similar in colours to this one. In fact, doesn't Sestri Levante look a place worth visiting? Seemingly Hans Christian Andersen lived there for a short time.