May 17th
Today, Mom, Chris and I went to Luminy to hike. We took a trail that Chris & I had been on, but this time, took it further along the Calanques. It was a beautiful day, and a lot of people were out hiking, having picnics, and down at the beaches. Mom really enjoyed the views of the Med and it was such a gorgeous day to be out hiking! We had a great time out there!
To see pictures, go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25219&id=1012407145&l=09849d9db0
Friday, May 29, 2009
Parc Boreley, Beaches, and THE DORADE!
May 16th
Mom and I took off for the day by ourselves and let Chris stay home to do some work. We took the bus down to Parc Boreley and walked through the park towards the beaches. It was a beautifully sunny day and warm. Mom and I walked the beaches around the corniche towards the Calanques. We stopped along the way to sit in the sun and chat, and watch people pass by.
For lunch, we found a string of restaurants on the beach to choose from. One of the menus had dorade (which is sea bass) for, what I thought would be, 6 euros for a 100 gram fish. Good deal, right? So we went into the restaurant, grabbed a table, and relaxed. I ordered for the two of us in French, which was a bit nerve-wracking since I had NEVER done that before without Chris' help. I was pretty proud of myself and only messed up once or twice while ordering. The biggest mess up, though, will be revealed momentarily.
I ordered the dorade for Mom and moule frite for myself, plus a half bottle of Rose wine. The food was excellent! We sat somewhat inside in the shade, but close enough to the beach that we could watch people. Kind of interesting sitting and eating at a restaurant, looking out onto the mobs of people on the beach, and noticing what people were doing. Lots of topless ladies sunning themselves...some of them not very young either. Quite a few pregnant ladies on the beach, and lots of kids running around having a blast in the water and sea.
I told Mom when I ordered the dorade, that she may end up getting an entire fish on her plate, head and fins included. She said she would be OK with that. And, I was right. The fish was intact, gutted only, on the plate staring at us! Oh, and it had teeth! Mom was a trooper though and ate it. It was really good too.
I asked for the bill and when I looked at it, I was FLOORED! My meal had been 12 euros, which for moule frite, that is not bad. Mom's meal, on the other hand, was 24 euros!! I had to stop, re-read it, and make sure I was seeing things correctly. I had thought it would only be 6 euros! I wondered if they had charged us correctly, or were trying to be sneaky since we weren't French, but I didn't know enough French to ask what was up with this incredible fish bill. Mom went ahead and paid for it, and we stopped by the menu posted outside to double check the price again. It said "Dorade, les 100 grms, 6 euro". I called Chris and found out that it was 6 euros PER 100 grams...meaning that the bill was correct and I was in need of some additional French lessons! Mom didn't seem to mind too much, and it was an experience we will never forget.
Mom and I took off for the day by ourselves and let Chris stay home to do some work. We took the bus down to Parc Boreley and walked through the park towards the beaches. It was a beautifully sunny day and warm. Mom and I walked the beaches around the corniche towards the Calanques. We stopped along the way to sit in the sun and chat, and watch people pass by.
For lunch, we found a string of restaurants on the beach to choose from. One of the menus had dorade (which is sea bass) for, what I thought would be, 6 euros for a 100 gram fish. Good deal, right? So we went into the restaurant, grabbed a table, and relaxed. I ordered for the two of us in French, which was a bit nerve-wracking since I had NEVER done that before without Chris' help. I was pretty proud of myself and only messed up once or twice while ordering. The biggest mess up, though, will be revealed momentarily.
I ordered the dorade for Mom and moule frite for myself, plus a half bottle of Rose wine. The food was excellent! We sat somewhat inside in the shade, but close enough to the beach that we could watch people. Kind of interesting sitting and eating at a restaurant, looking out onto the mobs of people on the beach, and noticing what people were doing. Lots of topless ladies sunning themselves...some of them not very young either. Quite a few pregnant ladies on the beach, and lots of kids running around having a blast in the water and sea.
