So, I just got finished with my 2 week vacation (les vacances scolaires) with my friend
Anna. She came all the way from America to travel with me here in Europe. Our first stop was in
Marseilles, France for 3 days. I must say that Marseilles was really unlike any other place in France in both good and bad ways. Knowing that Marseilles is competing with Lyon as the second largest city in France, I assumed there would be a lot going on in terms of nightlife. Yet, the city went to sleep fairly early. I also assumed there would be a lot of tourism, because it's the south of France, on the sea, yadayadayada. To my surprise I learned that this wasn't really true. In fact, the family we stayed with said that there wasn't much tourism and many French people don't even like Marseilles because, well, it doesn't feel French. The family also told us that it is a very blue-collar town. Again, a surprise! I expected it to be ritzy and glamorous.
Yet my expectations were not based on much knowledge. Previous to my trip, my idea of Marseilles was limited to
The Count of Monte Cristo. (It was our Senior year assisgned summer reading. I liked it so much, I read the unabridged version inmy free time).
Therefore, I knew of
le Vieux Port (the old port). Yep! Saw that.
And I knew of Chateau d'If where Edmund was imprisoned in the novel.Yep! Saw that one too.
Actually, it was first a fortress, then a prison for religious and political detainees (many French Protestants were sent there to die). On that note, here are Anna and I (two Protestants) smiling ear to ear in front of it.
Other than the knowledge from
Count of Monte Cristo, I knew of Marseilles from products. Firstly, the soap. Marseilles is known all over the world for their soaps.Yep, saw that and bought some! I actually couldn't get enough of it. If I were able to carry it all on the airplane, I probably would've filled up a suitcase with it.
