We took our chances again and did not book anything off the ship, opting again for a taxi tour with Pat and Penny. I'm getting adept at negotiating with the drivers, and for a price that reflected the Tourist Information suggestion, we booked Christian. We'd picked out the names of a couple of small towns (having little idea of their proximity to one another) and suggested them to Christian. He came up with an alternative and we agreed to head first to Aix en Provence, and then out to the coastal town of Cassis.
Aix en Provence was a 45 min drive. It was a neat little town, not overrun with tourists, and being a Thursday, it was market day. We spent a couple of hours wandering the streets collectively and individually, browsing and photographing.
As is my recollection of my past visits to France, dogs accompany their owners frequently here. In and out of shops and cafes, where man goes dog goes. Pleased that there is less poop than last time though! Seeing this wee cavalier and getting a lovely cuddle from her was special.
I bought a couple of tops at the market, without being able able to try them on... Back on board they fit ok but perhaps not flattering, although that could be the constant food consumption that is becoming more blatantly obvious by the day... Still, eating is like spending money on holiday; you do much more of both than in your ordinary life, and just have to deal with the consequences when you get home!
Then it was on to Cassis. Prior to this, Christian took us waaaaaay up the top of a mountain, the name of which I can't currently recall, for another amazing vista along the coast. I have taken several photographs of spots like this as we cruise the Mediterranean, and they are all far more beautiful to the eye than through the camera. The expanse is difficult to record in pixels, and the feeling of being up so high and being able to see so far is one that needs to be imprinted in the memory. There was no guard or fence on the cliff's edge, which was a long drop to certain death, and Mum and I both commented that this would never be seen in NZ. Obviously popular with climbers though, as we saw a rope trail attached to a rock at the top.
We then wound our way down to Cassis. What a little gem. The weather was perfect and the town so picturesque and peaceful. Christian had done a great job in suggesting this place. We were all starving so lunch was the first activity. We selected a cafe from several on the marina, and being in a French fishing town, Pat, Mum and I ordered bouillabaisse. Sounded and looked impressive but was perhaps not the experience we'd anticipated. For a start, they served us the option that included lobster, when we had pointed to the one without, at €10 euro difference! Our wine too, had been upgraded to the more expensive option, and I felt guilty that today was Mums lunch day (we take turn about to pay). It would certainly have been our most costly meal out to date. Eating it was technically interesting; cracking the lobster claws and picking out fish bones. It certainly tasted of the sea though, and was an experience that will linger.
I then took an hour to wander the village by myself. It was delightful.
A quick stop at a vineyard for photos and we headed back towards Marsellies.
On the way back to port, Christian took us way up to the top of a hill to the Notre Dame de la Garde, an amazingly beautiful structure which allowed for incredible 360 degree panoramic views of the city of Marsellies. So without intention, we still got to 'see' this city. Again tricky to convey the expanse photographically, but it was fantastic to be up there, looking out across the city, out to the island where the Count of Monte Cristo was filmed, and all the way out to the port where the Noordam was docked.
So for a day that I was not particularly inspired about at the start, it turned out to be one of the loveliest days of the trip so far. Although we were docked till 11pm, we chose to continue with what has become our usual on ship routine when we got back... Coffee and a read in the Explorations Cafe, a hefty gun and tonic then down to dine in the Vista lounge. We eat a three (sometimes four lol) course meal most nights, but the portions are not big, unlike what you'd get in an NZ restaurant. The food on this ship is absolutely superb.
Tomorrow is an at sea day, and I hope to document the ship.
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