My alarm woke me at 6:30 and I had my breakfast ready in the refrigerator and coffee to brew. Packed and out the door to the Metro by 7:30 for a 9 am train to Marsailles. A young man assisted by carrying my suitcase up two flights of stairs!
Famous meeting place "The Blue Train"
Mine is the 9:09 to Nice.
I asked a few people for assistence after arriving and was told my train leaves from Hall 2 NOT 1. It was worth being early. The High speed train had me in Marsailles in 3 hours and I had lunch at SPOK, then was checked into B & B Hotels by 2 pm.
All done all recyclable...minimum labor and little to no waste.
Unpacked and settled in, I shopped for some Cheese and Wine.
I mentioned cheap wine but in the stores the $ is for 37.5 ml not 75 ml so the cost is double the price. Still reasonable but misleading.
Wonderful Fromageria
I walked around until I found Mama Nellys African Restaurant. A first but not the last visit. Very good, though I still am not sure what I ate. The young child with the hairnet, served me my wine and carried it with care in two hands.
Today I went to the hotel buffet breakfast for $10 with Bacon and Eggs, Yogurt and Granola and Coffee and Crossiant. Diane from N.H. living in Aix, France is now back from Asia and I hope to visit her next week in Aix. Time to get laundry done.
Today I went to the Laundrymat, not like the old days...yes dumpy but credit card and computerized. A nice black man demonstrated how for me. 
I returned the clean laundry to my room and walked to and around the Port area.
The Marsailles Chamber of Commerce est. 1599 is the oldest in France.
The Fountain is in the Center of an area surrounded by Restaurants, Hotels and businesses. Directly behind it is a replica of Dublin Ireland's Temple St bar area with the Shamrock, O'Malleys , and the Temple bar.
Beautiful day to be sailing....lots of boats and no sailors.
Have fun with this upside down Mirror hung under this huge Shade cover in the Harbor.
One of two Forts on each side of the harbor entrance.
I felt bad for this wheelchair bound man...give him a hello?
Later I had a salad at a small bakery/coffee shop and returned to the B&B Hotel as it is called. Nice place.
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| Bedtime. |
I had the hotel breakfast again and played on the computer until around noon. Then went to a new place for lunch. It was leg of goat or duck. Very busy and lousy service that took 1 1/2 hours to get served, meal, eat and bill. I returned to shower and try get a walk in.
I showered then after a time on the computer and studying maps, I was ready for a long walk.
I started strolling to the Historic Harbor area and ended up taking a bus Tour of Central Marsailles. There were lots of people out at the beach. The last 3 day afternoons have been in the 70's.
We were almost finished when we came to the Musee that I wanted to visit so I exited and walked. It is so popular and big...I decided to wait for a whole day to do it and instead I visited a beautiful church built in the 1800's.
The Musee
The Church
Now ready for dinner. I ended up at the Port with all the tourist restaurants and finally found The Petit Pernod that was my style. I was sat next to an American couple living in California. He was from Brooklyn and she from Chicago. They came from attending a Trade Show in Berlin, rented a car after to tour around Europe for another week.
Great meal, service and atmosphere. I had Fresh Tuna Steak with a really flavorful cremey Sauce with Potatoes and Eggplant. Wine with marinated olives and peppers.
End of Day...
I walked a lot there. Mostly in circles. Had lunch at an Irish Pub where English is the language. Nice for a change as was the Hamburger I ate.
Aix is clean, beautiful, sterile, and expensive. Many elderly single ladies with young assistant women to keep them company, take your Meds, walk daily, etc. These people have money and may stay in assisted living with hired nurses? The village is flat so easy to walk. Bus service back and forth is $7 each way every 15 minutes! Cezanne lived and painted a lot in Aix de Provence. I returned.
I can not find a breakfast other than my hotel. Fried Eggs are not popular. Today I googled and found one close that served until 3pm so decided to have lunch around 2pm. It was promoted by tourists on those travel sites I don't trust...especially when all egg items were poached and hollandaise was Orange.
The eggs were prepoached but small and a bit runny. I passed on the Orange sauce and had Avocado Toast...made with mashed Avocado. So So...I give up. Later I witnessed a Big Bike ride through the City. My friends Eric and Alice left Istambul for Girona Spain and according to their blog, was in a 6 Km bike tour the same day?
