I have a bad case of the winter blues. (I keep hearing that spring is on the way, but other than longer days I can't see many signs of it around here). I have so completely had it with freezing temperatures, with heavy coats and boots. I'm dreaming about the sensation of warm air on bare skin, grass or sand underfoot. Planning our summer holidays this past weekend brought on a feverish fit of vicarious sun-seeking, browsing pics of summers past.
The gardens of St Martin in Monaco-Ville overlook the bay on the Côte d'Azure, where the Alpes-Maritimes meet the Mediterranean. We took a train ride along that coast a couple of summers ago, from Antibes past Cagnes-sur-Mer, Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, to Monaco Bay, watching the boats bob along that impossibly blue sea.
The gardens are perched up high on a cliff top, adjoining St Nicholas cathedral where Grace and Rainier are buried, and are full of exotic plants, water features and sculptures.
I liked it up here. The tacky commercialism of Monte Carlo fades from this distance, and all looks serene and blue.
Pick a yacht, any one you like ...
The Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium are up here too, courtesy of Albert I (great great grandfather of the incumbent Albert), and very cool they were too, in every sense of the word ...
Roll on summer. I'm getting desperate.
Dear Karen, These are fabulous pictures. I love Monacco but it is so over the top, almost not reachable. Your first picture, the gate, almost gave us permission to enter.
ReplyDeleteI recommend the lemoncello cure for the lingering winter blues. it involves large quantities of lemon peel stuff into a bottle of vodka with enough sugar to ensure you have something to day dream about while the sweet and the sour prepare for their june wedding...
ReplyDeleteLovely images, Karen. I'm also desperate for sunshine. I spent most of last week planning and booking a holiday on Mallorca and that helped a little, but I've still got three months to wait!
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you, just wanted I needed,
ReplyDeletea bit of balmy air for my winter-weary soul!
I am reading to welcome summer, forget about spring!
xxx
Ready, not reading. ;-)
ReplyDelete(I cut my finger with the coffee grinder. How hilarious is that, especially since I have to type an outline today?). xxx
I want to put dips on the farest yacht svp...
ReplyDeleteGo out in the cold and buy yourself some Spring flowers.
They work wonders I promise :)
I discovered a foolproof way to have blue skies:
ReplyDeleteBeing stuck at the desk! More than a whole week now, blue skies, temps now at 17°C. I am trying to stay calm and keep working. ;-)