Arriving in Marseille

The train station sits prominently overlooking the old Vieux port and the weather is trying its best to rain, but instead it's just overcast with a sea haze.

And I know we should be out sampling all the local cuisine, but the Ramen takeaways give us a much needed break from bread and meat.  I feel so relieved to be back in France, just to have fruit and veggies.  Ines says that Spain exports most of its produce to France (which has invoked strikes from local french farmers who can’t compete) but it felt like they left very little in Spain for its people to eat.  I feel for the Spanish people, they are in a serious drought (you could even taste it in the lettuce we managed to find) so I don’t believe the lack of fresh produce is by design.  

The kids are super excited to catch up with Ines, and as she is working till the afternoon we take one of her suggestions and go to the Mucem of European colonisation. It’s quite an eclectic range of art and really fascinating the history and reasons why France colonised Algiers (sick of being attacked by pirates).

Somehow we managed to have lunch right next to a rugby sports bar so (fingers crossed) I organised for them to play the super rugby final on Saturday morning for us.  The house is divided, Zach, Kaia and begrudgingly Gareth are supporting the Blues and I’m supporting the Chiefs. 

Ines met us in Vieux Port and took us out to Bonneviene beach for drinks and good old catch up.  It's been 5 years since we last saw each other so there is a lot to talk about.  For the kids, I think this has been the highlight. Ines looked after them and lived with us for about 9 months so it felt very natural for them to see her again, and Kaia in particular asked a million questions.

Going back to the weather here, the rain is very lightly dusting the area, and I use the word dusting for a reason.  This area experiences wind more than anything else.  It has a name for a particular wind called the sirocco. This is when a hot dry wind blows from the Sahara Desert and carries with it a fine dust of sand and the fine particles of sand that hang in the air in Marseille.  So when this is then accompanied by rain, the rain drops attach to the sand still swirling in the air and drop on the city.  The result is sand rain falling over the city covering everything outside in a beige colour.

Vieux Port is alive with all sorts going on.  Marseille is a melting pot of cultures all seemingly flowing together without friction.  While Madrid also had a range of cultures, there is something much more relaxed and accepting here in Marseille.  Integration of different peoples just flows, whereas in Madrid it didn’t feel the same.  Hawkers in Portugal, Spain and south of France, is normal, you can’t have lunch or dinner without being interrupted by someone trying to sell sunglasses, necklaces etc but I think the difference here in Marseille, is watching the Hawker then sit down in our cafe and chat with locals and the owner like old friends.  People here just feel more open and accepting.