Kiss count: 2. Right-Left.
Technically, the French name for this city is Marseille, but in English it's spelt Marseilles. The interesting part is that they are both pronounced the same - mar-say. This leads me to wonder why some names of cities or countries change between languages? Another example is Corsica: the French name is Corse (which is, in my opinion, a simpler version - however, I suppose it does sound a lot like the English words coarse and course). Nevertheless, I will try use the French terms in my blog (I don't think there will be many differences, but it'd be fairly pointless coming to France and asking a French-speaker - a Francophone - how to get to Corsica).
Marseille is about one-and-a-half hours away by train in the neighbouring province of... Provence. It is a much larger city than Montpellier, and as such is much more city-like. There are still the winding archaic streets (mainly in the outer quartiers, or neighbourhoods), but there are quite defined directions for the main rues and cours and a more (if only slightly) grid-like pattern has been employed for the layout of the city. It is situated by the ocean with lovely Vieux Port, brimming with sailing boats, restaurants and tourists, at the head of the main strip, La Canebière. At the other end of La Canebière, where the tramlines diverge from their course along the wide boulevard, is what looks eerily like the skeletal remains of a cathedral.
Maybe it was because of upcoming festivals, maybe because summer is upon us, maybe because it's school holidays, or maybe it was a combination of all three, but it was impossible to find any accommodation here. I had to contact the only CSer (yes, I'm going to try do this in most places I go, I find it's quite rewarding staying with a local as opposed to in a hostel - plus it's cheap haha) that gave me any kind of positive response, to ask if she would mind if I stayed for 2 nights. This was alright with her (even though she was really wanting her space after already hosting a bunch of people the few night before). Turns out I ended staying with Katrin, a German in France on the ERASMUS programme, for 6 days :)
My first day here was quite unfruitful and I basically wandered around the central city, getting oriented with the streets, stopping for an hour or two to enjoy a baguette aux 2 fromages and un café under a fountain of naked ladies (statues of course).. The following day was a little more active, beginning with a brisk walk up a hill to the highest point of the area. Located here is the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, a large cathedral atop which sits a massive golden statue of Mary and Her Child. The building itself didn't particularly tickle my fancy but the views over the sprawling city and its harbour were spectacular. On my way back down I took the scenic route through the neighbourhood streets down to the ocean and past a number of plages (beaches) - I noticed that people seem to be a little more liberal here on public beaches, happy to sunbathe topless even if sitting right next to a trendy café. In the evening, Katrin introduced me to her boyfriend, Mathieu, and a few of the couchsurfers he was also hosting and we all went tango dancing (or attempted tango dancing - a few too many left feet there I think) at a local dance hall, followed up with some salsa dancing at another club.. A great night!
Katrin was kind enough to let me borrow her bike the next day so I could ride out to the Calanques, huge mountainous limestone formations that are the remains of ancient river mouths and that have been further carved out by glacial activity.. Basically a Mediterranean fjord. I got a little lost trying to find them, managed to reach the first part around 30-40 minutes away from the city centre, but turned back after this.. Not to worry: we went for a real trek out there a couple of days later.
The weekend I was there was the Fête du Soleil (Festival of the Sun) and so there was a whole bunch going on in town from African beats (there is a massive African presence and influence in the south of France, particulary Moroccan and Algerian) to more tango, giant giraffes, hip-hop, travelling horn players, cute old grandmas making crêpes, reggae, and everything in between.. So many people, and so lively.. It felt as though half the city was there. We just couldn't help but dance the night away :) On a low note though: Mathieu's CSer was pickpocketed whilst enjoying the music - her passport, credit cards, everything gone. Luckily (oh, so luckily) for her, the culprits merely took the money (only about €30) and threw her purse on the street where she found it a short time later.. Phew! Everyone took a little more care with their possessions from that moment on..
After the excitement of the previous night, no-one was in a rush to go anywhere fast. We all met up at Mat's place for a late morning breakfast of croissants and pains au chocolat before taking a slow ride to the beach - most French towns offer bikes for hire for the cost of €2/week - where we spent most of the day lounging around under the warm sun, playing chess and just generally watching the day go by.. To finish the day off, a few of us played a game of Pétanque, a variation of boules that is very popular in Provence - it's the most-played sport in Marseille - and then an early night for me ready to hit the Calanques! There's so much explaining I could do about this hike, but I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves..
Interesting observation(s): 1. Yes, people do carry around baguettes everywhere: in their handbag, the basket of their bike, even while rockclimbing apparently... 2. People do say "bon appetit" (for those of you who didn't know, it's actually pronounced "bon appetee") at every meal: in fact, I was standing on the street eating a croque I had just purchased, when a guy on a bike pulled up next to me, lifted up his visor and said to me two words... "bon appetit"!
Technically, the French name for this city is Marseille, but in English it's spelt Marseilles. The interesting part is that they are both pronounced the same - mar-say. This leads me to wonder why some names of cities or countries change between languages? Another example is Corsica: the French name is Corse (which is, in my opinion, a simpler version - however, I suppose it does sound a lot like the English words coarse and course). Nevertheless, I will try use the French terms in my blog (I don't think there will be many differences, but it'd be fairly pointless coming to France and asking a French-speaker - a Francophone - how to get to Corsica).
