9/12/2023: Old Port Marseilles

We stayed in Old Port in Marseilles, which I highly recommend. The food and bar scene was impeccable. We were surrounded in every direction with cafe’s, restaurants, and bars. Additionally, France was hosting the Rugby World Cup at the time. The waterfront square on top of the Old Port metro station was designated to the event, and many of the bars hosted viewing parties. We enjoyed being in such a lively area. The one drawback is that it smelled like fish. If you got caught in a crosswind, it was debilitating.

We had a blast walking around Old Port. The port was full of boats, large and small. Tourists left on ferries to the surrounding islands, like Château d'If (where Count of Monte Cristo was jailed), and fisherman came in constantly with their fresh and smelly catch.

Our apartment stood on the southeast corner of the Harbor closest to all the action. In our day exploring the neighborhoods, we ventured north to Le Panier, the arts district. We stopped along the way to look for post cards, key chains, and other touristy memorabilia. The walls of the neighborhood expressed themselves with street ranging from graffiti, to Picasso-like abstract murals, to photorealism.

Our meandering was cut short when one of us wasn’t feeling very good. We ended up buying a cocktail just so we could use the restroom. Gosh dang no public restrooms in Europe! Feeling a bit more settled, we slowly made our way back around the port to our abode (stopping for another waterfront cocktail of course!).

That night, I felt the need to go catch the soccer game at local pub. After a few Guinness’s down the hatch, friends were made and the night took a turn. The conversation went from work, to love, to goals, and dreams in classic French style and next thing ya know it’s 12:30 and I am trashed. With one quick glance to my phone I realized I missed my (self-imposed) safety curfew and a boatload of texts and calls. I raced back to the apartment and was confronted with a stern greeting and a sick stomach. Down for the count, but hopefully in good enough shape to make the hike of a lifetime the next day.