A Very Public Private Man: Stranger In Marseille, May 2013.

"I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them" - John Stuart Mill

The Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseille.

by Kudakwashe Kanhutu

Marseille as a destination, chose itself for me. I was being tripped left, right and centre very badly by my dissertation on the security situation in the SADC sub-region. I was sleeping in a computer room at the University to meet my deadline. Surviving on a diet of crisps and energy drinks. My phone conversations with friends and family were curt and snappy one word answers. It was bad! I therefore resolved to travel somewhere as soon as I had handed in my dissertation so as to recover my normalcy (somewhat). That is the why I had to get away, below is the how.

I was living in the library trying to finish my paper on SADC security dynamics

I was down to my last £200 Sterling as I haven't worked in God knows how long (therefore Rome was out, as the cheapest return flight minus hotel was £269). Rome would have been an ideal destination coming so soon after all that excitement of the recent change of guard at the Vatican, but the prices were forbidding. Geneva was also out because the next stage of my life involves me going there regularly as part of my training. The Balkans are out for the same reason as Geneva.

Still, I needed a short sharp break from my usual surroundings so another place had to suffice. Germany? I was there in January, so it's too early. France was on my radar, but certainly not Paris, because I didn't want to be too obvious, (besides; I promised she, who we won't name yet, that the first time I would see Paris she will be there too). I could have gone to the Airbus factory in Toulouse but I don't want Airbus to get the wrong idea that I now endorse them over Boeing. So where could I go? I can't go to Monaco even if I could afford the flights because I would be too green with envy witnessing all that money-spending that is reputed to go on there. I had to go somewhere where I wouldn't be the richest or the poorest on the day. I have reason to believe I would be the poorest person in Monaco on any day!

Marseille To The Rescue!

Le Vieux Port overlooked by the Notre Dame De La Garde

Marseille, in a good way, is the poor man's South of France. It has got that good mix of first class Mediterranean destinations and sensible prices; perhaps because Abramovich and his ilk have not yet inflated its prices by parking their oversized yachts here. This too, is where God in his infinite wisdom, has been the great leveller. A man of good sense and restraint will enjoy exactly the same weather and even more sights than they have in

Monaco

for less, by just going to Marseille.

Monaco

would only cost more because it's a 'cool' destination. I laugh!

I hope too, WHEN (not if), the money starts flowing my way, I don't lose my good sense and start paying the King's ransom for things that can be had for very cheap, just so as to be thought of as cool. Let me give you a for instance. The highlight of my trip to Marseille was the 3 hour boat tour of Les Calanques (see photo essay below). I went on a public tour boat which cost me €29. A man concerned with being cool would hire a Yacht and Champagne for the same trip. I don't know how much hiring a Yacht for 3 hours costs in Marseille but I think a decent Champagne bottle will be €100 and above. Second instance; my 48 hour Marseille City Pass which I got for the price of €30, allowed me to use public transport (bus, boat, tram, train) any number of times and, gave me access to Museums and historical sights across the city such as the Chateau d'If and the Frioul Islands. A man concerned with vanity would have hired a car for much more.

Enter Marseille

Les Calanques:

In the end, the real reason why Marseille won hands down as the destination I would use to refresh (after ending my time at the University of Kent at Canterbury), was that it offered something else all the other competing cities could not offer. The great outdoors! Talking to a French friend, she mentioned Les Calanques as Marseille's great attraction, I looked it up and I was hooked instantly. A city that combines city life with the great outdoors is my kind of city any day. By the way, Les Calanques are impressive canyons on the Mediterranean coastline of Marseille. Below follows the blow by blow account with nothing left out!

Vive Marseilles:

Somehow, because I had stayed out late with friends in Coventry the previous day, I don't even remember my take-off from London Gatwick on the EasyJet Airbus A319 aircraft that took me there. As soon as I was strapped in my seat, I went to sleep and only woke up due to the brilliant Mediterranean sun streaming through my window. The aircraft had flown over Marseille and was banking over the Mediterranean Sea for our finals onto Provence Aeroport Marseille. What a beautiful sight it was too to behold this indigo blue sea - having left a rainy London just 1 hour 20 minutes previously. I had arrived!

Indigo Med!

What Attractions Marseille?

First things first, the touchdown by the Easyjet flight deck crew was just beautiful, I felt like asking them to take off then land again; it was that featherlight!

Thrust Reversers engage on the Airbus shortly after touchdown.

Unlike my other trips, I knew what I wanted to do beforehand, knew where I wanted to go and how. I wasn't winging it this time; No Sir, No madam. My trip was just under 48 hours, so I limited the number of sights I wanted to see to 5. My trip was going to be very crisp, efficient and so relaxing, so I thought! Little did I know that I would be crying a little girl as the waters of the Mediterranean sea tossed our boat this way and that way exactly 5 hours after I had landed in Marseille. Clearing immigration was sweet and smooth, once outside, I saw a black Mercedes S350 operating as a taxi, for a moment I thought about entering Marseille in style! But only for a moment.

