Saturday was better. I felt more positive. I went for a walk with my map to Le Vieux Port which, I was surprised to find, is actually quite nice, ok, it's really nice. I walked all round Le Vieux Port and went in to some of the shops before finding La Canebiere (Marseille's main street). I went in the supermarket there - Monoprix, and found sliced bread and fresh milk! I also bought some other food although I'm still not convinced about the food here... I went in L'office de tourisme and got some information about the area - things to see and things to do.
One thing I noticed was all the people begging on the streets. I think I only really noticed because I have to write a 16,000 (yes! 16,000) word dissertation for uni and I thought of doing homelessness. Well, at least I'll have something to write about. Not that I think it's good there being so many homeless people you understand. Amidst the roadworks, the rubbish, the rats and the homeless people there is something quite likeable and charming about this city. Even if everytime I cross the road I keep looking in the wrong direction for cars. And it's not even safe on the pavements - the motorbikes ride on them! The driving here is a bit mad, I don't think drivers care much for their cars, I don't think pedestrians care much for their lives. They do have green light and red lights, it's just nobody takes any notice of them. If you want to cross the road you just step out. I'm amazed Ensleigh insured me, I swear I'm at least 20 times more likely to be involved in a road accident here than anywhere else in Europe...
Anyway, after walking round Le Vieux Port and La Canebiere I went home and had a sandwich. I then went out again, this time armed with my camera. I went back to Le Vieux Port and took some photos, trouble is you have to walk along la rue de la republique (you know, the one with the roadworks?!) Seeing signs like 'Marseille advance' and 'Le coeur de Marseille bat plus fort' referring to the 'amelioration de notre ville' doesn't quite make up for the mess... Neither does it fill you with confidence when you walk past the site of a knocked down building which appears to have become just another of the city's dumping grounds, with a sign announcing 'le fin de travaux - juin 2004'!!!
Anyway, I took my photos and had a crepe sucre-citron and un jus d'orange alongside Le Vieux Port before discovering a boulangerie, small supermarket and greengrocers in grand rue and then walking back along la rue de la republique and through le passage lorette back to my appartment. Later on in the evening I went out again, back to Le Vieux Port to a restaurant I'd seen earlier. I had une salade italienne and le gateau au chocolat. It was pretty to see Le Vieux Port all lit up at night. And yes, I know, that's three times in one day that I went to Le Vieux Port but a) I knew how to get there and b) it was an area of Marseille I liked! I went back to my appartment and made the mistake of talking to a cat (well, come on, I was lonely) which then followed me and sat outside the front door. As I went to put the key in the door I thought better of it. It was going to follow me in, wasn't it?! I walked up and down the street trying to loose the damn thing and in the end I had to shout and make sudden movements to frighten it off (sorry cat lovers...) it got the message and I could finally go inside.
All in all a complete turn around from the day before. I was beginning to get used to Marseille. Yes, it's completely different to what I expected and yes, it's completely different to anything I've ever seen before in my life. But isn't that part of the experience of a year abroad? I'm living in Le Panier - the oldest quarter in Europe, near to Le Vieux Port and I can see the sea. My appartment is really nice, my room is huge, my two suicases of stuff don't fill it at all. Infact, it looks empty! There's almost too much space! All that remains is to meet my colocataire, brave the metro, find my school, get in touch with my school, find some friends, open a bank account, find my way around, settle in... the list in endless. Hopefully it will be ok.
One thing I noticed was all the people begging on the streets. I think I only really noticed because I have to write a 16,000 (yes! 16,000) word dissertation for uni and I thought of doing homelessness. Well, at least I'll have something to write about. Not that I think it's good there being so many homeless people you understand. Amidst the roadworks, the rubbish, the rats and the homeless people there is something quite likeable and charming about this city. Even if everytime I cross the road I keep looking in the wrong direction for cars. And it's not even safe on the pavements - the motorbikes ride on them! The driving here is a bit mad, I don't think drivers care much for their cars, I don't think pedestrians care much for their lives. They do have green light and red lights, it's just nobody takes any notice of them. If you want to cross the road you just step out. I'm amazed Ensleigh insured me, I swear I'm at least 20 times more likely to be involved in a road accident here than anywhere else in Europe...
Anyway, after walking round Le Vieux Port and La Canebiere I went home and had a sandwich. I then went out again, this time armed with my camera. I went back to Le Vieux Port and took some photos, trouble is you have to walk along la rue de la republique (you know, the one with the roadworks?!) Seeing signs like 'Marseille advance' and 'Le coeur de Marseille bat plus fort' referring to the 'amelioration de notre ville' doesn't quite make up for the mess... Neither does it fill you with confidence when you walk past the site of a knocked down building which appears to have become just another of the city's dumping grounds, with a sign announcing 'le fin de travaux - juin 2004'!!!
Anyway, I took my photos and had a crepe sucre-citron and un jus d'orange alongside Le Vieux Port before discovering a boulangerie, small supermarket and greengrocers in grand rue and then walking back along la rue de la republique and through le passage lorette back to my appartment. Later on in the evening I went out again, back to Le Vieux Port to a restaurant I'd seen earlier. I had une salade italienne and le gateau au chocolat. It was pretty to see Le Vieux Port all lit up at night. And yes, I know, that's three times in one day that I went to Le Vieux Port but a) I knew how to get there and b) it was an area of Marseille I liked! I went back to my appartment and made the mistake of talking to a cat (well, come on, I was lonely) which then followed me and sat outside the front door. As I went to put the key in the door I thought better of it. It was going to follow me in, wasn't it?! I walked up and down the street trying to loose the damn thing and in the end I had to shout and make sudden movements to frighten it off (sorry cat lovers...) it got the message and I could finally go inside.
All in all a complete turn around from the day before. I was beginning to get used to Marseille. Yes, it's completely different to what I expected and yes, it's completely different to anything I've ever seen before in my life. But isn't that part of the experience of a year abroad? I'm living in Le Panier - the oldest quarter in Europe, near to Le Vieux Port and I can see the sea. My appartment is really nice, my room is huge, my two suicases of stuff don't fill it at all. Infact, it looks empty! There's almost too much space! All that remains is to meet my colocataire, brave the metro, find my school, get in touch with my school, find some friends, open a bank account, find my way around, settle in... the list in endless. Hopefully it will be ok.
