Lone European 7

9 June 2002 sunny Saturday yin, Nice, Marseille, France

After the morning in the kitchen as a man found himself in listening to the broadcast of old landlord, the rooms have their own YHA Membership card, we said goodbye to this lovely hotel and it's owner.

Out of the sky fog mengmeng, a few light carefully by a small piece of blue sky shot down, so I really estimate be today the sky is crying or laughing. Luck but good, a walk out to the bus until the road, there is a half hour of 6 road vehicles driving up. Use 1.4 euro bought tickets and solo cards, there is a passenger car is also good to remind me to put the ticket in the machine, also thanks to validate his reminder, because cars in zigzag rolling road opened for more than 10 minutes to the city a crossroads, I suddenly had to jump out the back door with two hands the ticket machine, to train staff on a few of the several passengers to ticket check, if the ticket does not have to validate, check the behavior of the free riders.

Yesterday have booked 11 points to Cannes Canne train ticket, so when I was 8 to save the package to the railway station, a total of only three hours in the city, when I walk in, NO, I should say is ' drop ', because it is simply a Marseille great great cities, not that kind of a couple of hours you can slowly ' Akira ' out of place.

But here again I was a very good impression. Like I'm in the train station, or ' conscientious objectors had ' problems, find a sitting on a window looks very busy boy on the way, are very enthusiastic about the answer. Marseille speak English are many, although not perfect, but are willing to communicate with you in English, not as ordinary people do not love France French foreign language to talk with people. Spent two euros saved up package, from the railway station, take the Metro to go to a beach in the southwest of Marseille, Plages de Prado (in the lower-right corner of the map), but I underestimated the size of Marseilles, also think of all the way from there to walk back along the coastline or too time consuming.

In the streets of snake and newspaper shop and bought a hot pizza (2 euro), asked the direction (I always came out from the underground station is no sense of direction), then down the road in the direction towards the coast.

Morning Prade Street in addition to being run over in the morning, there is no other pedestrians. At the side of the Church clear of morning bell in along the way to the end, also did not see the sea, it has to feel the sea of moisture, smell the sea water that special flavor with a hint of salty smell, especially in front of the sky, in particular broad and far-reaching.

This party was held at the coast just running race, it's no wonder that just think Marseille morning running so many people.

At this time the sea or a thin layer of white fog, wind kept blowing, after long shot on a cliff coast, splashing spray of old high. I walked along the coast, facing the old port of Marseille Viux port, perhaps using ' race ' in this word would be more appropriate, because of time constraints, I'm not likely to go slowly. But since it is an energetic morning, feeling the sea breeze of the wind, trot make me whole people are excited, when is the morning exercise. Probably go about one third of the way, see kerbside says North Dam signs point to the mountains. This church is said to be the highest point of Marseilles, overlooking the panoramic view of Marseille, therefore, I also carry ' a bitter second fear neither hardship nor death ' spirit, turn right, go up the Hill. Down the slope foot 35 ° road to walk on a selling arts and crafts on the way of the flea market (the price is not cheap), faster to the point, and finally gasping lie in the Notre-Dame of the barrier.

A raised, the view immediately let me forget to breathe.

' Ya trip! ' I heart jump out of this thought, took out the camera begins non-stop trying to spread their beauty collection up home. Notre Dame bells are exactly as I set foot on the last level ladder when rang, endless far out of the transmission, the number of the port side of the Hill, the church bells rang together. Sorry, melodious chimes rife throughout Marseille, filles size vessels, mast, alley tiles, and turquoise water, with regards to the sound of seagulls, rippled out so far.

' No longer so touched down! ' for a long time I woke up late, her spirit, optimistic about the direction of the port, from the way down the Hill in front of Notre Dame (I was back on the mountain, tranquil, in the hills behind the scenery is quite good).

