Each morning when I am in Monaco, I wake at about 5AM, check my e mail and have my cup of Costadoro Expresso. Before the sun rises, I wander down to the beach and sit at the waters edge and listen to the sounds of day breaking on The Cote d' Azure. I am usually the first person on the beach, followed closely by Henri. Just before the sun rises, we enter the water and swim 1000 meters, rain or shine! It takes us about 40 minutes and by the time we are finished, the sun has risen and the same 6 people have shown up each morning for their swims. We exit the water to the warmth of the rising sun and, again just sit and watch, sometimes talking, at times silently.
The tall building in this photo is Le Roccabella, 24 Ave Princesse Grace ~ my second home. Twenty three stories above the beach. The building has 27 floors.
The view from our balcony
When the sun rises, this piece of equipment also shows up and simultaneously collects garbage left on the beach and washes the sand with a disinfectant! I know, only in Monaco, where ALL the streets and sidewalks are literally washed every early morning, between 3 and 5AM.
It is here that I met a man that has become a very good friend and teacher. Henri swims every morning he is in Monaco, sometimes thru December. His other "space" is his flat in Paris. In his professional life, Henri was an antique art buyer and seller. He jokes now that he still works, kinda... He loves and can't seem to stop collecting it. He just doesn't sell it anymore! The walls in his apartments have a unique system that allow him to change the art regularly. He has far too much to be viewed at the same time. (and he still hasn't stopped collecting what he finds to be incredible pieces)
He claims to be a bit Voyeuristic by nature, enjoys watching the world from as many perspectives as possible. For this reason, some days we travel around France and Italy for our morning expresso at some sidewalk cafe in a town, selected for that day.
We then walk, around and explore until it is time for our lunch, accompanied by just a bit wine. OK, some days it's a few bottles of wine. It is for this reason that we follow One Rule. We both know that, no matter how we feel~ The first time we miss two days in a row of swimming, it's over. In a typical summer, we miss one, maybe two days of our morning ritual, but never in succession! By 8AM, our day is well under way.
When he is visiting, Jeff swims with us.
This is @ Hippocampe, a new favorite restaurant for me in Menton, France, home to Fellini, another favorite restaurant on the beach in Menton.
And here is what Kelly, my eldest does at 5AM ~
Genetic? Perhaps ~
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