Did you notice these socks and rubber gloves in yesterday's photograph?
Along with the new road surface comes the possibility of cable television and that's what these guys are installing. They saw me taking a photograph so immediately went into 'pose mode.' Aren't they great!
Whilst this ancient street has a new surface, happily nearly everything else is old.
Some of you may remember the series on Rue Longue at the end of 2007, when it was under renovation. At the time it was almost impossible to walk down the street - take a look HERE to see how the road was excavated to a depth of several feet and residents had to squeeze past on narrow planks of wood.
Rue Longue, after two years of work, is almost finished. In the main photo we see the new surface on the road. The smaller photograph - left - shows how it used to be. Yes, perhaps the tiny pavements had to be removed, but I so wish they'd used paving that was more in keeping with the feel of these medieval houses. Of course, it's safe, it's non-slip and that's what councils think of these days. And yes, there is a sense of design in the light and darker tiles giving that long winding effect in the middle, but it's awfully modern. In 1908, Rue Longue was repaired with stone from La Spezia in Italy and it's this paving that has now been replaced. Progress?
Rue Longue was the original Roman Road - the only road leading into Italy. Called Via Aurelia, it became the Via Julia Augusta in the first century and it was around this road that Menton was built in 1250 AD.
The photo below shows this street how it was not long before the new paving was laid.
Tomorrow - we'll start to explore this beautiful old street and see what's new and what's old. Do come back.
Do you remember being buried in sand when you were a child? I've a photograph somewhere - just my head shows and I recall to this day how clammy and uncomfortable it was. We dug a deep hole, in went the victim, and on went the sand...and it was so heavy you couldn't get out without help. Scary.
Yesterday, we had steps to walk up. Today we have steps to walk down - although we could take the narrow traverse to the right and then we might be on the road less travelled...
The Old Town is a myriad of little streets, up, down, through tunnels, turn left, turn right. It's easy to get lost. Of course, that's the best thing to do: get lost. Wander - enjoy - and see where the road takes you.
How could anyone be sad living amongst so many happy colours? We are at the base of the Old Town today.
Beach, book, gently breaking waves.
The private beaches of Menton are along the Bay of Garavan.
This one is called La Pergola (there's a restaurant here too) and this man is sifting pebbles by throwing spadefuls of them at this contraption. Small pebbles are retained - the bigger ones chucked out further down the beach. I presume the uniformity is so that the beach chairs and tables, which will soon be in position for the season, will be on a reasonably even surface.
I had lunch here the other day and this was the entertainment.
Yesterday. No sun and later heavy rain over Les Sablettes. There's something about a tree on a beach that I just love. In summer, when this tree is in full leaf, it's used by families to shade babies in pushchairs.
The first of the month and so once again it's Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community.
With the theme being 'yellow' the most obvious choice for Menton would be a lemon, after all, Menton is the citrus capital of France. So I give you a small photo of lemons but the main photo I couldn't resist - mimosa tumbling over the entrance to an old villa in a backstreet of Menton. Both photos were taken within a few metres and a few minutes of each other at the end of February.
Yellow is such a happy colour - the colour of sunshine. I hope it's shining for you today.
Part of the facade of the Basilica seen thru an archway of the Old Town. Following on from yesterday's post, this is where the Festival of Music is held each August. Tiered seating is built for the audience, with a large platform for the musicians extending over the steps in front of the entrance to the church.
In August Menton hosts a fabulous classical music festival outside the beautiful Basilica in the Old Town.
The festival started in 1949 and for its 50th anniversary in 1999, this mural was painted at the base of the steps that lead up into the Old Town and our place in the audience.
Note the lemons and also the Clef on her ear.
Click on the link above to see one of the concerts.
Daisy Daisy,
It always amazes and delights me when people love having their photograph taken. I saw this group in the distance and snapped them - then they saw me and one or two waved (see smaller photograph). Then they quickly organised themselves into posing with the tandem - the sun really too bright and too harsh on their happy faces. A great group having fun, doing what they love to do cycling around France.
They'd cycled over from Hyères - that's a long way...near St. Tropez. Home is the Ardèche region of France.
Tomorrow - a Bicycle Made for Two.
Forget your modern hair dressing salons - how about a tiny courtyard with a bench whilst you wait - flowers galore - and the yachts in the harbour across the road.
A door in the Old Town. I've worked in the past, sponge or rag in hand, trying to create the look of this old wall at home. Here you get the real thing created by time and weather.
Update today on Mistral and Mia - Postcards from 'Pension Milou.'
Do we remember moments from childhood? I hope this little girl never forgets this one shared with her father.
Picture the scene: two ladies, one walking a small child who looked as if she'd rather be in the pram - the other lady is pushing Pooh. Clever Pooh. I laughed and asked if I could take a photograph. They laughed too and said 'yes.'
