Thinking of Monaco

by A Treur

Most will think of the Casino, Formula-1, and luxury yachts. Of course, Monaco, where one in three people are millionaires, is a vastly expensive city. But there’s far more to Monaco than money. There are quaint little streets, that you’ll find are in stark contrast to all the glitz and glamour.

We stayed in Castellane, and from there it’s quite a drive to Monaco. But we set off early and spent the day in the city. For the full article, visit my website.

We couldn’t see everything, as we only had one day. There’s apparently an amazing museum that we skipped, although the aquarium is worth a visit and there’s an incredible view over the city from its balcony.

Park and Cathedral

We wandered past the beautiful park, Jardins de Saint-Martin, which is constructed on terraces against the rock and was built to create work in the 1800s. It’s also home to many interesting statues, one being Prince Albert, as well as viewpoints that look out over the sea. Leaving the park near the Cathedral, which is a little hidden, we noticed there is no large square in front of the cathedral, just a narrow alleyway.

There used to be another church, dedicated to St Nicholas of Myra. Yes, that St Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus! The church collapsed in 1874, and after that, this cathedral was built.

Prince’s Palace van Monaco

Prince Albert, the current monarch of Monaco, lives in The Prince’s Palace of Monaco. The monarchs have lived in this location since the 13th century. Standing in front of the palace, I’m reminded of a Playmobil palace.

Just like the cathedral, the palace doesn’t look too grand on the outside, but I’m glad we managed to see it. Around noon is the Changing of the Guard and in the summer months (Between April and October) you can visit the palace. Inside, you can see a sock and hanky belonging to Napoleon!

Monaco-Ville

This is my favourite part of Monaco. Opposite the palace, there are numerous little streets for you to enjoy. You can eat Mediterranean food and, of course, there are still plenty of souvenir shops. But I do prefer this part over the large, imposing buildings you see in Monaco.

Casino de Monte-Carlo

For many people, the Casino is the highlight of their visit. And, true to form, there was a large group of tourists standing in front of the building, gawping at the expensive cars, when we walk past.

Designed by Charles Garnier, it reminds me of the Opera Garnier in Paris. It is possible to visit parts of the Casino.

Back to Castellane

With a long drive ahead of us, we leave Monaco in late afternoon. As our legs are starting to protest, we take a bus boat across the harbour to our car, parked opposite from the Casino. It gives a lovely view of the yachts and the sea breeze is refreshing. As we leave the motorway near Nice, taking the smaller roads along the river Var, with gorgeous mountains in the background, Monaco seems miles away. We’re glad to have seen the city, but the real attraction of the region is found in Provence’s natural beauty.

Anne Treur is Dutch, living in the east of the Netherlands. She works as PA, but spends her free time travelling, writing, taking photos and blogging about it all! Come and travel along with her, through her website: https://www.ditisanne.nl/annereist-travel-blog/europa/duitsland/romantisch-rijndaldrachenfels-lorelei/ https://www.ditisanne.nl/anne-reist-travel-blog/europa/frankrijk/ monaco-hoogtepunten/

Joyce in April

by Jenny Sanders

You won’t believe how busy town was this morning. Absolute circus it was. Like Christmas all over again.

I suppose everyone’s scrambling to get ready for Easter now. You can’t move for chocolate eggs at the moment. Has it always been like this? I don’t remember. So much paraphernalia now: chicken costumes and bunny ears for the kids; egg wreaths for your front door; chocolate of all shades, shapes and sizes. Some of those Easter eggs have been in the shops since Christmas. I shouldn’t think they taste too good by now. And hot cross buns? Well, I’m a sucker for those; I won’t lie. But my goodness, have you seen the varieties? Trying to buy a simple bun is a thing of the past. Honestly, I stood there for a good ten minutes or more this morning trying to find a standard pack. They had ones with chocolate chips in them, orange flavoured ones, actual chocolate bun ones; lemon curd and berry flavours, toffee, apple; there’s no end to it. I even saw some savoury ones on the shelf. What’s that all about?

Well, Easter’s only next week. It’ll have come and gone before you know it. Corinne invited me down for the weekend, but I’m not sure I’m up to it. It’s been so cold and my hip doesn’t enjoy that at all.

We had thick snow a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed watching the kids playing around in it, but to be honest, it just frightens me these days. One slip and I’d be over. Too many people I know have ended up in hospital with a broken hip and never come home. It’s quite sobering when you think about it. They pick up some infection or other. I suppose that’s where all the germs and bugs gather – round the sick people. Perhaps the health service can’t find enough money for good old bleach anymore. I don’t know. I’m probably oversimplifying it, but I stay in when the weather’s like that. I can listen to the radio and do some of the jobs that hang around.

I think these supermarkets need to calm down. Their development team, or whoever they are, would do well to go back to the drawing board and the things we’ve always enjoyed. How hard can it be to make an honest to goodness traditional hot cross bun? Only last week Viv was telling me she can’t find a good Eccles cake for love nor money.

I cleaned the grouting in the bathroom while the snow fell. Nothing like a good scrubbing of dirt to get the blood flowing. Satisfying to see it all clean too. I’m not sure when I’d have got round to that if it hadn’t been for the bad weather. I won’t tell Corinne; she’ll tell me I’m too old to be clambering round the bath with a pint of bleach. Bless her; she does worry.