Through the still quiet streets of the old port, finally arrived at a corner, it's been a half past, walking is not and go sit 11 car. I was with the sparkling turquoise waters of a license, a refreshing sea breeze blowing, the church bells, finally decided to give up going to Cannes, stay in Marseille for hours. A made up his mind, it slows down and began to feel the shooting a half-day of the toe and the lightness of the sting. But when I walk slowly to the old port in the front of the pier into the crowd, it was soon forgotten. Eleven of the Pier have been very busy, the entire street is on the seafood stalls, although not too many varieties, but almost all are some I'm not the first name of strange fish that looks very much of the novel. In addition to the lobster seahorses and Lo, there is also a flat full size canine fish but also like a snake and eel. Unfortunately have not seen anything sold cooked food, such as the ' fish ' stand, I'm very much miss the taste of fish! (these days the meat is never stick, a desire to eat meat. Afternoon to Nice and if so, be sure to go to grilled chicken shops to buy half only bite. ) In a row of fish stalls, a hawker is selling a somewhat like cherry fruit, I tasted a, sweet sweet, very good, generous took out 1.5 euro bought a box, about 1 pound. Also whether or not washed, anyway, not ' buganbujing eating disorders ' has always been my commitment to the principle of eating while walking, soon destroy clean.

Marseille's old harbour and orderly shutdown with vessels,

Hundreds of thousands of embellishments to erect the mast at the port, don't have a flavor. In addition to these small boats, also some more smaller, seem quite shabby installed simple motor boat, should familes can afford. I'll imagine Marseille all families have their own craft, one to a good day for skies, sailing ... Wow, very envious! this life really is not an ordinary Freehand. All the way around the Harbour to the right of access to the sea, on a stand, from this point you can set the Marseille close. In this way, careful listening to the cheers of the seagulls and the ubiquitous bells, I almost fell in love with this seaside city.

In the old port in the middle of the Terminal to go to sea ship and small islands, where he attached a lot of beautiful harbour photos, keep luring me on the island.

But when I finally decided to go to the cheapest and most famous If Island (8 euros), only to find that the boat was gone, and so the next to be two and a half hour, only angry of gave up.

A little more to return to the railway station, in addition to reserve a ticket to nice Nice ticket, the price is € 1.5.

See off-1: 45 train time there are more than half an hour, in the adjacent shop bought water and food, the assassination of Mimi sit in the train station of large electronic screen, fixed on the train information while enjoying lunch. The TGV also was delayed, and ridiculous, was late enough there are 35 minutes!!

4 points, car after Cannes, and traveling, seeing a Wang Dahai, clearly…, there is no barrier in sight, the wind seemed to stop, stress does point waves, so calm, in the days of the end of the draw a straight horizontal line to the day and the sea is divided into two worlds, with quiet, we in bright sunlight.

Decorated with small white sails, also seemed so still in it.

Almost almost 5 point before they finally reached the place I live today – nice.

The Information Office in Nice, very hard to find, from unique door out of the station turn left, will see his signs. Here get a free map, and then try to ask the staff could you call YHA ask have beds, this move also is very helpful. LP (Lonely Planet) describes three cheap hotels: cheapest that went bankrupt, the second cheapest, here the YHA, booked out, finally, also is full. Fortunately, there is no own rash to directly run past. Busy call here staff gave me a handful of cheap accommodation. She introduced me to two hotels, a 13.5 euros off the beach opposite direction, 4 km away from this, another 16.5 package breakfast, just before the railway station in front of a street, 5 minutes walk alone. A little calculation, after deduction of the fare or found the latter more cost-effective. So please go to her ring, very glad, that hotel would only last a bed. I get from here to a printed booking tables with this order only Print out the effective after 1 hour. So, I took this single went straight to the hotel.

Nice to give my first impressions – a lot of restaurant Ah!!, outside the road opposite the station that comes with 3 family restaurant.

Turned into my hotel at the Bardo, ' ronghua Restaurant opposite, ' is my HOTEL. The facade is very small, on to the second floor are the reception, this looks like a small restaurant. Fill out the registration form submitted by Passport accommodation, they told me that I've stayed in the room of two girls and a boy of the ' lucky '. I'm glad good colour not only me a ' lucky ' girl. The room also on it, opened the door of the corridor, dark, was half-point lighting. I almost put eyes nose up to the door up to identify a number pushes the door in. The room is fairly good at first glance, the four big bed flat (finally don't sleep beds!) from the patterns it seems here that should be a double bed, very obvious to see that there are two beds were hard plug into the aisle between the bed is very narrow. The original bathroom and toilets probably removed to make room on the bed, so it is free to the balcony. Therefore, sitting on the toilet, you can through a unique, see-through Lace Curtains ' appreciate ' nice street scenery outside the window ... (Down!) the toilet door chain, make me feel better, the bathroom with the shower without continuous press to water, this can be refreshed in a cold. This HOTEL does not have a left luggage office, all the baggage can only be placed in the room, the reception of one half jokingly called me at a glance that he can tell who the culprit is stealing.

