It’s only Saturday and I’m already back from my 2 day trip to Marseille which is the second largest city in France. Very early in the semester, my roommate Lena asked me if I’d like to go on a 20 euro round trip to the south of France... I couldn’t refuse! I've had these tickets since the first week of school and I honestly knew nothing about Marseille.
As we took the bus shuttle from the airport into Marseille, we got a really good view of the outskirts of the city. It was nothing like I imagined. The buildings and houses were old, filthy, and deteriorating. I was in awe to see people living there, hanging their laundry from the paint-stripped windowsills and walking down the rubble streets. I was captivated and attentive in my seat while my friends napped from the exhausting early morning flight. I knew we were only passing through the area and staying in a much nicer part of the city but I felt thankful to have seen it and thankful for the life I live.
Everywhere I’ve been so far has been very touristy and extravagant. This was real. This was seeing the world and I was glad to at least witness conditions that I haven’t been exposed to yet on this trip.
I've never been someone who's lucky with cards or gambling or even bingo (I unfortunately don't take after my "high roller" Grandma Renate in that sense) but I feel I've always been lucky with what's most important in life. I have a wonderful family, a beautiful home, I'm healthy, I'm loved, and I'm happy. For that, I've always felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Seeing this part of the city meant a lot to me since I'm so used to living like a princess in my European castle.
Where we were actually dropped off was an entirely different story. We stayed in an adorable hotel with the nicest concierge in the history of concierges. He was very sweet, genuinely interested in all of us, and wanted us to have the very best time possible. He was especially nice after I told him that I’m studying to become a speech pathologist since he has a 10 year old son who’s currently seeing one for help with his /R/'s!!
 |
| View from our hotel window |
We spent the first day walking around our hotel without an agenda. The hotel was perpendicular to a main shopping street and we were very close to the Vieux-Port (Old Port) which is the main harbor and marina of the city. It is guarded by two massive forts (Fort St Nicolas and Fort Saint Jean) and has many cafes lined all along the waterfront. Each morning the Quai des Belges takes place which is where all the local fishermen set up stands and sell their fresh catches of the day.
 |
| The Vieux-Port with Fort St Nicolas in back |
Unfortunately, our first day was a little rainy but we used it as an excuse to stop in as many beautiful shops and boutiques as we could.
At night, since we felt that we were saving some money with our airfare and shorter trip, we felt that we deserved to treat ourselves to some delectable French cuisine! We chose a cozy restaurant near the water which was very très chic.
For my first course, I got a goat cheese salad and it was by the far the best cheese I've ever had in my life!
For my main meal, I decided to get bouillabaisse because it originated in Marseille and the people adore it. Bouillabaisse is a fish soup that has assorted shellfish, fish and vegetables and is served with rouille, toasted bread, and grated cheese.
 | |||
| Me with the rouille, toasted bread and grated cheese but I didn't eat it :( |
I have to say, I am really not a picky eater at all. I love to eat anything and everything. I can't remember hating something in maybe 10 years or so. However, I wholeheartedly HATE bouillabaisse. Maybe it was because I didn't eat that delicious looking plate of toasted bread, rouille, and grated cheese that came with it to avoid the gluten. Even though it was seafood (which I love), it tasted like minced meat infused with smelly fish sauce filled with the boniest fish fillets I've ever had. Bon appétit my ass!
To make up for the bouillabaisse, I shared a creme brulee which is my all time favorite dessert. It has been since I was little and I always find it interesting that it's one of the few delicious desserts that doesn't have any flour in it!
The next day, the weather was absolutely perfect. The sun was shining but there was still a wonderful breeze from the water that kept us cool.
We decided to take advantage of the beautiful day by going on a guided city tour. From almost any spot in the city, you can see Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica sitting high up in the mountains. In order to get there, we took this cute little trolley...
The tour was absolutely breathtaking. To get to Notre-Dame de la Garde we rode all along the coast. Marseille is right on Mediterranean sea which was lovely to see...
 |
| Chateau D'if!!! The prison from The Count of Monte Cristo!!! |
Once we got to Notre-Dame de la Garde at the top of the mountain we were blown away by the magnificent view, the beauty of the basilica, and literally by the wind itself...
 | |
| NOT très chic |
Overall I had a wonderful time and I'm very happy that I went. I can only imagine how beautiful the city must be during the summer time. Maybe some day I'll make it back to Marseille.
No comments:
Post a Comment