Re-visiting our trip

This flu is proving harder to shake than I had thought.
Another day in for me after a bout with the bathroom after breakfast. So I am trying to put the time to some use by transferring some of the earlier blog pages to Corel ready for printing when we get home. I know that I will not catch them all up, but at least I will have started! When going back over them and adding more of our photos to the pages it amazes me just how much we have seen and learned in our 149 days on the road so far. Have been working on Barcelona and Marseille over the last two days.

Michael has gone into Galway to do a Walk. These walks are often conducted by the local Visitor Information Centres although in some areas they are commercial enterprises (Edinburgh) and include many of the local historic sites. Galway is (like many cities of its age) another walled city. The walls are not standing as much as some of those we have recently seen, but the remnants are clearly visible.

Galway is a university city, and on such a SUNNY day the bayside and city precinct is boiling with humanity. University students, tourists, work people are moving with a purpose in their step or just lounging on the grass areas soaking up the sunshine.

Galway first appeared at the mouth of the River Corrib as a fort in 1124, (built by King of Connacht, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair [1088-1156],) and by 1651 had developed into a garrisoned city. Regrettably, little remains of its former walls, battlements and bastions, as Galway had suffered greatly from border conflicts. By 1691 the stalwart families of the city were ruined, Galway declined and would not recovered completely until the economic boom of the late twentieth century.

Nowadays, Galway is the third largest and fastest growing city in the Republic of Ireland, basking in its economic revival. This is due to sound economic investments and the contribution from a university economy.

However, Galway is a vibrant city offering one and all a food-fest! Yes, folks, this is my kind of town: cafes and restaurants, all proffering a variety of fare. If there is any evidence of Galway's past is in its streets; many are narrow, meandering and which seem to capture the aromas of these eating houses and are thrust upon unsuspecting wanderers. Thai, Indian, French, Ceylonese, like ethereal mallets.

Wait a minute...what's this then? There's some cove.... shearing.... a.... sheep - well, I'll be buggered!

Most of the city's architecture is relatively "new", with the exception of Lynch's Castle which is medieval townhouse and now occupied by the Allied Irish Bank. Walking through the streets, one comes across purposefully placed pieces of sculpture. One in particular shows Oscar Wilde and Eugine Wilde (neither related) seated on a park bench. Ah..the park bench is also cast in bronze, rendering it and the figures as one sculpture. The Galway Cathedral is relatively new - opened in 1965. Interestingly though, the cathedral has a Romanesque portico and an unusual feature for a modern Irish church. (...well, I did state it was 'interesting'?)

The walk took me through the city and along the bank of the River Corrib and weir, there was even a bloke fly-fishing down from the weirs' overflow! Then I headed for the University and its renowned Quadrangle. This is the oldest section of the university, erected in 1849, which originally housed various scholastic disciplines.

Then it was back to the north end of Galway, and the mural on the end wall of 'Sally Longs' and the rumoured shopfront of 'Couch Patatas'! These all contribute to Galway's uniqueness.

The fluidity of plans

We had planned after breakfast (granola, multigrain rolls, stewed apricots with anise, cold cubes of meats and cheese, OJ and coffee) to collect the car from the open parking lot in view of the hotel and head east to the Principality of Monaco.

BUT

today is wet and the wind blowing at 20 knots (that is almost 40 km/h!). As the trip down is all coastal and Monaco is expecting the same weather, we decide that this reportedly pretty principality will have to wait until we find ourselves in France for the start of the Tour de France in July.

So it is another day in Marseille (and a continuation of a grey background). We had wanted to see some of the museums, so we head out for the Musée d'archéologie Méditerranéenne. Trouble is, Michael has the map and for some reason, is having trouble reading it - so we ended up walking away from where we need to be and end up at the Old Major Cathedral. Mind you, this was easier said than done as the wind blows against us all the way so that we took two steps forward and the gale forced one back! Michael had got the umbrella now, but to have put it up would have resulted in a torn disaster, so its head down and just hurry on.

