I'm in love.

With the south of France.  It was incredible-sun, ocean, mountains...what more could a girl want?

We left Paris at the crack of dawn Friday, and took a three hour train ride to Aix-en-Provence, where we checked into our hotel.  I ended up in a quad with three of the girls from my program, which turned out to be really nice. I have missed having roommates my own age-it's nice to have friends around all the time.

Excited to be on my first real train ride!

The bathtub was big enough to fit all four of us...so of course we had to take pictures.  From left: me, Hadley, Leslie, Steph

The early afternoon was spent wandering around, basking in the sun that we had missed so much living in Paris. We had lunch at a cafe right in the center of town, where I tried the traditional regional dish: Aioli.  It was cod with lots of vegetables, in a very strong garlic sauce.  I was impressed, however for the rest of the afternoon I avoided breathing directly on anyone.

By the fountain in the center of town-all the fountains were created because Aix has these really famous hot springs that are supposed to be good for your skin...I don't know about all that but the fountains are pretty.  I'm with the other Mollie in my program in this one.

Another pretty fountain...

I wasn't kidding about the sun.  Here, I am giving God a big thank-you and a thumbs-up for making such a gorgeous day.

Another fountain...this one is fed by a hot spring so the moss grows all over it.

It was like Willy Wonka's factory in the candy shops... I couldn't resist snapping a pic

We then took a guided tour of the city, with a guide who pointed out sights such as the original cathedral that was built during the Middle Ages, and the large clock in the center of the town with statues representing the four seasons.  She also informed us that since the man responsible for rotating the statues always took vacation during September, their summer lasted until the beginning of October :)

You can just barely see the statue under the clock.

Original cathedral-not as impressive as some that I've seen, but cool nonetheless.  Its age upped the cool factor just a little.

That evening, we went out to an Italian place for dinner, then spent happy hour at a bar that seemed to be a favorite of the locals. 

The candle I played with, and thereby ruined, at dinner

We made several new aquaintances, including one very outgoing young man who had us laughing all night as he attempted to sing "popular" American rap songs and talk about American tv (he was out of date by at least 10 years...we didn't tell him though.  Didn't want to burst his happy bubble)

That is one thing I very much enjoyed about the south of France-the people were sooooooo much friendlier.  I had become accustomed to people rushing past all the time, never smiling, never letting you pet their dogs, always looking angry.  In Provence, they talked to you, they smiled at you, they said hello, and if I saw a dog I liked, I could pet it! It was a nice break. 

Another nice thing about Aix was that I could walk the whole town.  It reminded me a little of Rome, with its small windy streets and the style of the buildings. 

Cool winding streets.

The next day, we went to the outdoor market in the center square.  We began in the flower market, and our director got us all some mimosas, a flower that is traditional in Aix. 

I tooks some pics of tulips, just for you Mom.

With our mimosa in front of yet another fountain.

 

 Then, we continued on to the produce section, where you could buy fruits, vegetables, fresh cheese, eggs, seafood, spices, honey...all locally grown or made. 

 After that, we continued to the clothing, cloth, and jewelry section.  I could have wandered around this market all day-it just seemed never-ending.

We bought some fresh goat cheese, a fresh baugette, some tomatoes, and some bell peppers and had a picnic in our room-it was a perfect lunch, all for under 5 euro!

That afternoon, the group went to Cassis, a vacation destination about an hour away from Aix.  We got to visit a soap and perfume shop, as Provence is apparently the place to go if you want soap or perfume.  They make it there, and it's some of the highest-quality soap you can buy. 

We also got to spend some time on the beach.  It wasn't exactly laying-out weather, but the view was incredible and I got to put my feet in the Mediterranian!

That evening found us in another local bar, being taught traditional drinking songs of the region.  I didn't quite catch a lot of the words, as the guys teaching us had over-indulged just a tad, but it made it a very entertaining evening all the same.

The next morning, we checked out of the hotel, and drove an hour to Marseille.  We had a tour there as well, a little on foot and a little on the bus, and I absolutely fell in love with the city.  The city went right up to the coast, so you could have lunch in a cafe with a view of the ocean and the mountains bordering it.  We also got to tour the church that overlooks the whole city, and the view from the top was breathtaking.

I love the terra cotta roof tiles

In the cathedral...while I am not Catholic, I really like the candles.  I don't think they do anything, but they do give nice ambiance.

Marseille...the ocean...three little islands...GORGEOUS.  My poor photography does not do it justice.

So happy.

Doesn't this look like a postcard?!

Chillin on the jetty watching waves and sailboats.

Like this one.

Someone else's Vespa

I was not at all ready to leave. Fortunately, when Mom and Katie visit in April, the plan is to head back down! I'm very eager to get to see them and share my favorite part of France thus far!