We spent the day outdoors soaking up the warmth of the sun. We hiked along the Mediterranean Sea on the rocky trails of Calanques National Park. Upon arrival, there is little designated parking. Every one park wherever they can alongside the road. Trails in the park begin, and go on, in places you would never expect. Each trail has a designated color which is hand-painted on the rocks and generally angled in the direction to follow. In fact, while we were hiking there was a team going over the marks with fresh paint and we wondered how often that job needs to be done. Many rocks on the trail are jagged, but many are also shiny and smooth, from repeated contact with hikers shoes, making them quite slick. Sometimes, large portions of the trail are so rocky you wonder how you’re going to navigate them, but then you do and you’re surprised it wasn’t as big an obstacle as it originally appeared. The scenery was absolutely stunning and the mountains looked like castle walls, which made the journey entirely worthwhile!!! Brooklynn was a trooper and refused to let the D.I.L. slow her down.
After the hike, we stopped at a local bakery for a baguette chicken sandwich and chocolate eclair...oh my. Google translate came in handy here, as we typed in “What is the most popular pastry?” It popped up “Quel est le pâtissier le plus populaire” and rather than crucify the French language, we let the attendant read it for herself. She pointed out three, we chose one and may have to pick more up tomorrow.
We’ve learned how to say, “Hello, do you speak English?” (Bonjour, parlez-vous Anglais?) and “I don’t speak French.” (Je ne parle pas Français). It’s amazing how technology breaks down the language barrier.
Next, it was off to a local beach to dip our toes in the Mediterranean. Followed by dinner where we devoured a chicken salad at Chez B with tomatoes, cucumber, and mushroom topped with a yogurt aioli dressing...delicious. It’s pretty nice when you can shop local and have your own personal chef whip you up exactly what you’re craving.
Russ was in his Parisian elements driving around! While the girls kept saying “Watch out for the motorcycle!!!”, “Pedestrians crossing...”, “Car pulling out...”, “Oh my gosh it’s such a tight fit!“, and “Don’t forget this is a RENTAL car!” he was zipping in and out of traffic just like the locals, loving every second of it. If you take a look at the cars parked on the side of the street, most of them are scraped, dinged, dented, or have broken tail lights and side mirrors. Extra glad we booked Airbnb’s with private parking spaces. This is our last night in Marseille before heading to Paris tomorrow afternoon. Time to do some laundry, watch Ratatouille and pack up to be ready for check out in the morning. Let’s hope the train ride back to Paris is only three hours. 🙂
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