The Cathedral offers a refuge from the angry weather beating on us from the sea. Byzantine in design, the Cathedral is in darkness when we enter. With no lights on and very little outside light coming through the windows it presents as damp and dismal as the weather we have come in from. But when you sit and let your eyes become accustomed to the gloom, this is a very beautiful church. Plenty of gilt, but subtle.

The mosaics work is superb and the gold leaf is not overdone - even though there is quite a lot when you look closely. This is a smaller cathedral - not in outside dimensions, but rather in the area set aside for regular masses. There are a number of side chapels that appear to be used. This all creates a feeling of space and openess within the main nave of the Cathedral that is not overdone but rather has a feel of careful planning. The organ pipes are spaced on two sides of the nave and from the back, well above the congregation. I would love to hear this arrangement and in my minds ear, think that it would sound as though you were being enveloped in heavenly strains. I can just imagine hearing Amazing Grace or the Alleluia Chorus through them.

So back out into the tempest we venture! It is still blowing a gale, although the rain has eased just slightly. Having had a good look at the map, we set out again to go to the museum.

After a few more uncharted twists, we find the museum. What we find is totally unexpected. Everything we have read points to a major facility with some seriously major exhibits. Instead, we find an imposing set of understated buildings that give no hint of what they contain. In fact, the museum is so understated that we cannot even find where to buy entry tickets and manage to see the first exhibit (Prehistoric) without one!

The second exhibit we enter is the Egyptology one. It starts out with a collection of household items similar to those we have seen in the British Museum collection. There are parts of mummified animals (including Ibis!) And then we are in to the heavy stuff - literally. Granite statues and chunks of sandstone lintels and pieces of hieroglyphic statements picked up by collectors from remote spots where temples lay breached. The whole thing is housed in a mock up of a pyramid that looks more tacky than authentic.

Then there are sarcophagi. A number of them. Inner and outer caskets. Richly decorated painted timber ones, others covered in neat hieroglyphics in ordered rows and columns. There are canopic jars, amulets and all the paraphenalia needed for the mummy to successfully cross into the next world. We are sure that the curators at the British Musuem would have a fit. The two large granite sarcophagi lie out in the open for all to touch. Michael reverently and lovingly traces the carved heiroglyphics covering them.

We finally enter the last chamber of the exhibit. This room has been set up as the final burial chamber would have been laid out - complete with sarcophagus, steeles set at the four compass points, all the trimmings for the afterlife journey, large canopic jar, heiroglyphics describing the life and successes of the dead person. Michael manages to get a few photos (sans flash!)

We finished off looking through the Mexican, African, Americanas and Oceanic exhibits - all which pale into insignificance after the Egyptian one!

Another wander through twisting back streets and down long flights of steps brings us back to the tram line. We have not yet seen much outside the Port and associated old town and decide to ride the tram to the opposite terminus from the one where we are staying - just to see what could be seen! This takes us into suburban Marseille and only reinforces what we had previously deduced about the working roots of the City. Surprisingly, a beggar with a young girl in tow approaches everyone on the train for coins. She has a bag of just purchased groceries, so is not destitute. When she fails to get anything, she calmly gets off at the next stop and child in hand, walks with the bag of goods into a housing complex.

The architecture is still quite grand with the buildings a uniform 5 storeys high with ornate wrought iron balconies and window grilles. It is after Saturday trade and ground floor shops are generally shuttered. Many have an abandoned look, with roller doors covered in the ever present graffiti, but they are flourishing little enterprises during the working day. So, that discovered we head back to the hotel after 5 pm. Michael has found a laundromat and heads out with two bags and a novel.

Dinner tonight is eaten in. The Suite Hotel doesn't have a restaurant. Instead, it has a fridge well stocked with microwaveable meals, snacks and drinks including foil lidded glasses of wine. We enjoy surprisingly good meals -

Emincé de chou ‘violet’ et jours de porc confites, purée de pommes de terre et saucisson pistaché, pancetta grille sur chutney d’oignons (Cooked red cabbage with preserved pig cheeks, potato puree with pistachio sausages, grilled pancetta with onion chutney) - Michael

Millefeuille de dorade à la foundue de poireaux parfumée à la cardamom, risotto aux asperges vertes, veloute de pomme et celery au cumin (Bream millefeuille with leek and cardamom fondue, green asparagus risotto, cream of apple and celery with cumin) - Maria.