Back to Babel Community for HHour...they were open after being closed Friday and now had a NEW crew and much better service. I asked the NEW bartender and he said they replaced everyone but the cook. Service was great. Minimum selection is getting boring.
Switched to Beer...refreshing.
The eggs were prepoached but small and a bit runny. I passed on the Orange sauce and had Avocado Toast...made with mashed Avocado. So So...I give up. Later I witnessed a Big Bike ride through the City. My friends Eric and Alice left Istambul for Girona Spain and according to their blog, was in a 6 Km bike tour the same day?
Back to Babel Community for HHour...they were open after being closed Friday and now had a NEW crew and much better service. I asked the NEW bartender and he said they replaced everyone but the cook. Service was great. Minimum selection is getting boring.
This morning Thunderstorms...first rain since I started. It is Sunday so booked a boat ride and one Travel Experience Video Theater 2 hour show for Monday. I finished booking a studio near the train station in Lyon where I will be staying my last week in Europe after Aix de Provence.
Went to dinner at "1860 Le Palais". Two men were bellowing out the best of the early Beatles tunes I have heard. I was back in 1963 at Alfred U in the house dorm watching it on Ed Sullivan. These two were not born then but performed the best since Cirque du Soleil "Love" show in Vegas where I had front row seats next to a Mother and young daughter (who was dressed like St. Pepper) and had flown from Moscow to be at this concert. Ringo and Ono showed up in the VIP section. 
This concert was free. I had some Pastesse Marsailles appetizer made with Garbonzo flour into pancakes
and Fresh Tuna (like the last I had) with a small Eggplant stuffed with Peas. It was all very good.
That evening I treated myself to Pancake dinner with Ice Cream after....like I needed either...but it was Sunday and nothing open.
Monday the boat cancelled my trip due to weather. So I am off to see a historical documentary about Cosquer, the underground caves where drawings by humans dating back 3o,ooo years were discovered in 1991.
It was instead, a ride through a Mock up of the identical caves with some of the cave drawings all with an explanation (in French) about them. Even though I did not understand the language, the message got through and I thought it an amazing discovery and more amazing that the caves are filling up with water and being destroyed along with the world as we know it because of climate change and nothing is being done that will effectively change it at this point.
When it was over, I went through a side museum of what it was like 30000 years ago and how they took the details, measured and replicated the discovery.
I had a wonderful lunch at a Vietnemese restaurant after photo shooting some of the historic area of Marsailles.
He did a "wheely" across the lot.
Painted their Cat, Flowers, and Pots with a view on to the house. Even the reflection on the front door.
Big disadvantage of using a cell phone camera. It is hard to keep smudges and smears off the lens when you are pulling it out of your pocket 10 times every half hour. This Samsung is one of the best camera phones if you maintain it.
Vietnemese coffee! Every afternoon I shopped in the Saigon Market with a Vietnemese who had been the private Chef of a prominate French Doctor and taught me so much. We took time out for coffee and discussed the world as we knew it...I was 20 years old. 60 years ago...like yesterday.
Painted their Cat, Flowers, and Pots with a view on to the house. Even the reflection on the front door.
I showed my Military Assistance Command VNam service pin to my 50 year old server from Saigon. She said, " I know it but was not born then". Age creeps up faster as we get closer to the end.
My impressions of the French, nothing personal, but they seem to always be arguing and gestating with serious discussions which are really about little things?
And they "purse" their lips a lot when they talk.
That evening I googled breakfasts recommended and got one reply that sounded real. Cafe de Banque.
The next morning I skipped my hotel breakfast and walked a mile to Cafe de Banque which was in a REALLY upscale area I had not seen before. I spotted 3 Teslas and an Alpha Romeo in the morning rush hour down "Marsailles Rodeo Drive".
No "Metermaids" here, but all computerized.
Arriving at a busy cafe with almost all the seats on the terrace full of expensively dressed and coiffered rich people sipping Expresso and reading the News. No food at the tables.
I was shown a "Bar Code" and tried to pull up their menu on my little 3x5 phone then asked "Can I get an Omelet with Jus d'Orange and Americano Coffee". Of course sir! He returned with a tablecloth and set the only table on the terrace for breakfast. It was fantastic. Just like Jacque Pepin would have prepared...finally I had a real breakfast and left very happy man for $17.50 Euro.