All stability and good out, check the path to the direction of the beach.

The way a lot of restaurants, a glimpse inside counter display fondly of Chinese food, SIP of water poured down DC. Although today the accommodation cost overruns, but no matter so much, and meals Emperor, decided to come back at night a great cheap meal! nice to the East of every track can lead to the beach, almost without looking at the map.

Until the station in Nice on the coast, I finally understood the ' Riviera ', a term of years by, it really was truly impressed by the sea! "is a deep blue sky, deep and mysterious; and nice sea, is the ratio of clear blue sunny day but also on some of the blue, appears to be refreshing purity and squats.

But the strange thing is that only a section of the coast side is this color, and then go to the sea, gradually Central deepens, each blue area can still be seen between the clear dividing lines. The beach is also different here, or that this is not a beach because it is with a grain of sand is not found, the beach is covered with a small round smooth slippery cobblestone, seawater washing away the edges and corners, each time the tide washed ashore and receded, association with a ' give ' silvery stones rolling sound broken pieces, like shore stone and the sea meet joy, like in a whisper.

Summer, the beach was nice, home meal

Museum, Café carved into the private area, no entry for non-consumers, but restaurants and restaurant among free a little area, you can freely. I walked along the seawall, all the way down to the middle of a small beach, take off shoes experience nice blue sea is the pleasant cool. However this gravel walk really upset, one foot high and one foot low biting teeth out to sea, cool cool feeling hit on my head. This season of seawater or chilly, see someone go for swimming. Pebble Beach walking looks very ' pain ', but to lay down, at least not be confused with sand. Therefore, little falls, such as the Sun, I lay down on the beach, half squint at the clear sky, and in less than three minutes to low flying a group of large aircraft, leisure, and himself.

Here you can look to the North-West slopes of a hill to see the history of the church ruins, but I did not climb, but along the seawall walk to the other side, turned into the old city.

Here, in addition to selling artists, is a casual open-air Coffee Cafe. Several Indian performances through a field instruments, from the speaker came a familiar Chinese melody ' Party ' in the water, do not know why, at the coast in Nice to hear such a piece of music, the process of calling me to tears.

Gradually, through the old town streets, back to the train station, find a home cheapest ' Monte on fast food ', called the cheapest Menu (also to 4.5 euro).

This package is a dish of fried rice with green peas with ham and eggs, two big spring rolls and a fried shrimp, two pieces of cabbage leaves, with two small dishes sauce. Chinese fried rice a portal, I cannot help but laments a ' too good to eat! ' for too long without a good tasty meal. This Chinese restaurant business is also very good, the guys with good command of French and English greets his guests. But foreigners who looks are very wealthy prodigal, light spring roll call on ten eight (0.8 Europe!). Look at the window of other good variety of rice and vegetables, 3-4 euro a price put my restless thoughts. In fact, I have finished their menu after respect has always played a burp.

Back to HOTEL rushed cold washed clothes, roommates, for everyone.

They are fluent Spanish conversation, just once to switch to English and I said on two lines. Their English was pretty good (all young people), the LUCKY BOY are in five languages, but he said there are four European languages are very similar, so it's not bragging, but admire my two completely different languages (English and Chinese). He told me to learn Mandarin and Cantonese language, may only learn one sentence, the sentence is really what I expected, not Hello, goodbye, but rather: ' I do not speak Chinese. He used many languages to say it, say yes tourism to which country it was and he spoke, he can use the local language said: ' I do not speak the X-man '. Really interesting people.

Nice is a very small haicheng, not like Marseille is a major seaport, so, if you are not here to stop eating or Sun bathing, swimming, two to three hours to the railway station to the coast, the area around a circle.

Prior knowledge of words probably not live here, too expensive! tomorrow intends to Monaco (Monte Carlo), a swim, then left France to go to the journey of a second country, Italy. Heard a lot about Italy and order good comments on my own rather uneasy, but can only see step walks.

(Marseille)

(nice)