Sunday 30th June
The NoteAbility Band from Bradford provided a very good start to the summer outdoor music concerts. They played in Valley Gardens in Harrogate where the terraced slope towards the bandstand provides excellent space for picnic rugs and folding chairs.

Thursday 27th June
This summer's sculpture trail at Newby Hall has just opened and today's blue skies made it a perfect day for a visit.
The fishes are part of MATOMBO which is an exhibition of Zimbabwean sculpture.

The poolside garden was full of candlestick primulas at their best.

The subdued tones make the Memorial Garden very restful.

The view from the house down the formal borders to the River Ure.

Many of the trees and shrubs were in bloom.

This photo does not do justice to the sight of the poppies on the hill.

One of our favourite statues on the trail. 'Peel', in green opal stone made by MATOMBO.

The trail takes about 45 mins. There are 48 sculptures this year along a lovely woodland walk.

These two were our other favourites. 'Leopard' and 'Prowling Tiger', both in Iron Resin on Oak by Lucy Kinsella.

May 2019

The gardens at Dunham Massey were stunning this month and the deer were happy to graze close to people in the park.



Friday 10th to Sunday 19th May



 

 

We flew to Nice then travelled by road to a very nice apartment near the beach in Juan Les Pins for a ten day holiday. The weather was warm enough to make the beach enjoyable but the sea was still cold. As the season doesn't start until June there was plenty of space.

 

We were only just over a mile from Antibes and there was a frequent bus service. There were some lovely yachts in the harbour and Forte Carre provided a scenic backdrop.

Antibes beach is well sheltered by the old defensive harbour walls.

The nearby streets are very picturesque.

Chapelle de la Garoupe on the highest point of Cap d'Antibes.

We caught the train for the one hour ride to Monaco. The station is in France and you enter Monaco as you walk to the entrance.

The Hotel de Paris (Louis XV) near the casino - outside were some very expensive cars. Prices here start at £848 per night.

The Monte Carlo Casino is on the same corner near some very expensive jewellery shops.

Both face onto these gardens. The tiered seating was being erected for the Grand Prix.

We spent some time in the Café de Paris opposite the hotel watching the comings and goings.

Walking uphill brought us to the lush Gardens of Africa.

Further east we came across this hairpin bend - famous in the Monaco Grand Prix.

By the shore a new harbour is being constructed.

Our destination was the Japanese Gardens which were a cool and green oasis.

We left via the coast road which took us through the tunnel under the Casino. Windows on the left gave good views of the construction.

This brought us to the main harbour.

We walked along past the pole position on the road - filled by Lewis Hamilton a few days later.

The next day we caught the bus into Antibes and walked past the harbour where more yachts were moored. In the background is the biggest private yacht in the World "Dilbar" which can accommodate 40 guests.

 

We visited the Picasso museum with lots of his paintings and sculptures. We were able to stand in his actual studio and see the works he produced there.

The view of the Mediterranean from this courtyard at the museum was fantastic. Antibes was an ancient Greek town which is named after anchovies which were processed there. This building was once the Chateau Grimaldi.