Monaco II

Cliff-top photo of the Principality of Monaco showing Monte Carlo, its harbour and the Prince's Palace set on the rocky outcrop in the background. Almost the entirety of the country's two square kilometres can be seen here. Only Fontveillie, located behind the outcrop, is out of view. Monaco must surely be one of the few countries photographable in a single frame!

Engraved definitive of Prince Albert II, who is, of course, the eldest son of Princess Grace. She met Prince Rainier while in Monaco filming To Catch a Thief with Carey Grant. Very lovely hand cancellation quite in contrast to the rather unlovely dot matrix one on my previous Monaco card.

Monaco

This postcard, which arrived really quite mangled, shows the Prince's Palace of Monaco, the official residence of the Monagesque royal family built atop a rocky crag jetting into the azure Mediterranean Sea. Constructed in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, it has been the stronghold and home of the Grimaldi family who first captured it in 1297. Unlike other European monarchs who built luxurious, Renaissance and Baroque palaces over the centuries, the Grimaldi's have used the same royal residence for more than 700 years.

A stamp commemorating the centenary of the Monte Carlo Golf Club, which, given the extremely limited amount of available land in tiny Monaco, is actually located several kilometres beyond the borders of the Principality. The second stamp commemorates the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament, which, given the extremely limited amount of available land in tiny Monaco, is also held outside the borders of the country!

As I continue adding to this blog, I've noticed an inordinate number that I've sent from islands. Islands have been fascinating to me since I was very young, so I've decided to add and "Islands" label.