Marseille

We started our adventure in Marseille on Monday morning. We're on Europe time now, sleeping at night is fine. Got up and headed out for some breakfast. We stayed in a regular hotel, so no free food like the last time. Looking for a bakery for pastry, decided on McDonalds instead. Easy, cheap and not likely to be scammed. You have never had McDonalds like in France. 1.20€ for Hot Choc and a pastry combo. Pastry bag has three different kinds in it. Plus, as we've noted all around, portion sizes are significantly smaller. Ordered a large drink, it's the size of our small. Their small is more like Dixie cup...two swallows. McDonalds is even a fancy affair, two levels of seating, above the ordering part...view of La Canabeìere. Dude there having his morning coffee with a book, looked exactly like Einstein...maybe he was!

Europeans taking eating very seriously, and are never in a rush. Though they never seem to be in a rush for anything. Enjoyed breakfast, especially the pastry that has chocolate in the middle, those are our favorite. Headed down to the port. Fish market in full swing...and stinky. We were trying to get on a boat to Cheateau D'If...Marseille version of Alcatraz, but it was mega windy and all the tours were closed. So, hoped on a bus up to Cathedral de la Garde. A striped church way up on the hill. This was a very different look and feel from the Gothic styles we had seen in Barcelona. Still interesting, but different. This church felt more like a museum, many pictures on the walls and panel of explanation all around. Where the crypt is below, there's a whole room of tall candles. The church makes money by selling the candles and you light it, make your wish or confessions, or prayer, hand it to the guy and he sets it up in the room. It's not even the room with the crypt. But everyone seemed anxious to do this. Then touch the Virgin Mary on her right foot and on you go. Sins forgiven for another day.

The drivers in Europe don't seem to realize how narrow their streets are, I know...they live there and it's all they know...whatever. They should realize that I'm in the bus, and not accustom to coming within inches of other vehicles, trees and walls. Bus driver didn't seem to have the same concerns. At one point he comes around a hairpin corner and there's another car...the car has to backup six inches to let the bus by...there are cars parked all along the sides, on both sides. Crazy.

Cathedral done, yes there are pics and a video...but how many churches can I really show you??

Take the bus back down, as hair raising as the first time...and head over to the fort. There are two forts to guard the port. Take a look, take a nap, take a kazillion more pics and off again.

It's Monday, which also seems to be a holiday, as nearly nothing is open. But we find a bakery for a baquette and panini, a stair case with a view...and enjoy some lunch.

Cathedrals that are not major tourists spots are closed on Mondays...we didn't know.

The tourists of Marseille are white, but French. We heard very little English in Marseille.

Mushroom Cheese Crepes on the boardwalk for dinner, torte for dessert....head home for the night. We've walked off our legs again, as we do everyday.

Some points about France.

Hot water is scalding in the morning, non existent at night.

There is not a need for shower doors, and the tubs are extra high. So you climb into it, then spray all over cause there's no door, then climb out...this time wet and slippery, onto always tiled floors. Nothing like death defying danger in the morning.

Buskers are of every color, language and creativity level. We heard a guitar harmonica folk version of Metallica today.

If it doesn't smell like fish, it smells like pee. Lovely.

Outdoor cafe's in downtown Marseille are for Arabic men, no women. Likely the chicks are at home doing the same thing around the kitcen table.

School is off on Wednesday.

Everywhere in Europe, there is toilet paper on the train tracks. Think about that for a second. Then consider the sign in the bathroom that says...'Use of the toilet when stopped at the station is forbidden'...ewwww.

You are not supposed to smoke in the train bathrooms, and in a nation that everyone smokes, that's a hard thing to avoid. Right beside the no smoking sign are smoke ashes in the toilet and sink. I feared that I'd come out and be accused of being the one that smoked in there. We saw and heard the ruckus from a guy that was caught, no thank you. Europeans sound worked up when they speak all the time, never named when they actually are worked up. Yikes.

When big name movie stars don't have a gig, they make very long, very tacky comercials that are shown in Europe.

Was getting ready when the cartoons were on. A cartoon about finding a condom package on the street, opening it and then discussing with all your friends what it is and how to use it. This was not a public service announcement, just a regular cartoon. Sex is viewed very differently in Europe, way more open...WAY.