MARSEILLES

We left Nice and arrived in Marseilles.  Caught a cab to our hotel and let me tell you we had a great location.  Right in front of the Old Port.  However, the down size was our hotel looked just a little tired but give us credit we didn't turn around and walk away.  I was tempted but ... we  laughed all the way to the reception desk on the 2nd floor.  I did mention no elevator didn't I?  We checked in rather reluctantly and found that we were on the 3 rd floor  that's the  4th floor in Europe and no, an elevator did not miraculously appear.  Fortunately we got help with our bags.  The climb was a total of 74 stairs from front door to our room.  Only 36 to breakfast each morning.  I will say the room turned out to be very nice - I think it was redecorated fairly recently and everyone at the hotel was very nice!  

This was our street which was filled with restaurants and cafes.

And this was our view at various times of the day...

 and night.

Marseilles really is a beautiful city, unfortunately the crime in the city has risen considerable since the creation of the European Union.  Because there is no border controls basically people can travel freely from one EU country to the other.  Since we've arrived in Europe we've probably had our pasport check 3 times.  

We found a place to eat - La Samaritaine.  I remembered the name from Paris as it was a very old and famous department store located just acros the Pont Neuf (bridge) near Mira's condo.  I wasn't sure this was an extension of that department store at one time or not .  As it turns out is is not but has an intresting history of its own.  It is an old style brasseries and it celebrated its centenary in 2010.  It did start life as a department store in 1860 and relaunched as a brasserie store in 1910.  One of the men who bought it was a poor immigrant from the Italian Piedmont who retained the cafe in his family for years.  

In 1945 the building was completely rebuilt after a fire caused by a German bombing.  Today it is an institution in Marseilles for simple lunches, tea and ices and aperitifs  The establishment is reputed for its professional service and observes tradition:  newspapers on sticks, free olives and peanuts with your drink.  There are occasional art exhibits and music evenings also.

It's located right on a corner so it's a great place to people watch.

After lunch we walked over to the tourist office and found out that a bus tour of the city was going in just a few minutes.  We both needed to use the facilities and asked if they had one available.  We were told to just go to the department store across the street.  Well, the bathroom was not in the department store and people kept pointing us in the dierection and finally, we found it.  By this time it was getting close to the departure time and we were having a difficult time finding an exit. Construction was going on.  Finally we got outside and stood at the door where we were told the bus would be.  A few buses came and went but we were pretty sure they were city buses.  Finally I took a look up the street and there was a red bus that said City Tour.  I ran up there and sure enough that was the bus.  We were lucky he was running a little late.  He gave us a chocolate, which we really needed after our exhaustsing run, and we proceeded on our way.  There was a good commentary and it was really a lovely way to see Marseille particularly for two tired ladies.  

The pictures are taken from the bus so not the greatest but you can still get a picture how lovely the area is.

Somewhere a long here is the supposedy  world's longest beach.  I thought the commentary said "bench" and I was looking all over for the bench.  It finally occured to me she said "beach".  Well, I just looked up the word's longest beaches and there is not one listed in France.  I just looked up Europe's longest beaches - nope.  A word of advise - don't believe everything they tell you on a bus tour and certainly don't believe everything you read on a blog.   Oh I just read that it is the world's longest concrete beach.  Perhaps I need to get my hearing checked when I get home.  Just one more thing on my list of - " what's failing, aching, or drooping" .  Prado beach  along this coast was made from the rubble of building the subway in Marseilles. 

 On the island, If,closest to the foreground is located the Chateau d'If where the Count of Monte Cristo was imprisioned.

Next on the agenda was a stop at the famous cathedral in Marseille.  It is located on the highest point in Marseille and you can see if from almost anywhere.  The opulent 19th century Romano-Byzantine basilica was built between 1853 and 1864.  The hilltop gives  360-degree panoramas of the city.  The churches bell tower is crowned by a 31 foot -tall gilded statue of the Virgin Mary on a 38 ft - high pedestal.  Once you arrive at the Basilica it is one hefty  climb to the church.

Nice gradual climb.

And then , steps.  

More steps to get into the Cathedral.

Some beautiful views however.

All around the exterior of the Cathedral draped over the fences and twisted on the railings were yarn and crocheted objects.  

 No idea what they symbolized or what the significance.

 A model of the Basilica loated in the crypt.

These etchings were located all along side the steps.

Near the top of the stairs.

The walk down  but look at tht view!

  While we were walking around the driver of the bus was busy cleaning his tour bus.  The windows were shiny bright so we were able to get good pictures if you didn't get a reflection.

We took off in the clean red bus and drove around Marseilles some more.  

This hospital is now a 5 star hotel.

After the tour we walked over to the Christmas market.  Can't pass up a Christmas market.

We had seen these head scarfs with wire in them in Avignon.  Come to find out the young gentlemen helping us is a relative of the people who have the booth there.

No!  Not the right color!

Maybe this one.

Cute!  But no sale.

On the other hand while Sharon is trying these I found a hat and it was a sale!

There's always a few people who try to make a few pennies by entertaining at the market.  This poor lady did not have a voice but she made up for it with her enthusiasm.  

We had seen a market across the street and by the tourism office so we decided to head there.  It was a Santons market. Santons are  small hand-painted terra-cotta nativity scene figurines produced in the Provence region of southwestern France.  Marseilles first santons fair was held in 1803.  Today stalls selling santons line the Canebiere and the place Charles de Gaulle each year starting in late November, when the fair opens ceremoniously to the sound of the tambourin ( a long drum).  The market continues until 31 December, when a mass for santon - makers is celebrated in provencal at the church of Saint Vincent de Paul , at the top of the Canebiere.  

I think you get a typical nativity scene and then you surround it with figures from Provence.  

That evening we walked out of our hotel and around the walk to the other side of the Old Port and looked for a place to eat.  There were tons of restaurants. A very neat place to walk around.  As you know Sharon doesn't like seafood so we were having a little trouble finding a restaurant.  She was also all pasta'd out since that's what she had eaten a lot of in Nice.  We finally decided to just go and have a good hamburger.  The place looked inviting  and the burger was delicious.

After dinner we walked around a little.  The following day we were going to catch a bus to Casis.

When I looked at the next pictures i couldn't figure out where I had taken them.  Sharon looked so far away and then I recalled this is her reflection.  We walked under a mirrored cover on the promenade.

And so ended our day.  We turned the corner and walked a bit, arrived at our hotel and then we were only 74 steps up a staircase to our room.  

 Facebook posting.

I just finished reading : The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs.