'Allo Robert' and the Mynah Bird

Just up the Castellar road from the Nouvelles Galleries is a place of wonders. 'Hello Robert' sells brocante and antiquities.

Once inside, you have to fight your way through furniture, piles of antique leather suitcases, a couple of cars, tables, fairground figures, ancient bicycles, rocking horses galore, old tins, statues, paintings, it never stops and of course it's fabulous.

The ground floor seems to extend forever, most is undercover but at the far end it's open to the elements and that's where you'll find old tiles, decorated pots, garden furniture, bird cages and loads of plants, even a small grotto with running water. Tucked in a corner at the foot of a staircase is this mynah bird who talks but is marginally impolite at times! He also wolf whistles to make you feel beautiful and screeches when you walk up his escalier (stairscase).

Rusty Love

In October last year my very special friend, Catherine - who lives in Paris and spends time in Menton - published a photo on Just the Five of Us of these very same padlocks on the bridge in Ventimiglia. Click on the link to see them. See how rusty they've gotten over the winter.

Yesterday, Rob posted a 'link lock' on North Metro Photo, which in turn led me to Valeria at Verona Daily Photo who posted Locks of Love which explains it all!

It seems it all started with a book by Federico Mocca called 'I want you', which was subsequently made into a film. The story was an inspiration to Roman lovers who copied the main characters and wrote their names on padlocks and fixed them to the Ponte Milvio lampposts - and so the idea spread. But there is more and for that you'll have to read this fascinating article in the New York Times.

Isn't it amazing what we learn from our blogging friends? Thanks everyone!

Armand's Clematis

A sure sign of spring in the south of France is Clematis Armandii. It's a very happy plant in this climate and I'm all for happy plants. It originated in central and southern China and was introduced to Europe by Ernest Wilson and named in honour of the French missionary, Père Armand David (1826-1900).

This Clematis Armandii is in the famous Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola, just over the border in Italy. I have one in my garden too but it's taken off and has climbed way, way up into a tree, instead of gently trailing along a fence as it was supposed to do. No matter. I admire it from a distance.

Reflections in a Martini

We're back in Ventimiglia today. Remember the old lady eating a bowl of chocolate? Note her reflection in this old Martini advert. In the smaller photo, you see the hills above Ventimiglia.

Wind

'It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.'

~ Charles Dickens

Fruits of the Sea

Just in case you wondered what I was doing in Italy yesterday...

...eating, of course! This was the first course of warm seafood salad. In fact, three of us shared it You can see mussels, octopus and calamari, palourdes (a sort of small clam) and prawns. The big fellow on top is perhaps a langoustine - which seems to translate as a scampi or Dublin Bay prawn.

After this, we all had pasta with Pesto Alla Genovese, so named because it originated in Genoa just along the Ligurian coast from here. Pesto is probably my favourite Italian sauce - made of basil, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino cheeses, olive oil and pine nuts. It's traditionally ground with a mortar and pestle - in fact, the word pesto is the past participle of the Italian word for 'to pound or crush.'

You can buy freshly made Pesto Alla Genovese in any market in Ventimiglia or Menton so I confess I never bother to make my own.

A Sliver of Silver

It's late afternoon in Ventimiglia. The sun sends a sliver of silver light across the water. We are looking towards Menton and beyond, in the far distance, is Monaco. It's time to go home.

Chocolate

Ventimiglia, Italy - across the border from Menton.

'I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process.... It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?'

~ Unknown

The Lion (No Witch) and the Wardrobe

A dress shop in the pedestrian street of Menton.

'Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny.'



~ The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S.Lewis

Poutine

A speciality in local restaurants at this time of the year, is omelette à la poutine. Poutine is only available for about three weeks of the year - the end of March/early April.

I've tried describing it to friends as whitebait but much much smaller and transparent, but really the fish looks like teeny weeny eels, doesn't it? I have many friends who adore poutine. I've never fanced it myself.

I don't know the English translation for poutine. Perhaps there isn't one? Does anyone know?

Sunlight in the Shadows

'What I wanted to do was to paint sunlight on the side of a house. '



~ Edward Hopper

A Terrace on the Riviera...

A covered terrace in a hidden corner of the Old Town. Perhaps not quite what we have in mind when we think of a balcony or terrace on the French Riviera.

Walking the Dog...

'All great thoughts are conceived while walking.'


~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Le Martina

Lunch in the sun in the Place du Cap.

Do you prefer this shot in Black and White or colour?

Spring is Here - the Sun Shines at Last

This was how the sky looked two days ago - sun with just a little cloud. Yesterday, not a cloud to be seen. It's so good to see the steeples in the Old Town rising up to a blue sky once again. The sun has finally chased winter away.

Remember the photo a few days ago of the derelict Villa Mer et Monts? Click to see. This inspired a charming watercolour by the Russian artist Irina . Do click on her blog Irina's Paintings and Stuff to take a look. Thanks so much Irina.

Spring is Here - and Eyelashes Flutter...

The sun is shining, it's getting warmer. Spring is finally here and girls flutter their eyelashes. Life is, thankfully, getting back to normal in Menton...

This pretty girl is a server at the Bar du Cap.

Colour

Rue des Marins, Menton

'Man needs colour to live; it's just as necessary an element as fire and water. '


~ Fernand Leger

A Mug or a Bus Ticket?

A mug for 1 euro. Seems so cheap, doesn't it?

But you know, there is something else you can get for one euro that is even better value. A bus ticket! You can take a bus anywhere in Alpes-Maritimes for 1 euro and the Alpes-Martimes is a big area - you can visit Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Grasse, Mougins, Vence, Vallauris, Roquefort-les-Pins and of course all the places nearer to Menton like Roquebrune and Sospel and Monaco.

Good value, I'd say.

Waiting...

'A hush is over everything, Silent as women wait for love; The world is waiting for the spring.'

~ Sara Teasdale

Cochons and cabbages

One of the stalls in the main food market sells brocante as well as fruit and vegetables.

'Pork and two veg, please!'