Radisson Sas Hotel Marseille

... it doesn't matter with the wide range of accents our country has anyway (scowne or scon? It's only scon once you've eaten it...). I'm finding Contemporary French History really interesting, especially as, for once, it's not about the French Revolution. The seminars should really help my written French too, but unfortunately us 'étrangers' stick out like a sore thumb when she calls out the register : Sharrlot Tooowinszend. And I know what you're thinking, a register ...

... yesterday, Saturday, and it is cooler but still nice. The trip here was spectacular with many olive groves and big mountains. Today we went on a tour to Les Beax - another medieval town with a castle - poor Graham and on his birthday too. Then we went winetasting and to the premier olive oil producers in France. The Mistrql was blowing on the tour and it was very cold but warmer back here in the camp. Tomorrow we explore Aix on foot then we go to Avignon.

... my traveler’s scurvy, so I’m feeling better internally, enlightened if not illuminated.

The only problem is WiFi. I change rooms but still no WiFi, even from a place that advertises it on the door, same with the café. This is getting frustrating. If you don’t have it, don’t advertise it. I really don’t want to have to badger anyone over it, but I’m running out of options ...

... about 20 kinds), a multigrain bread in the little basket it was baked in and some green olives that had been cured with fennel. The olives were sweet, not salty at all, which was interesting. I bought fresh pasta and a separate container of basil sauce. At the herb shop I purchased a few gifts of Herbes de Provence, sun-dried tomatoes and a pizza spice blend for Kathy and Pat. The cheese monger provided chevre fraiche. I also chose some mixed olives and shallots ...

... br>
Marseilles hotels are almost TOO cheap, but some close the doors early, and some are simply- I never thought I’d say this- below my standards. In France that means not only might there not be a shower attached to the room, but THERE MIGHT NOT BE ONE IN THE ENTIRE HOTEL. I’m not joking, and places that basic might be rare nowadays, but optional bath-for-a-charge is not. Maybe that will answer some longstanding questions for you. Now ...

So, yes; we once again oversleep and miss our train to St Tropez. Oh well, c'est la vie!!

Have to buy more goodies at marker, Chez Josy here we come!! She squels in delight at our sight and I told her ,y youngest wrote about her to his uncle!!! We bought ,ore salamis, stayed one hour trying things like new pates and then took photos ...

Didn't take long to get there from Nice. Cool Hostel. Walked around the Harbour, Cours Julien is good, cafe's, bookshops, soup kitchens. The Notre Dame de la Garde is cool, but I got there at 5pm and it was closed. I got a boat to an Island near the Château d'If. Stayed there for a night longer than planed, not because it was particulary good though.

... getting oriented to the city. We walked around the old port, went to Fort St. Nicholas, walked along the coast for a bit, and then spent the afternoon shopping. I was so happy to be near the ocean that I just had to buy a bathing suit. Not to wear, because it's still fairly cool and the water is COLD, but it just seemed like a good reason to buy one. There is a beautiful beach that is about a ...

... music too. After dinner, she did retire to her house and the rest of us (Fanny, her sister Laura, Laura's b/f Tebow, Cecile, Alex, Ben, Adam, and I) proceded to play an evil french drinking game called 3-man. You play with a set of dice, and depending on what is rolled determines who drinks and how much. When you first start, everyone rolls the two dice until some rolls a 3; they are then termed the '3-man' and for that round, they have to ...

... or drugs. One night there was a music festival to celebrate the first day of summer, there were bands in every street playing reggae, african, hip hop and latino music and tiny stalls selling different kinds of food and drinks, turning an average wednesday night into a full on street party and everyone was taking part, kids, grandparents, teenagers, everyone. The atmosphere was amazing. We had only been in Marseille a few days but we liked what we saw.