As I finish the blog, Michael is watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Off tomorrow to Arles and then on Tueday to Carcassonne where we are having our first homestay with some Couchsurfer hosts.

Old Port, Vieux Port or Fortified?

Marseille is a working city with a working port where on the main square fronting the up-market restuarants, local fishermen sell their fresh catch of the day from stalls. It is also a city where there is a high level of unemployment and one of the symptoms of this is the graffiti that is evident all through the city and a very obvious presence of beggars - particularly near tram stops, restaurants and shopping centres. (excuse the unclear pics - Michael's hands were shaky!)

Like other French cities we have been to, Marseille is a mix of wide planned avenues and a jumble of twisted streets that climb up to the best vantage points - usually crowned with a Catholic Cathedral! Here though, we see the best examples of everyday living amongst the museums and historic sites. Each day we can look in the windows of the Patisserie, the boulangerie, the tabac and the small markets.

There are a number of museums here that we want to see, more than what we have the time for - guess we are going to have to make some choices! The Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology looks really good so this will be one to try to get to.

Dinner tonight was at Chez Noel on the recommendation of the receptionist at the hotel. It surpassed its rather ordinary demeanor and the local perchance for ordering pizza (although they are cooked in a wood stove), but we opted for something a little more special:

Entrees

Salade de Sinner (Sinner Salad - octopus, mussels, scampi, scallops) Michael

Beignets de sardine ('donut' - lightly battered sardines with mustard sauce) Maria

Mains

Magret de Canard avec sauce aux Framboises (Duck breast with raspberry sauce) Michael

Tagitalle Pistou (Tagitelle with pistou sauce - olive oil, garlic and basil) with tomatoes - Maria

We took the little train up through the hilly streets to see the Basilica de Notre Dame de la Garde and then a boat trip out on the Med to the Frioul Islands (Pomègues, Ratonneau, If and Tiboulen) and Michael went up to Castle-If, which is perched on a small limestone island of 3 hectares. As the day was wet and a little blustery, this was quite a trip for me (who usually has no sea legs!) The Island is very impressive from the sea with the Castle looming out of the very bedrock of the island. This castle that was once a prison, and is the one on which the story of the Count of Monte Cristo is based.

The castle or Château d'If as it is referred to, was constructed between 1524-1531 as a deterrent to suitors with a penchant for invasion. As was the situation in 1536 when Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor whose personally led the invasion of Marseilles failed when he came up against the fortress.

If Charlie was peeved over the fortress, the populace of Marseilles were less than impressed when the Chateau was completed. In 1524 when the first walls were constructed to protect the access to the port, the residents referred to the edifice as "the troublesome neighbour". Upon its completion and subsequent installation of 200 soldiers and 22 pieces of heavy artillery the citizens of Marseilles protested unceasingly as they felt the fortress represented a central power intruding on their territory.

Within six years of the Chateau's completion it was utilised as a prison particularly for those "opponents of royal power" - namely Protestants. The first prisoner appears to have been the Knight, Chevalier Anselme, who in 1580 was accused of plotting against the Monarchy. He was soon to be found hanged in his cell. Over a period of 200 years the Chateau d'If had incarcerated approximately 3,500 Protestants.

It was not uncommon for families to have their sons incarcerated under Lettre de cachet. As was the case with Honoré Mirabeau who was imprisoned at his fathers' request in 1774. However Mirabeau's stay wasn't at all unpleasant as he rented a 'pistole' which was a comfortable and spacious room located on the first floor. The dungeons (which are inaccessible) are apparently windowless and without conveniences and were reserved for the poorer prisoners. Wandering through the fortress one is constantly reminded of its past history through the 'signatures' left by its detainees vide grafitti.

