Today is a travel day and Wes’ cold is not getting any better. We have a quiet morning and no need to rush. We have reflected on what Lyon has been for us and we both have enjoyed it. Now it is time to move on to Marseilles and do some more exploring.
We arrived in Marseilles at the Saint Charles train station and armed with the map on the blackberry we head out to find the hotel. The railway station is built up on a high level and when we leave we have to head downward. I know the hotel is not far away and the map, which is shown how we would drive and not walk, has us going backward for a ways and then swing around and return. We instead have only to step out of the station and take a stairwell down to a lower street. Then, following the map we start to head up the street. We basically realize that the street we are going up will eventually swing around and continue upward to the station so we figure the map is not accurate. So we turn down a block and in effect walk around a block to return to the base of the stairs we just came down. As we turn in frustration I notice the hotel, across the street from us, at the base of the stairs. We only had to walk a very short distance this time. We both find this funny and both are relieved.
After checking in (around 1:30) we eat our lunches in the room and Wes feels the need to take a nap. His cold has not been improving and he feels totally wiped out so we relax. Wes has a great sleep and I catch-up on the blog and emails.
By 3:30 I feel the need to go and do something. Wes still feels that he needs to continue to sleep so I head out on my own to explore the neighbourhood. I discover that it is about a 15 minute walk to the center of Marseilles where I find the harbour. This walk down the streets was a bit of a shock since this has got to be the messiest city we have visited in our travels. The sidewalks are littered with dropped garbage and the breeze is tossing paper and plastic bags round. At the harbour it is much better and I started to think we really picked a grungy area for the hotel, even though it does not feel like the slums.
Regardless I did not feel any concern for my own safety which is a good thing. I found a open air Sunday Market along the sidewalk of the habour where tents and tables have been set up to sell everything from souvenirs to vegetables to fresh fish. The crowds were thick with locals and tourists all vying for a piece of walkway to travel or stand on. With the warm sun and refreshing breeze no one was in a hurry to get anywhere.
I decided it was best to stop at the Tourist Information for some pamphlets and then to walk along the harbour side from the end up towards the Mediterranean along one length. The shape of the harbour is a long lengthen U and at the end of the top of the U legs is the entrance to the open Mediterranean. I could see the two Forts guarding the entrance to the harbour neck and beyond a breakwater going outward sweeping away from land in a lazy arc. I wondered if it was possible to walk out onto the breakwater from the harbour entrance behind the fort so I walked out that way.
Below the fort is a walkway and along this walkway is a flat section for sunbathers. Today there were lots tanning but I did not see any swimming. By this time I had been walking around for an hour and I decided I needed to head back to the hotel and leave the rest of the explorations until tomorrow.
On the way back I noticed several sights that are characteristic of Marseilles so I did enjoy taking a few pictures. I am not sure what I was looking at but for sure tomorrow we will get the details. Today being Sunday, the street carrousels are operating and families taking time out from their busy lives to have fun with the young kids.
I arrived back at the room to find Wes just waking up and still not feeling great but a bit more rested. This cold has settled into his chest and he finds that he is coughing a lot to clear his throat and lungs. He needed to take a bit of time and let his body heal and we only went down stairs to find a restaurant, had dinner there and returned to the room. We will leave the exploring until tomorrow.
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