Ahhh the Mediterranean

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August 17, 2014

Last I wrote (besides reflections on Lyon) we were on the road to Marseilles with a visit to Orange planned. Our travels have provided us with a challenge on every little jaunt and a constant changing plan. The constants have been Lyon and Marseille and will continue to be Normandy and Paris/Versailles, but within that our plans seem to be every changing. Some is due to those challenges I alluded to and part due to what we find when we arrive somewhere.

As we headed to Marseille we were excited to have our first glimpse of the Mediterranean and to swim in the “crystal clear blue” waters of the Mediterranean. The drive was beautiful – wide open farmland, herds of the beautiful white French cattle (Charolaise), remains of huge castles high up on bluffs above the expressway, nice roads…but then we hit Marseille and driving became a nightmare. First a succession of tunnels; the last costing us about $7 to go maybe a quarter of a mile, and then a series of turns on one way streets that are poorly marked and directionally challenged that left us lost. When we finally found our next home it was in a gated apartment complex and we did not have a gate code. Remember we have no way to communicate while here except by email and messaging, which aren’t operable without wifi, so we couldn’t contact our host. Finally a car went through the gate and we followed it in on foot. Then the question was – how do we find the right apartment. All we had was A4 and we did not have our host’s last names. Wow – we found A4 right away, but from there we didn’t know which bell to press to gain entrance to the correct apartment. As we are talking below and wondering what to do Jose (one of our hosts) came out and approached us. He must have heard us from the windows of their flat above. He showed us up the 6 HALF flights (only a total of 48 stairs at this one – and wide and not spiral!). This was the first pleasant sight in Marseille – it was a quaint, pleasant little room with a nice breeze coming in the window. That would be the last nice thing we would we think about Marseille. Driving Marseille was a nightmare – way worse than Lyon – as Hannah put it the roads are dumb, everything is stupid and it made no sense. Then there’s the beach – well not much good to say there either – it had water…..Hannah says there really isn’t anything to be said about it. We stayed for about 2 hours cause what the hell we were on the Mediterranean! I didn’t want to say anything to Hannah because she was so excited about being on the Mediterranean, but later I posted on facebook – sorry France NOT impressed. Found out Hannah had similar feelings so she researched a side trip the next day to a real beach on the Mediterranean – let’s get the hell out of Marseille, so early to bed so we could head to the French Riviera and the beaches of Saint Tropez! We sadly never made it to Orange – another trip maybe.

Of course morning found us lost trying to get out of Marseille. We managed to avoid the damn tunnel and find the correct road to St. Tropez – not sure how, but it took us a good hour to go maybe a few kilometers – not good travel time! God always seems to be with us and take good care of us though. We could have had so many major disasters at this point, but so far we have come out of all of them okay and without killing each other (that is probably the major accomplishment!). The drive to Saint Tropez was beautiful. We moved into a more mountainous area and higher temperatures. There was more history here (old buildings and chateaus than around Marseilles) and the terrain was beautiful. Saint Tropez we figured to be about a 2 hour drive, which took us about 3 because we got lost of course. As we came closer to our destination the scenery opened below us to vast views of the crystal blue waters of the….Mediterranean! Yes this was the Mediterranean we were looking for! Not sure what it was in Marseille – brown water with heavy breakers, chilly winds, too many people and less than attractive beaches. As we got closer to St. Tropez the roads became narrow and windy and one section beat out highway 1 down the California coast for sharp curves, narrow roads and high elevation! FUN!!!!! After a series of faux pas we made it to the beaches of Saint Tropez. Oh yes it was amazing! Beautiful beach, beautiful water, a light breeze, gentle breakers, and billions of dollars in huge yachts anchored just outside the swimming area. Time to set up camp and enjoy and that we did! Hannah decided after a while to rent chairs in the club area next to us and we moved to chairs in the club’s roped off section. We had a wonderful day swimming, lounging and reading, drinking wine and eating mozzarella and chirizzo sandwiches and even napping. Of course we both got a little too much sun, but it was worth it!

We even got to witness while there what we think was a search and rescue drill. As Hannah slept I watched this helicopter circle around and around out over one section of the yachts. Finally it swooped low and hovered above the water. I woke Hannah at that point and we watched a person lower from the helicopter into the water as the small rubber motorized boats circled the area between the yachts where the person was lowered. It was so James Bond like!!!!! The helicopter continued to circle the area after that and a little while later lowered and hovered again and the person was hoisted by a line back into the helicopter. It was quite interesting to watch and drew quite an audience of spectators on the beach.

Finally it was time to depart the sparkling jewel of St. Tropez and head back to Marseille. Boy how we dreaded that – knowing we would get lost on the poorly and often unmarked non-sensical streets. We took a little bit different route back and approached Marseille from above. As we down out of the mountain Marseille was really quite beautiful in the sunset and the beginnings of nightfall– after we entered the city we did indeed get lost again! Finally home we showered and crashed. Though we had napped a good bit on the beach we were both exhausted and Sunday was another early morning and a long drive to Caen in lower Normandy.

This writing now finds us embarked on that 9 hour trek! The 3 hour drive between Lyon from Marseille became 5+ hours as we hit I-5 corridor type traffic all heading north with us. We decided to stop in Lyon hoping to visit a pastry shop we had seen and score some really cool postcards we hadn’t bought there and for a brief rest. Sadly, being Sunday, really the only thing open was the restaurants. We wandered the streets for a brief while marveling again at the city that was thus far our favorite. The perk too was that it was well marked and even with its crazy turns and one way streets we could get around and didn’t get lost! Now it’s back to the expressway and more traffic. We are already so behind schedule it’s ridiculous. Awww well – c’est la vie!

Oh and the toll roads are ridiculous. Gas prices are averaging 1.69 per liter (3.785 liters per gallon so gas is roughly $6.40 per gallon) and the tolls are 20+ euros a pop. I figured driving to Caen (approximately 1,000 km – don’t have the miles) will cost us roughly $200 US! How do these people afford to drive anywhere?! Ah and here we are at a toll booth again – ugh! Bye for now.



Pictures soon or see them on my Facebook!

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Comments

[Karen Wood]

Way cool
So enjoy once again following your blogs. You are a great writer and feel almost as if I were there with you. Enjoy and have fun!!!