Our tour today was guided by a volunteer for Marseille Greeters. This is another free tour group ...led by a local volunteer who likes to talk about and show off her city. Our guide was Cantal with whom I had communicated by email to determine a meeting place...only to find out yesterday that the shuttle was dropping us off somewhere else. Email worked again and Chantal was happy to meet us at the new location. Another hot Mediterranean day - according to Chantal, it is almost always hot in Marseille between April and October!
Off we went walking through sections of the Vieux Port.
First the Mucem where we met...a very modern museum focused on the many immigrants that make up the richly diversified Marseille. She described the population of the city as 50% Muslim with a large Jewish population and said that everyone got along. The city has always had many different ethnic groups with now large numbers coming from northern Africa.
The Episcopal Cathedral (with the boys and Chantal nearby)
Typical narrow streets with lots of steps in places
Lots of street Art...some very well done - Max says that Poppa would be happy here since they have lots of ART!
Chantal and the boys
We stopped along the way to buy locally made 72% Olive Oil soap to take home....it came as a large square olive green bar and is used as shampoo, soap, stain remover, and to do dishes and laundry. You cut off pieces in the size you wish and, according to Chantal, it lasts a very long time! Addendum after getting home...worked very well as shampoo and face and body soap and removed a stain from my white jeans)
In the Metro waiting for our train to the Street Art section of town
Whole section of street art
City Hall along the waterfront
We said Goodbye to Chantal at her daughter's consignment shop - she was picking up her grandson at school. We actually made our way back to the Metro on our own and got off at the correct stop after learning how to use the turnstile from a local who spoke little English (why are directions different in each country and require knowledge of each language to read directions?).
We walked along the busy waterfront all the way back to the original bus stop to return to the ship...I lost the cane that I use to avoid falling on steps and cobblestones, when we stopped along the way to reapply sunscreen. We do seem to be losing an unusual amount of things this trip...but that's a story for another day.
We were happy to return to air conditioning on the ship and all of us decided that Marseille is a great place to visit and Chantal was a terrific Guide.
Relaxing and waiting for Michele to take our orders (after she took the picture)
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