Sunday, 23 May 2010

A brief walk around the centre of Aix, streets empty apart from council workers cleaning up, then back to the hotel for the typical French breakfast of coffee and croissant/brioche. We then drove out with no firm plan in mind. Arrived in Arles about midday after driving through rather forgetable country. Obtained some maps from the tourist office and had a coffee on the street at Cafe le Macarte on Blvd Georges Clemenceau. Then we walked up into the old Roman ruins - it was also the home of Vincent Van Gogh. Travel is always a compromise, however, so we were soon on the road again, driving south along a narrow road into the Camargue nature park. There were quite a few viewing platforms as we drove alongside the Etang du Vaccares, the big body of water which is part of the Rhone delta. The Camargue is home to the famous white horses and, apparently, wild cattle. We say plenty of horses in paddocks and plenty of pink flamingos in the water and flying, but no wild cattle. Very interesting place which many people were exploring on bikes. We arrived near the coast at Salin-de-Giraud, fairly hungry. There was a local festival on, quite small, but some street stalls selling food and wine. We tasted the local cheese - Brebis - le Mas le Trident Cauvert - and then purchased some with salami made from local "bulls" and great bread, then a bottle of Domaine de Bouchard Merlot and sat in the park and made our own sandwiches and drank some wine from plasic glasses - fantastic. The bull-fighting arena was close by (a popular spectacle here but apparently they do not killl the bull) and we purchased tickets and went inside. The locals were dressed in traditional Camargue costume and performing dances - there were also men and women riding the white horses and performing some traditional horseback games. It was all a bit accidental for us but it was great to see. There is a real Spanish influence here (the locals probably say there is a Camargue influence in Spain) and it was good to experience the traditional local culture). We then took a ferry across the Rhone, past Port-Saint-Louise-du-Rhone and drove into Marseille. Had trouble finding a park (many commerical parks closed on the weekend) but eventually found one near the Preficture building then had to walk about 1K through dingy streets to the main port area - a bit scary. The port area is great, the wharves packed with everything from local fishing boats to super yachts. The weather was warm and sunny and there were many peopleo wandering around and enjoying the cafes in the sun. It feels like a bit of North Africa. We had a drink at an outdoor table, looking up at the spectacular Notre Dame church on a high hill with its golden gilded statue on tap glinting in the late afternoon sun. Then back through the rough streets to the car. The main MacDonalds in the centre had a security guard outside, and at another one there was a guard with a German Shephard dog. We drove back to Aix it is felt like we had changed countries. Had a late dinner in the centre of Aix overlooking the fountain in the Rotunda at L'Atellier - not a memorable dinner, except the Tajine of lamb which was served in the distinctive Moraccan earthenwear dish.