Smeared camera lens does not do this coat the Oriental woman who sat next to me, was wearing. When she left I noticed she carried a basket that was sitting next to her. It was her little French poodle.
I returned the next day after an afternoon walk for evening dinner...all excited but not to be. Only HHour tiny meals like the other place. Had to be on the weekend? I had a small plate, glass of wine and returned to the Crepe Place to pick up a snack before bedtime.
Too bad this 2024 Winner was out of business.
These posts, in Paris as well, all go into the ground when necessary or rich shop and apartment owners need them to. In Amsterdam, the public urinals so the same during the day, then bring them up at night when the drinkers come out. Saves polluting the canals.
Views from Ft Henry on my afternoon walk.
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| My Happy Hour at Cafe du Banque. Not dinner but not bad. |
Today I ate another Hotel breakfast! Then left to the museum which was great...and they had a restaurant where I ate healthy good food for lunch.
Expresso is all the coffee drinks offered
Excellent Quinoa Salad on the Roof Top
Annie Oakley
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Sarah Bernhardt (I was told she played the Attica NY Opera House when touring the US in the late 1800's? |
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| My workstation. The phone would plug into the USB |
After the first museum, I went to the Historical Museum...both were very good and worth the visit.
I went back to my hotel determined to find a restaurant on the internet that was less than a mile away. BINGO....highly recommended and only 20 minutes walk. I ran. Walked past a crowded terrace into an empty restaurant and was greeted in English by a friendly staff that spoke 3 languages and presented with a menu and a high recommendation for the Special of the day. I felt good about this and ordered my wine and the special. It was awesome. 
My "Go to restaurant in Marsailles"
Little round disks is Marsailles Paisse...like Plantain or Taro..Fresh Fish Like Yellowtail Tuna...red berries called Myrtle I think. The Sweet Potatoes were the best as well as the entire meal.
Two English speaking ladies walked in and sat next to me looking at the menu...I showed them my plate and recommended it to Norma and Erin. Norma's Mother was from Jalisco Mexico and would be in Phoenix the same time I arrive in June. They ordered it and by the time I was done...5 minutes they were eating theirs. I had to get a dessert and an Armanque to sip with my dessert. Issac, my waiter was the best. I might take the bus from Aix to eat here everyday.
Not sure if the artists are finished with this project?
I was getting so frustrated and depressed with these Tourist restaurants until NOW. I went to bed with a smile.
I took a lot of photos at the Unique Museum yesterday that I didn't post...so I will put some up now.
Chilly today. The front desk informed me I was to be out tomorrow. They were right but my booking in Aix was day after...my bad.
I booked another night here and went for breakfast in the port area. Noticed Grilled Fresh Sardines and thought I try them though not a big fan I never had the fresh. Of course they came with French Frys like everything in France. I ate it but not impressed.
I went home to do the laundry. Later I returned to the really nice place I ate at last night but NO specials so I ordered a Ceasar Salad with Chicken. I ate all except the croutons which were about 1/3 of the salad. It was OK but not what I expected from this place so dropped my enthusiasm. Though I said earlier I was more impressed with the French food than in the past...I changed my mind.
Hopefully Aix will offer something better for Breakfast and better Restaurants.
Communion anyone...the door was open.
I froze last night. No heat in my room and this morning was cold and rainy outside. Ate the breakfast and sat in the room wrapped in my warm "hoodie". Played Suduko, and will pack for tomorrow's departure. They gave me a small heater to carry me over until I leave tomorrow.
I went out to a place that refused to feed me twice...once because I was too early and the other time 10 minutes to late. The portions were tiny. I had 3 course lunch with a glass of wine for $26 Euros.
Small Fresh Manila ? Clams Steamed in a White wine butter sauce...with some bread to soak it up. Sea Bass with Sweet Potatoes, Chocolate Cake and a glass of their house Red Wine...all VERY Good...but left hungry and spotted a close by restaurant I may return to for dinner.
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I hope you enjoyed my stay in Marsailles and I'm looking forward to introducing you and me to Aix de Provence in another 10 days.