I always have some tins of soup in the cupboard for those snow days. Child of the war, you see. Mum would hoard when and what she could. Did her own preserving and bottling. They don’t teach that in school, that’s for sure.

It taught me to keep a good store cupboard, so I’m never caught out. Remember how people went mad trying to buy toilet roll when Covid hit us all? It was on the television: fights in the supermarket; women screaming at each other over multipacks, leaving empty shelves for everyone else. I don’t know when we got to be so selfish, hardly the spirit of The Blitz, was it? Just recently it was tomatoes and cucumbers. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up. I mean, back in the day we had to eat whatever the season could give us. Dad grew some veggies in the garden and had an allotment when we moved down off the moors into town. No-one dreamed of eating strawberries or salad in January and February. I think we’re very spoilt now; we expect everything to be available all of the time. It’s unrealistic. We could learn a thing or two from those Ukrainians. I don’t know how they’ve managed to hold on so long. They’ve got some backbone.

I think we’re all looking forward to brighter days now. Last year was long and full of bad news. Now, Spring is on the way and we’ve a coronation to lift the spirits next month too. That should be a spectacle.

I was eleven years old when The Queen was crowned. No TV in our house, but I was invited round to my friend’s house to watch. I think Mum would like to have come as well. A bunch of people crowded round the Radio Rentals shop in the High Street to watch on one of the new sets they had in the window. No-one was at work that day, but eventually Mr Robinson came down from his flat upstairs and let them all in to watch it. Apparently, he was concerned that the press of people might break the glass shop front.

My friend, Barbara, lived across town; her parents both went out to work which was very unusual then. Her mum was a piano teacher and her dad a weather forecaster or something in meteorology. I remember we sat, transfixed. It was all in black and white, but we could imagine the rich colours. It was like something out of a fairytale. We ate iced gems out of a packet – remember those? I’d never seen anything so sophisticated.

There’s something very moving about all that pageantry and history. I’ll be watching it, of course, in colour these days and with a much sharper picture. I know they’ve changed a lot of the ceremony from 1953. Some of these traditions go back almost 1000 years now, we’ve probably forgotten why we do half of them.

Still, it’ll be a great day out for those brave enough to take on the crowds. I expect London will be heaving with people; all those visitors from round the country and abroad coming to be part of the big day. Too much noise and bustle for me. I’m happier here at home. I think there’re plans for a street party of some sort, so perhaps I’ll venture out for a cup of tea with the neighbours. I think that’s a nice thing to do. I can always rustle up a Victoria sponge for the catering committee.

My friend, Viv, brought me a souvenir mug round last week. That’s what put me in mind of it all, although coronation memorabilia is about the only thing you’ll find in the shops apart from Easter goodies, right now. Bunting, paper plates, inflatable crowns: it’s all there!

My granny had a collection of commemorative mugs which my mum inherited and kept in a glass cabinet. Granny Wilson displayed them in her front parlour, as it was called then. The oldest one was a George IV one which must have belonged to her grandmother, I think. I liked the William IV and Queen Adelaide one. It was a dusky pink colour, I remember, with portraits of him on the front and her on the back; between them there was a garland of roses, thistles, and shamrocks. I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. Mum scrimped and saved for her royal mugs. Phyllis, my older sister, used to turn her nose up at them. She thought only common people collected them, and she had grand ideas about her own social position. Poor, deluded Phyllis. Shame really as Mum left them to her specifically in her will. You have to laugh. Goodness knows what happened to them.

Anyway, Viv will be with me on May 6th, watching King Charles III receive his crown. Camilla too. I never thought we’d see that, to be honest. Apparently, it’s what the Queen wanted, so I’ll go along with it for her sake. Not that anyone is going to ask me what I think!

Coronation chicken was invented for our lovely Queen back in 1953. Apparently now they want us to eat lamb with Asian marinade, followed by a strawberry and ginger trifle with twenty-six ingredients. Are they joking? Who has time for that level of fuss? Honestly, doesn’t sound very patriotic to me, but it was all over the paper. I’d rather stick with good old English fish and chips, a strong cup of tea and a custard cream, but there you are. I suppose we’ll get used to saying ‘King Charles’ eventually, though I think he’ll always be Prince Charles to me. We’ll have to concentrate hard when we sing the National Anthem, so we don’t get the words wrong and let the side down.

They reckon about 26 million people in Britain watched Her Majesty’s funeral last September. I wonder whether the same number will watch in May.

Charles has certainly had to wait a while for his turn. He’s catching up with me at 74. Let’s hope he does some good while he’s there. Viv and I will be watching with interest and raise a glass to his continued good health. You’re welcome to join us if you can squeeze into my house!

Jenny Sanders is a writer, speaker, encourager and mentor. She loves writing, reading and walking in nature whenever she can. For the past several years she’s lived between the beautiful cities of Bath, UK and Cape Town, S Africa. Her exciting and humorous new children’s book The Magnificent Moustache and Other Stories is now available published by The Conrad Press.