| Mysterious Marseille |
| While I was looking through our website today I realized that most if not all of the journals I have posted thus far have given a negative image of Marseille. This could not be further from the truth. Marseille is really a wonderful place. Just ask the Marseillais (people of Marseille) they will tell you it is the most wonderful city in the world. But don't ask them to tell you why because they guard the secret appeal of the city like a treasure, and the keys to the city can only be earned--they are never given away. Well Jess and I have finally settled, we have scraped and clawed our way through the bureaucracy and confusion and finally carved out a little niche in this city. And only now that our time here has grown short have we begun to unlock some of Marseille's secret treasures and realize all this city has to offer. |
| On my walk home from school the other day I was overwhelmed by all of the delicious smells coming out of the various cafes, boulangeries, and restaurants. Unlike the U.S., Marseille is crowded with small businesses that tempt you by smells, quality, and creativity rather then advertisements of inexpensive products based on high volume sales. It was hard to imagine that my time in this city is coming to an end. Soon our boulangerie's fresh warm bread will be replaced with prepackaged American sliced bread, in place of the local café will be Starbucks, and instead of a view of the Mediterranean Sea from our door will be a parking lot. It got me thinking that although Marseille is not the cleanest or the safest city, it has personality and is unlike any other city on earth. It is a living breathing entity, and like us, is in the midst of constant change. The following are just a few of the things I will miss the most about living in Marseille. (Sniff . . . sniff getting a bit misty eyed.) |
| Marseille is bursting with language and culture, as most people know. But it not like any city I have ever experienced. It more parallels a collection of thirteen separate villages then a conventional metropolis. The city's map details sections divided with seemingly arbitrary lines, but while living in the city I have realized that those lines are anything but arbitrary. They dictate divisions in tradition, festivals, and people. |
| The most popular of these is the central district. It is a microcosm of Marseille if it ever were to assimilate into one large city. This area is a fusion of languages, ideas, and cultures--it is pretty crazy. The principal tourist attractions in this area are the opera house, the old port, assorted cafes, and various museums. But behind the tourists facade there are hidden jewels to be discovered. My favorites are the open-air markets. These are filled with unimaginable quantities of fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, and assorted sweets at remarkable prices-- a dream for people that like to cook. Surrounding the markets are little stores that sell household items and other knick-knacks. Although each store seems to sell the same things they are all sold at different but unbelievably cheap prices. Jess informed me that the reason they can afford to sell at such low prices is that these items are referred to as "tomber d'un camion" or "fell off the truck" (wink . . .wink). Although this area is hidden within a maze of alleyways, it bursts with energy and the mixture of languages and colorful clothes gives me the feeling that I have traveled to some faraway exotic land. Marseille is often referred to as the doorway to North Africa if this is the case then this area is the welcome mat. But this is just one of the many tempting areas our city has to offer. |
| The district that Jess and I call home is one of the larger of Marseille. It stretches over the entire East Side of the port and then follows the rocky coast of the Mediterranean. It is filled with life and a completely different culture. Unlike the Central district, our district is all-French. It has all the traditions and festivals of an old French village. Notre Dame de la Garde rests atop of our district and overlooks the entire city. Originally created to protect the area's fishermen while at sea, it has become the guardian for all of Marseille. Under its watchful eye are various parks, museums and shops. Not the tourist style shops that you would find in the central district, but shops designed to give special attention and personal touches to their clientele-- the types of places where the locals shop. Further away on the Mediterranean coast there is a beautiful path along the rocky shore that is dotted with ritzy seafood restaurants and historic monuments. One of these monuments being a massive archway that overlooks the Mediterranean and faces Africa. It was dedicated to the French soldiers that have died overseas. Although it is truly impressive, for Jess and I, it is more like a giant doorway that marks the entrance to one of our favorite places in Marseille--Vallon des Auffes. |
| Vallon des Auffes is a tiny fisherman's port that was carved out of the jagged coastline. We stumbled upon this jewel by following an all but concealed staircase that led to a winding passage. This path then crossed under a bridge and as we emerged we were transported to another world. It is a simpler world from the pages of a novel describing some sleepy fisherman's village from long ago--quiet, smelling of fish, and decorated with small colorful buildings with a coastline littered with tiny fishing boats and nets. It isa remarkable metamorphosis, in a matter of seconds you can travel from the bustling cosmopolitan city of Marseille to a fisherman's refuge circa 1880. Although it has capitalized somewhat on the tourism with a few restaurants, it remains virtually untouched and is something that must be experience to fully understand. |
| Lastly, just across the port from us, is the oldest portion of Marseille, founded around six hundred BC. This district is a harmonious mix of ancient Greek monuments and modern buildings and hotels, one of the most interesting of which is a cathedral that was not finished until the late 1800's. Although it is one of the newer structures in this area of Marseille, it is one of the most impressive. It is a massive domed cathedral with walls covered with original paintings and gold ornamentation. When Jessica and I walked into the church she remarked that she was amazed at the amount of faith it must have taken to create something so impressive. The walk through the church was deeply calming and an awing experience. I found myself filled with awe not for the God or religion the temple represents but instead I felt a personal connection with the people that slaved for countless hours handcrafting this structure not for personal gain but for some unseen greater good in which they truly believed. |
| These are just a few of Marseille's numerous treasures and in only three of its thirteen districts. Because the city itself is alive and is in constant flux, there are always new things to see and experience. Every corner reveals another marvel, every step leads you deeper into some other undiscovered beauty. Although the longer I stay the harder it is becoming for me to imagine my return home, I have come to the realization that Marseille is not and can never be my permanent home. And having understood this, I am trying to make peace with the fact that I will have to leave a part of me behind here. The part of me that battled for the respect and friendship of the city and discovered its hidden appeal belongs here. All I will be taking with me are some souvenirs and a collection of memories---meaningless to everyone except Jess, myself and on some level, those who have visited. Marseille is for the open-minded, the adventurous, those who are ready for some discovery. Its "gems" warrant their name because they are labored over and often discovered in the rough. No, Marseille is not the bustling beach town you may expect of the Riviera---hobnobbing with the wealthy stars like in Cannes or lazing on the sand like in Nice. It is a treasure of a different sort. As for me, it is the treasure I prefer. I carved this experience out of my own sweat and blood and determination. Riches such as these, born from hard work and unexpected discovery, are the most valued and irreplaceable. |
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