I told Mom when I ordered the dorade, that she may end up getting an entire fish on her plate, head and fins included. She said she would be OK with that. And, I was right. The fish was intact, gutted only, on the plate staring at us! Oh, and it had teeth! Mom was a trooper though and ate it. It was really good too.
I asked for the bill and when I looked at it, I was FLOORED! My meal had been 12 euros, which for moule frite, that is not bad. Mom's meal, on the other hand, was 24 euros!! I had to stop, re-read it, and make sure I was seeing things correctly. I had thought it would only be 6 euros! I wondered if they had charged us correctly, or were trying to be sneaky since we weren't French, but I didn't know enough French to ask what was up with this incredible fish bill. Mom went ahead and paid for it, and we stopped by the menu posted outside to double check the price again. It said "Dorade, les 100 grms, 6 euro". I called Chris and found out that it was 6 euros PER 100 grams...meaning that the bill was correct and I was in need of some additional French lessons! Mom didn't seem to mind too much, and it was an experience we will never forget.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Mom arrives in Marseille!
May 14
Chris and I met my Mom at the airport here in Marseille. We were a bit late getting there, and didn't mean to leave her standing outside worrying about us. We jumped off the Navette (bus) and ran to greet her! I was so happy to finally have her here in Marseille! It was her first trip to Europe (actually, the only other time she had been out of the country was a trip to Mexico when she was a kid).
We took a taxi home and sat around talking, eating lunch, and catching up. Mom eventually had to nap as she was exhausted from her trip. Her flight was rough on her physically with not being able to sleep and it made her ankle swell up, but she had a good time chatting with a couple of 30 year old guys sitting next to her.
We didn't go out the first day since Mom was tired.
May 15
Mom's first day in Marseille was pretty easy going. It was rainy for the earlier part of the day, so we walked over to one of our favorite Provencal restaurants (Le Resto Provencal) in the Cours Julien for lunch. Afterwards, we took her to our fave soap store just down the street. We came back to the apartment and relaxed until the sun came out around 4pm.
We went down to the Vieux Port and walked around so Mom could see the Mediterranean. We took her around the port, over to Notre Dame de la Major, but it was closed so we couldn't go inside. We walked back over Fort Jean and towards the mall to pick up food for dinner at the grocery.
Chris and I met my Mom at the airport here in Marseille. We were a bit late getting there, and didn't mean to leave her standing outside worrying about us. We jumped off the Navette (bus) and ran to greet her! I was so happy to finally have her here in Marseille! It was her first trip to Europe (actually, the only other time she had been out of the country was a trip to Mexico when she was a kid).
We took a taxi home and sat around talking, eating lunch, and catching up. Mom eventually had to nap as she was exhausted from her trip. Her flight was rough on her physically with not being able to sleep and it made her ankle swell up, but she had a good time chatting with a couple of 30 year old guys sitting next to her.
We didn't go out the first day since Mom was tired.
May 15
Mom's first day in Marseille was pretty easy going. It was rainy for the earlier part of the day, so we walked over to one of our favorite Provencal restaurants (Le Resto Provencal) in the Cours Julien for lunch. Afterwards, we took her to our fave soap store just down the street. We came back to the apartment and relaxed until the sun came out around 4pm.
We went down to the Vieux Port and walked around so Mom could see the Mediterranean. We took her around the port, over to Notre Dame de la Major, but it was closed so we couldn't go inside. We walked back over Fort Jean and towards the mall to pick up food for dinner at the grocery.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
I love Paris in the Springtime
We only had the day of May 6th (Sharon's Bday) to explore Paris. For only havin gone day, we were able to see a lot!
The first thing we did after having breakfast, was go to Notre Dame. I didn't take very many pictures, since I had seen it on our last visit. We didn't go inside, but we walked around so Sharon could see it.
