Ibis Marseille La Valentine

... its agonizing end, and I hop off, ready to explore.

The first order of business is to locate my bus connection to Torino. Looks like I can add another entry in my file "life lessons I've learned while traveling". As it turns out the bus station is closed, and I was supposed to reserve my ticket yesterday. Well, I've also learned that one of my strengths as a traveler is my ability to handle sleep deprivation, so I book a train ticket for 5am tomorrow, and set out ...

... easy to sort out. Sending Sarko my love!

And so now the run-up til Christmas begins! Some of the lights are on and there’s a Christmas market along the Cours Mirabeau that we had a quick look at yesterday, and they’re selling roast chestnuts in the street, so starting to get excited about coming home, but at the same time no wanting to wish my time away here. Town is definitely getting busier on the Saturdays, which makes Aix really feel like a ghost ...

We have at long last arrived in France! We ended up scrapping the visit to Marseille, both since travellers we've met said its not worth the visit, and since we heard it's not really the place to be wandering around the streets at 10 at night looking for a place to stay. So instead we caught the bus up to Aix-en-Provence, which is pretty much the cutest town on the entire planet. We're pretty sure we were the only people ...

... The woman talked about the large mountains we would encounter and how the weather was supposed to be bad for the next week.

When discussing our trip, she said it was ‘beau’. Asked if we had a map - no, transaltion book - no, telephone - no. I said ‘je suis fou?’. But she confirmed, no ‘beau’, but offered us a place to stay at their home. As she started ...

... in a bit of culture. Before it closed, we made sure we went along to the Cezanne/Picasso exhibition, originals and all. The pieces were amazing up close, and we were able to recall some French cultural studies lectures...even though, of course, Picasso wasn't actually French, but we could recognise his influences! Definitely worth noting that the only reason we knew where the exhibition was taking place, was because we'd previously been on the little tourist train ...

... people from all across the globe were *****ing about how there was absolutely nothing to see or do in Marseille. I told them that is really not true and to just get out in walk for a good people watching time. Even at 9pm on a Sunday I was able to observe a part of France that I am sure is foreign even to the French. Instead of drinking beer or shots at bars, middle eastern men were drinking shots of coffee at sidewalk cafes ...

... meeting new cousins, French cousins to boot! Saturday 3/21 Sun I was thinking how I don't love France. I prefer to visit Spain or Germany, but sitting out here in the warm sun with the blue sky, blue pool, bamboo walls and palm trees, well, a small rethink. Everyone slept late this am and I made breakfast - eggs and something John thought was bacon. It was really cold last night, but we all slept well. The girls ...

... is a church for a sea-faring city. An oddity is that the church has a draw-bridge, like a fortified castle. From the hill we have wonderful views of Marseille, and we see several large complexes of modern buildings in the distance, set against the surrounding dry, grey mountains. The city also has an apartment block designed by Le Corbusier, which we see next day on our way to Cassis. I had no idea the town of Cassis was near Marseille, so we pop down in the morning and end up ...

... the madness of the city. The campground was a 20 minute walk to the main drag which was restaurants and swanky shops along the beach. A 20 minute walk the other direction took us to the Calanques - natural harbours of white cliffs with crystal clear water. Not much to comment on. Ate mussels. Absorbed some sun shine. Did minimal amount of site seeing with one church. All in all it was relaxing and beautiful ...

... voyageuse ya rien la! Tk en ce moment dans une magnifique catédrale perché sur une montagne avec une vue sur la mer, il y a une tite flamme qui brille pour vous tous. J'ai carrément voyagé dans le temps en me promenant dans le plus vieux quartier de marseille. Ce qui frappe le plus c'est que c'est encore la classe "ouvriere" qui y reste. Ce qui fait qu'on se croit vraiment 2 siecles en arriere. Avec les rues étroites sales , les enfants qui ...