Albeit, the fortress is an impressive piece of architecture with spiral staircases, chambers, obliettes and cells. Due to the effects of the location and environment the structure is under constant maintainance. However there is an energetic project at present to render the external walls and towers.

From the sea, Marseille would have once been a Mediterranean picture - with high class hotels rubbing shoulders with traditional but smaller residential complexes that were painted in colours sympathetic to the sandstone cliffs that hug the city - soft tones of ochres, off whites, light oranges and the occasional pink. Nowadays however it is a different story, with these crowded out by box-like constructions erected in the 1960s and 1970s. The newer buildings are, at least, more sympathetic to the history. Today in the rain, it is not as pretty - although as we are pulling back in to port from the trip, the two forts flanking the entrance through the heads still look imposing and really impressive. As do the Cathedral and the Basilica high on the hill overlooking the City with the golden Madonna stretching her arms in protection over all.

There are an over abundance of pizzerias in Marseille and so tonight we collect a couple from one of the local shops. Ham and cheese, and minced beef with olives. Nice and not too filling. Certainly great bases that are not overloaded with too much filling. They only cut them in quarters, so you find yourself folding them in half enclosing the filling to eat them. Yumm-um

Off to Marseille - with a wonderful detour

We are leaving Avignon for Marseille this morning. We searched for accommodation before we left and found what appears to be a great option for four nights. Of course there area a couple of absolute essentials - free internet access, parking onsite or close by and preferably a shower as opposed to a bath and a decent size room. We have to take our luck with the comfort of the beds - and yes, they vary enormously! So we have booked four nights at Suitehotel Marseille Centre Euromed. Almost sounds too good to be true! Tram in to the City Centre at the door and at the port for a cruise ;)

Thought that we might as well do some sightseeing on the way, so went via Pont du Gard. Now, if we had thought that we had seen some amazing sights, our socks were about to the blown off again! This 'bridge' is what remains of a Roman aquaduct that was built around the time of Christ. Once you have a look at the weblink you will immediately know it - it is famous all over the world.

The scene is set in the parking lot where there are dry stone walls seperating the various areas for parking. You can't see the bridge from here and you are led to the information centre and museum. Unfortunately, as it is the middle of winter, most of this is closed. You continue to walk along a wide pebbled path around a curve. You can hear the running of water, but it remains hidden from view. You pass what was once an ancient olive grove with a number of aged twisted olive trees whose gnarled trunks are all more than 6 feet across (they probably date back to the time of the aquaduct) remaining.

Then along slight incline around a sweeping bend and there in front of your eyes is a marvel almost beyond comprehension. Thousands of years ago, with none of the modern tools available today, thousands of men hauled thousands of heavy rocks and with a precision that we would find hard to match today, constructed the means to carry water about 50 kms from its source to the City of Nimes.

We have to wonder as we stare at this marvel of engineering and ingenuity, as to whether any of the so called modern wonders will still stand in more than 2,000 years. I mean, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is still less than 100 years old!

We spend a couple of hours wandering all round the site, Michael racing first up one side to the top, then almost tumbling as he hurries down to the road level so he can rush up and meet me at the top on the other side. He is like a little kid in a lolly shop!

But we know that we need to keep moving and so jst after 3 pm we say goodbye to this ancient place that still has the power to speak so eloquently and leave for Marseille via some of the back roads. We go through small towns, many that bear the signs of Roman architecture. Eventually, we merge on to the highway that takes us south to one of France's oldest cities - Marseille.

The landscape changes and we cross a bleak high plain that could be in any coatal area - and then, we espy the blue blue waters of the Mediterranean with the white sandstone outcrops jutting boldly in to the sky with Marseille in the background. We have to concentrate as we arrive to ensure that we can follow the directions (that we have printed from the web) to the hotel. Like all the big cities we have come across, streets are not laid out in a grid, but rather in a haphazard fashion, follow the contours of the land.

Without too much drama, we find the hotel in the Port area just as it is getting dark - so your first glimpse of Marseille is the Port by night from the balcony. More tomorrow guys. I want to try to arrange a day cruise!