Day 8 – Marseille
We decided to wing in in Marseille and not take a tour. We left later around 10:30AM and caught a bus from the port to the old town for $5 each. The port in Marseille is massive – seemed to go on forever. Marseille is the second largest city in France which means it holds the second largest amount of dumb Frenchmen. Oops – did I use my outside voice ? I mean, we wanted to take a cab around and none of them spoke a bit of English and I speak French and they just laughed at me. Every other country we’ve been to, people tried to communicate. I’m sure I had the wrong accent and inflection on the words but I said them good enough for most French folks to get the idea of what I was trying to say. Oh well, they live up to their international reputation as being a bit self centered.
The old town of Marseille was quite lovely. There is an enormous yacht club in the heart of the town about 1 mile long and a 150 yards across in the shape of a rectangle filled to the max with boats. More middle class size and not Monaco size. Framing the yacht club is a road around it and then buildings everywhere. Very densely populated. No green space or trees or anything. Not the prettiest city by any means as well. Lots of old dirty buildings and graffiti.
We did the tourist thing and took a little street train to the church on the mountain – Notre Dame de la Garde. Way up on the mountain top, this little train car snaked its way up the hills filled with narrow roads to the base of the church. Dad walked up the stairs to the top where we were blown away by the open views of the city in all directions. The church itself is about 800 years old but the city is much older – it was first founded by the Greeks and then built up by the Romans.
Dad wasn’t into walking around so we had a beer at one place and then walked by the water and had some mussels, steak and more beers. I ordered a Leffe beer which I didn’t like at all and then opted for a Budweiser. Had a Stella Artois as well which was most delicious.
I had a chance to walk around for 30 minutes on my own and covered just a little bit of the town but I got a feel for things. I like the shopping street which was a wide open strip of buildings, all stores at the ground level which have all the main stores we are used to.
Took a E15 cab ride back instead of the bus since it’s so much faster. Sat by the pool and ate too much.
I’m done with food. French toast and omelet for breakfast, steak for lunch, ice cream, beers and then Cornish hen, soups, Chicken tenders and pie and ice cream for dinner is all way too much. I will try be better from here on out.
Tomorrow is Barcelona, we have a tour in the morning and then I’ll drop dad off at the boat and do the city on my own. Should be lots of fun.
I’m wiped though – these excursion days are so busy and jam packed, there isn’t a lot of time to do stuff so it’s rush rush – early morning til midnight. I’ve never walked so much day after day. Loving it, just tired now and looking forward to an At Sea day. Dad is really tired and will do the Barcelona tour and then come back to the ship. I’ll have 11 hours in Barcelona which will be enough.
Morning time now. The clouds have finally caught up with us – hopefully they burn off by noon. As long as it doesn’t rain, I’m good.
We decided to wing in in Marseille and not take a tour. We left later around 10:30AM and caught a bus from the port to the old town for $5 each. The port in Marseille is massive – seemed to go on forever. Marseille is the second largest city in France which means it holds the second largest amount of dumb Frenchmen. Oops – did I use my outside voice ? I mean, we wanted to take a cab around and none of them spoke a bit of English and I speak French and they just laughed at me. Every other country we’ve been to, people tried to communicate. I’m sure I had the wrong accent and inflection on the words but I said them good enough for most French folks to get the idea of what I was trying to say. Oh well, they live up to their international reputation as being a bit self centered.
The old town of Marseille was quite lovely. There is an enormous yacht club in the heart of the town about 1 mile long and a 150 yards across in the shape of a rectangle filled to the max with boats. More middle class size and not Monaco size. Framing the yacht club is a road around it and then buildings everywhere. Very densely populated. No green space or trees or anything. Not the prettiest city by any means as well. Lots of old dirty buildings and graffiti.
We did the tourist thing and took a little street train to the church on the mountain – Notre Dame de la Garde. Way up on the mountain top, this little train car snaked its way up the hills filled with narrow roads to the base of the church. Dad walked up the stairs to the top where we were blown away by the open views of the city in all directions. The church itself is about 800 years old but the city is much older – it was first founded by the Greeks and then built up by the Romans.
Dad wasn’t into walking around so we had a beer at one place and then walked by the water and had some mussels, steak and more beers. I ordered a Leffe beer which I didn’t like at all and then opted for a Budweiser. Had a Stella Artois as well which was most delicious.
I had a chance to walk around for 30 minutes on my own and covered just a little bit of the town but I got a feel for things. I like the shopping street which was a wide open strip of buildings, all stores at the ground level which have all the main stores we are used to.
Took a E15 cab ride back instead of the bus since it’s so much faster. Sat by the pool and ate too much.
I’m done with food. French toast and omelet for breakfast, steak for lunch, ice cream, beers and then Cornish hen, soups, Chicken tenders and pie and ice cream for dinner is all way too much. I will try be better from here on out.
Tomorrow is Barcelona, we have a tour in the morning and then I’ll drop dad off at the boat and do the city on my own. Should be lots of fun.
I’m wiped though – these excursion days are so busy and jam packed, there isn’t a lot of time to do stuff so it’s rush rush – early morning til midnight. I’ve never walked so much day after day. Loving it, just tired now and looking forward to an At Sea day. Dad is really tired and will do the Barcelona tour and then come back to the ship. I’ll have 11 hours in Barcelona which will be enough.
Morning time now. The clouds have finally caught up with us – hopefully they burn off by noon. As long as it doesn’t rain, I’m good.
posted by Slurpee Guy at 11:00 PM
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