We awaken with a lust for life in the oldest city in France, Marseilles!
Up early, with determination to secure a new, less costly bed before lunch.
Hollow stomachs echo with hunger that guides us to a boulangerie (bakery) for cheap snacks before checkout.
Full of customers, we reach the front of the queue at a popular bakery. We politely requests, “Neuf croissants, s'il vous plaît.”
A backwards glance, the countergirl responds, “Trois?” (Three?)
“Non, NEUF,” we correct.
With a slight twist at the nose and now full attention, the girl responds in perfect English, “NINE??” Wide smiles from our end and vigorous nodding.
Flaky, buttery authentic pastries as large as a face; the day is off to a good start!
Also on the look-out for a sort of mythological grocery store that sells water, wine, and fruit as well as socks. Before we are to Alize, we spot one...they do exist!
Enter the MonoPrix store through the fragrance department – socks: dead ahead. Up a narrow escalator to the groceries. Load up on kiwis, tuna fish, chorizo, bleu cheese, water, chocolate, and of course French bread and cheap French wine.
Weaving through the crowds, back to the hotel
to gather our packs and take some last gasps
at our amazing view from the balcony.
Quick checkout and the search for relocation begins.
Not a completely blind hike, Jude's guide book saves the day once again. Backwards directions to another soon-to-be new friend, Hotel Etap, a chain of budget hotels.
At first, turned away, Jude goes back inside for negotiation. He calls us inside shortly. There is an opening, but a two hour wait would be required. No problem! Etap has a private courtyard where we enjoyed peeling kiwis and the remaining croissants.
Time flies and soon we are admitted into our new home. Food stays cool on the air conditioning, and the dorm style bed set-up is perfect for our arrangement.
Shortly after we are settled, exploration is agreed upon. There are ships in the nearby Vieux Port that ferry visitors to surrounding islands.
Jude explains that one of the islands, the Il d'If (Island of If) housed a building that was at one time the same prison featured in Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo.
Tickets purchased, we narrowly make the last boat out. We chug through the packed harbor and take in the view that has spanned thousands of years.
The juxtaposition of the contemporary with the Baroque as well as the ancient with the medieval sends our camera shutter spinning.
As we near the dock, the smooth walls of the castle turned prison andthe famed craggy cliffs become apparent.
A form of torture?
Beginning our ascent to the main attraction, what appears to be remnants of a prison cell will soon be flooded with water with the rising tide.
Through the entrance doors to Le Château we are met by two employees who require us to pay a few Euros each to continue any further.
Exploring the tiny island is inevitable.
Small as the island is, the structures built upon it are deceivingly large...
...including its resident sea birds with a bad reputation!
A little further away is a larger island with modern buildings.
Looking back, the city of Marseilles (the second largest in France) is easily made out.
It is strange to think that so close to land, no prisoner ever escaped to freedom...due to these dramatic cliffs.
Finishing a self-guided tour of the island, one of the employees approaches and sends us back to the dock to catch the last boat back to the mainland.
No time to explore within the castle walls, we catch the ferry back .
A backward glance at
Il d'If.
Il d'If.
Cutting through the waves, before returning to the Vieux Port, the ferry docks at the nearby modern island spotted from the castle.
Awaiting more passengers, we are entertained by a few boys and girls showing off acrobatic skills by leaping off a bridge into the cooling waters of the Mediterranean.
Boating home,
the French flag twists
in the wind at the stern.
On terra firma once again, it is early still and there is much more to see. Venturing deeper into the city, we hike to Palais Longchamp, which is also the home of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Beautiful natural water fixtures remarkably compliment the impressive palace sculptures.
The sun starts to drop in the sky and we return to Etap for a little self-catered dinner of French bread piled with bleu cheese and Spanish chorizo.
Late into the night we have music, photos, conversation...
...and bottles of 1Euro 85cent French wine!