When in Marseille, do as they do?

Instead I got my 48 hour Marseille City Pass which meant that from arrival till departure I would never reach into my pocket again to pay for public transport and a whole set of public displays and museums. Oui Monsieur, Oui Mademoiselle! The coach ride into Marseille is about 30 minutes and drops you off at Gare de Marseille St Charles, the main train station. My hotel was walking distance from there. Without delay I dropped off my bag and headed to the Le Vieux Port, the 2 600 years old port in Marseille. I wanted to take the boat to the Chateau d'If so as to the see the prison island popularised by Alexander Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Prepare to be disappointed if you go to Marseille wanting to see the Chateau d'If, the slighest ruffle on the seas closes the Chateau. For the whole weekend I was there, it was closed due to 'rough seas,' nothing biblical mind you. But this should have been my cue to avoid going anywhere near a boat!

I could only see the Chateau d'If from a distance owing to 'rough seas'

The Notre Dame de la Garde:

However it didn't register in my mind that if the Chateau d'If was closed due to rough seas, then any venturing out to sea was bound to be a roller coaster ride of some sort. Instead, I asked what time was the Les Calanques boat. The 3 hour ride at 14:00 hrs was overbooked, so I got the consolation 2 hour ride that departs at 15:00hrs, this costs €22 and takes you to 6 Calanques instead of the full 12. This too was a blessing in disguise, for I don't think I could have stomached an extra hour on the seas. Because I still had about 4 hours before the boat ride, I took Bus Number 60 up the hill to the Notre Dame De La Garde (of course when I relate the same story to my grandchildren, I briskly jogged up the hill to the Notre Dame de la Garde).

Top of the hill

The most beautiful views await whoever makes it to the top, however you make it. Best of all, it's free!

Cowardice Comes to the Fore:

I spent a good 2 hours or so admiring the views and just trying to empty my mind of any worries, in short, trying to regain my usual carefree demeanour. But I had to return to the Old Port to catch my boat for Les Calanques, the centre piece of my trip, which very nearly became the stumbling block of the trip.

Boarding "The Green Calanques"

About 15 minutes into the ride to Les Calanques, with the coastline receding visibly, I suddenly got the notion that sitting on the upper deck of the boat was increasing the danger of me being thrown into the cold-hearted sea since the boat was lurching side to side violently as it ploughed through the waves. I decided to go into the lower deck, but arriving there I realised that the boat was equally open there and, even closer to the rough seas for comfort (it's a sight seeing boat for God's sake! what was I thinking??). Two saving graces from this situation. (1). I fully comprehended what migrants who cross from North Africa to Europe go through, having only written about it in my academic work. (2). It was also lucky that she, who I soon won't be able to live without, was not there, otherwise how embarrassing would that have been! The man: crying like a little girl begging to be taken off the boat, while the woman: calmly looks on with a bemused expression, thinking "God what did I ever do for you to give me this shameless coward?"

Panicking but trying to hide it

I asked the crew whether I could get off at Les Calanques and get back on a bus, somehow; and so too did two other people who were getting violently sea sick, to which the crew replied, no chance. I don't get seasick myself, I am just averse to being tossed into the sea. Instead the crew advised me to look into the distance as this would lessen the effect of the lurching boat on me. I would be lying if I tell you that it worked. So I came up with a better plan of my own to keep the boat afloat; holding onto the seat in front of me and keeping my feet planted firmly on the deck. Luckily the boat slows down and the seas calms down as well once you reach Les Calanques. So, I managed to take some pictures while dreading the return leg of the trip. You will be pleased to know that the return trip was much calmer, to the extent that I resolved to return to the seas again the following day. I didn't want my fear of the sea to become a mind thing, so I returned to the Mediterranean the following day after a good night's rest.

The picture that made my visit to Les Calanques worthwhile.

After returning to port, I went to the hotel and slept for 2 hours then headed out again to see the other sights at night until about 2am. I then returned to the hotel to catch up on football highlights and world news. Marseille is very good by night. I don't care much for Ross Kemp's silly programmes which claim Marseille is a dangerous city. What city isn't?

Sight seeing at night

Porte D'Aix at Night. Marseille's Arc de Triomphe

Second Day:

Determined to see the Chateau d'If prison Island, I returned to the Le Vieux Port, got told it was closed again, so I took the the Frioul Express to the Frioul Archipelago. This was a master stroke. The best views and most relaxing atmosphere of my trip was encountered thus. I will not say more about this as the pictures in the photo essay should say more than a thousand words on the matter.

The Frioul Archipelago

After a relaxing 3 hours on the Islands, I returned to the hotel to pick up my gear, I still had one more sight to behold: the Train Grande Vitesse!

With top speeds of 574km/h. This is a marvel of engineering.

At exactly 3:45pm my Easyjet Airbus aircraft gracefully lifted off the sunwarmed Marseille Airport runway, flying out to the Mediterranean sea, then banked left to head to London Gatwick. The trip was over!

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