From there, we walked to Saint Chapelle, which is a church with incredible stained glass windows. I really didn't know anything about the church prior to going in, and I'm glad I hadn't looked it up beforehand. It was such an experience to walk in and realize that the walls were all made out of stained glass and beautiful columns. The main room was quite small, but the decorations made up for it. I was very impressed with the tiles, the columns with medieval castles on them, and, of course, the tall windows of bright colors and images.
Our next stop was a small park that had a tomb inside. We couldn't go very close to the monument, but were able to get some pictures around it.
For lunch, we stopped off at a nearby cafe. It was very nice, and the food was delicious.
After lunch, we walked down the Siene and looked at the sidewalk stands filled with old books, posters, and paintings. Chris found a book on the legends and mysteries of Provence, so I bought it for him as an early bday present.
We walked around the outside of the Louvre, and then into the tuileries garden. We enjoyed looking at all the statutes. For a snack, we bought some ice cream and sat down to watch the ducks playing in the water.
Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower. On our last visit, we did not go to the top, so this time, Chris, David, Carolyn and I decided we needed to do the elevator up. Sharon decided that it would be best if she waited below. The elevator to the top was a little strange, and it took me a few minutes at the top to feel grounded enough to walk around and look. Not sure why it bothered me, considering I have been to the top of the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower, but the openness of the Eiffel Tower was different. The views from the top were incredible!
The only thing I did not like about the Eiffel Tower, was all the men standing around the bottom trying to sell you key chains and other junk, plus the women asking "Do you speak English?" then proceding to beg for money. We did our best to ignore all of them, but there were SO many! The police were doing their best to scare them away, but they would just come back and harrass more people.
We were very tired from walking around and decided it was time to head back, have some dinner, and then relax for the rest of the evening back at the Best Western. We found a cafe near our hotel to have dinner, and I enjoyed a plate of salmon carpaccio (raw salmon).
Pictures are at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25029&id=1012407145&l=f2924af654
The first thing we did after having breakfast, was go to Notre Dame. I didn't take very many pictures, since I had seen it on our last visit. We didn't go inside, but we walked around so Sharon could see it.
From there, we walked to Saint Chapelle, which is a church with incredible stained glass windows. I really didn't know anything about the church prior to going in, and I'm glad I hadn't looked it up beforehand. It was such an experience to walk in and realize that the walls were all made out of stained glass and beautiful columns. The main room was quite small, but the decorations made up for it. I was very impressed with the tiles, the columns with medieval castles on them, and, of course, the tall windows of bright colors and images.
Our next stop was a small park that had a tomb inside. We couldn't go very close to the monument, but were able to get some pictures around it.
For lunch, we stopped off at a nearby cafe. It was very nice, and the food was delicious.
After lunch, we walked down the Siene and looked at the sidewalk stands filled with old books, posters, and paintings. Chris found a book on the legends and mysteries of Provence, so I bought it for him as an early bday present.
We walked around the outside of the Louvre, and then into the tuileries garden. We enjoyed looking at all the statutes. For a snack, we bought some ice cream and sat down to watch the ducks playing in the water.
Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower. On our last visit, we did not go to the top, so this time, Chris, David, Carolyn and I decided we needed to do the elevator up. Sharon decided that it would be best if she waited below. The elevator to the top was a little strange, and it took me a few minutes at the top to feel grounded enough to walk around and look. Not sure why it bothered me, considering I have been to the top of the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower, but the openness of the Eiffel Tower was different. The views from the top were incredible!
The only thing I did not like about the Eiffel Tower, was all the men standing around the bottom trying to sell you key chains and other junk, plus the women asking "Do you speak English?" then proceding to beg for money. We did our best to ignore all of them, but there were SO many! The police were doing their best to scare them away, but they would just come back and harrass more people.
We were very tired from walking around and decided it was time to head back, have some dinner, and then relax for the rest of the evening back at the Best Western. We found a cafe near our hotel to have dinner, and I enjoyed a plate of salmon carpaccio (raw salmon).
Pictures are at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25029&id=1012407145&l=f2924af654
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