Marseille is about one-and-a-half hours away by train in the neighbouring province of... Provence. It is a much larger city than Montpellier, and as such is much more city-like. There are still the winding archaic streets (mainly in the outer quartiers, or neighbourhoods), but there are quite defined directions for the main rues and cours and a more (if only slightly) grid-like pattern has been employed for the layout of the city. It is situated by the ocean with lovely Vieux Port, brimming with sailing boats, restaurants and tourists, at the head of the main strip, La Canebière. At the other end of La Canebière, where the tramlines diverge from their course along the wide boulevard, is what looks eerily like the skeletal remains of a cathedral.
Maybe it was because of upcoming festivals, maybe because summer is upon us, maybe because it's school holidays, or maybe it was a combination of all three, but it was impossible to find any accommodation here. I had to contact the only CSer (yes, I'm going to try do this in most places I go, I find it's quite rewarding staying with a local as opposed to in a hostel - plus it's cheap haha) that gave me any kind of positive response, to ask if she would mind if I stayed for 2 nights. This was alright with her (even though she was really wanting her space after already hosting a bunch of people the few night before). Turns out I ended staying with Katrin, a German in France on the ERASMUS programme, for 6 days :)
My first day here was quite unfruitful and I basically wandered around the central city, getting oriented with the streets, stopping for an hour or two to enjoy a baguette aux 2 fromages and un café under a fountain of naked ladies (statues of course).. The following day was a little more active, beginning with a brisk walk up a hill to the highest point of the area. Located here is the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, a large cathedral atop which sits a massive golden statue of Mary and Her Child. The building itself didn't particularly tickle my fancy but the views over the sprawling city and its harbour were spectacular. On my way back down I took the scenic route through the neighbourhood streets down to the ocean and past a number of plages (beaches) - I noticed that people seem to be a little more liberal here on public beaches, happy to sunbathe topless even if sitting right next to a trendy café. In the evening, Katrin introduced me to her boyfriend, Mathieu, and a few of the couchsurfers he was also hosting and we all went tango dancing (or attempted tango dancing - a few too many left feet there I think) at a local dance hall, followed up with some salsa dancing at another club.. A great night!
Katrin was kind enough to let me borrow her bike the next day so I could ride out to the Calanques, huge mountainous limestone formations that are the remains of ancient river mouths and that have been further carved out by glacial activity.. Basically a Mediterranean fjord. I got a little lost trying to find them, managed to reach the first part around 30-40 minutes away from the city centre, but turned back after this.. Not to worry: we went for a real trek out there a couple of days later.
The weekend I was there was the Fête du Soleil (Festival of the Sun) and so there was a whole bunch going on in town from African beats (there is a massive African presence and influence in the south of France, particulary Moroccan and Algerian) to more tango, giant giraffes, hip-hop, travelling horn players, cute old grandmas making crêpes, reggae, and everything in between.. So many people, and so lively.. It felt as though half the city was there. We just couldn't help but dance the night away :) On a low note though: Mathieu's CSer was pickpocketed whilst enjoying the music - her passport, credit cards, everything gone. Luckily (oh, so luckily) for her, the culprits merely took the money (only about €30) and threw her purse on the street where she found it a short time later.. Phew! Everyone took a little more care with their possessions from that moment on..
After the excitement of the previous night, no-one was in a rush to go anywhere fast. We all met up at Mat's place for a late morning breakfast of croissants and pains au chocolat before taking a slow ride to the beach - most French towns offer bikes for hire for the cost of €2/week - where we spent most of the day lounging around under the warm sun, playing chess and just generally watching the day go by.. To finish the day off, a few of us played a game of Pétanque, a variation of boules that is very popular in Provence - it's the most-played sport in Marseille - and then an early night for me ready to hit the Calanques! There's so much explaining I could do about this hike, but I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves..
Interesting observation(s): 1. Yes, people do carry around baguettes everywhere: in their handbag, the basket of their bike, even while rockclimbing apparently... 2. People do say "bon appetit" (for those of you who didn't know, it's actually pronounced "bon appetee") at every meal: in fact, I was standing on the street eating a croque I had just purchased, when a guy on a bike pulled up next to me, lifted up his visor and said to me two words... "bon appetit"!
Photos:
Katrin (centre) and friends traipsing about in the Calanques!
lovin' it...
that's some clear water alright...
at the start..
getting into it at the Fete du Soleil
i don't know what it's called so i'll just call it the "skeletal" church
Vieux Port
one of the streets in the more well-to-do area
quite a busy photograph, with the Basilique way off in the distance - it can be seen from most places in town
getting a few lessons in tango from Mathieu and Katrin
3 comments:
How beautiful is the water! Is it warm there at the moment?...I want to know what your big plan is. [facebook]
What I want to know..is how all of the cultures in our little world became so very different.. isn't it amazing all the little (and big) idiosyncrasies there are in each continent/country/city.
.. and what I wouldn't give to eat a late breakfast of croissants and lounge around in the sun and play chess. Oh well I guess I'll have to make do with .. have a quick bowl of cereal at 6.30am while I feed the cats and empty the dishwasher .. put on my winter coat and catch a bus to work (oh joy!) and then come home at night and cook dinner, clean up and load the dishwasher this time (for variety) and then study .... I guess it's not TOO different.. haha.
You enjoy every moment of it Paul .. whenever you think you're getting sick of it or a bit bored, just think how fortunate you are to have this magic time in your life :)
and boy I wish I could've seen you do the tango!!!
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