More Scenes From Old Niece

There were a few days of rain, but we did get out to see a bit more of old(-er) Nice, the seaside Promenade des Anglais, as well as the port.

The Negresco, Nice's most famous old hotel, under renovation

wraps and in the rain

Obligatory tourist train shot

After 2 days' rain, Nice's (mostly underground) river is nearly in
flood

And, at low tide, is creating a standing wave as it enters the Mediterranean

The famous blue chair sculpture looks on

As do we, now walking toward the eastern terminus of the Promenade

Mounds to become beach volleyball courts in due time

Effluent from the river flooding the bay

New sculpture to greet some new conference

Who wouldn't?!

WWI monument beneath the Colline du Chateau

Looking into the port...nowadays a few fishing boats, a few excursion boats, mostly luxury yachts

Harbor entrance

Monument to Garibaldi, the great general and leader of the Resorgimento...
the unification of Italy...who was a native of Nice

Born in this building

Statue of Garibaldi in Nice's Place Garibaldi; it must
have been one of his few disappointments to not have
Nice included in the unification; but then there are probably
more monuments to Garibaldi in Italy than to anyone else,
except perhaps Jesus H. Christ

A giant fountain square, a block or two from our appartement...the weather clearing, to become everything one could want

Monte Carlo, 2

The pilote showing the big boat where the harbor is

Walking around the Casino complex I noted the Theater
and its plaque commemorating performances by Diaghilev 
and the Ballet Russe

The parks and gardens in Monte Carlo all in bloom and wonderful

City facade

Spherical mirror in the garden

Self-portrait

Thus

Fancy restos, shoppes

VIP bleachers in the Casino's forecourt

No Walmart?

Interpretive signage in French and Latin

Very large and old Pohutukawa tree, from New Zealand

Parting shot...

Monte Carlo, 1

Originally we intended to visit Menton, on the frontier with Italy, but, when, after an hour's ride, the bus (#600) pulled into Monte Carlo, we changed our minds. We'd been there before, a couple or three times, even into The Casino once, just for a nosey. I remember thinking that, apart from some people talking en francais, it was pretty much exactly like Las Vegas or similar places elsewhere. I suppose that if we were fabulously wealthy or less risk-averse we might find places like Monaco more attractive. As it were, we were there, and the bus ride was getting tiresome, and it was actually on our list of things we might do while on the Riviera. So we spent the better part of the day in Monte Carlo.

As it happened, the bus stop was right across the street from
the offices of the Automobile Club of Monaco

The Formula E is in just a few weeks, so all the relevant
streets, boulevards, corniches, etc., are barricaded and fenced
off with bleachers already in place...see below

It's a vertical place...Hong Kong on the Mediterranean, some say

Before heading to the harbor, the Casino, and such, we wandered some
of the interior streets, finding the private jet store to be of great interest...

Conveniently, the private yacht store is directly across the street

On the harbor drive, all set up for the big race, the Formula 1, at the

end of May

Double-wides

A squadron of the oligarchic fleet berthed here

Lamborghini SUV; family car

Aston Martin SUV; we're still looking for a Ferrari Purosangue

Sea-side facade of the Casino

The four-masted motorized tourist ship Wind Spirit or somesuch (according to
Google Lens) approaches the harbor's entrance as the pilote boat approaches it
(the aft-most mast has been folded down; all the sailing apparatus is
mechanized and centrally controlled ("see how the sensors think the mainsail
has yet..."))

Popular sculpture outside The Casino

Monacoan navy on patrol

Ugliest building in Monaco, right on the water, next
to the Casino