I really like this city. Especially the grittier bits. The garment district and what is left of the old-Old Port area (most has been gentrified). Haven't been able to get out to the banlieu yet, but next time.
I say 'gritty' but as with elsewhere in France the level of public services is quite high and the city is very clean and tidy. Not Monaco of course. :-)
We wandered the better part of the day after lucking into one of the express trains and so getting from station to station in about 30 minutes. The Aix station about a 15-20 minute walk from our apartment.
The memorial for the two young women stabbed to death at the St. Charles rail station two days ago a solemn way to start our visit. Photos of it HERE and HERE.
After wandering around we stopped for a couple of beers and a rest. It reminded me of why I like the city so much. Tunisian and Algerian Arabic (a contrast with the harsher Egyptian Arabic we're far more likely to run into at home) or French with an Arabic accent. Great cheap food...great and often adventurously-placed graffiti...The other thing I like is the city-wide enthusiasm for serving beer so cold it has to be on the verge of becoming slush.
Photos HERE.
Photos of May Day 2015 HERE.
Tomorrow mostly about doing a few chores (laundry mostly) and saying goodbye, trying to eat as much of what we have in the fridge and on the counter. Thursday at 1600 we head to the Comfort Inn near the airport so that early Friday we can catch our flight to the Munich Lufthansa biz class lounge and thence to Budapest. We should be checking into our hotel about 1700. Geri's sister and her husband recently moved to Vienna and they will be joining us for the weekend.
After that a couple of days on our own and then the Danube cruise.
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