May 10, 2010: We arrived at around 9:25 pm last night in Marseilles, France after a long train trip from Lourdes via Toullouse. The sceneries along the way were very captivating. We passed a lot of vineyards and few beautiful beaches. It was a very exhilarating trip!
Upon disembarking from the train at Marseilles we caught up with the bus going to Aix-en-Provence. The bus ride was just fifteen minutes but when we arrived there it was already past 10:00 pm and was drizzling. The weather was also nippy. I was cold and shiverng and also had been sneezing occasionally because of an allergy.
We were being picked up by Marie, one of the daughter of Doreen's friend, and her boyfriend and they both drove us at Doreen's place and dropped us off there. The house was been in the outskirts of Aix and was dark because no one was there when we arrived.
We were so tired when we got there because of the long and tiring trip. We immediately unpacked our luggages or things and then prepared to go to sleep. I had sleep for so long in that I didn't even realized that Doreen had left already for work in the morning.
I woke up at around 9:00 am and started to open the computer and blog all my thoughts away remembering all the fond memories and the places that we've been through and all the stuff that we did from Paris to Lourdes until we get to Marseilles and home to Aix-en-Provence.
Later on when Doreen will come out of work at 2:00 pm I will meet her at the Centerville so that we can take a bus from there going to Marseilles for a tour and a night out. And from there I don't know what will happen. I will just place my entry here tomorrow when I come back.
The weather today was been nice and the sun had come out from hiding. Unlike last night that the rain was been pouring and the air was cold. I felt good when I woke up this morning and the allergy was gone. Hopefully, it will be another promising day that will await for us in Marseilles.
I felt so blessed and lucky to have such beautiful weather everytime I come to one place. In that, I can really enjoy my two weeks vacation. Thank God! Sigh!
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Addendum: I have to meet Doreen at the Centerville in Aix-en-Provence Rotunde Fountain but I was late at the bus stop near the house because I was panicking on how to close and lock the house and the gate.
I manage to figure it out following Doreen's instructions but it took me time to find the keys for the entrance gate. I was instructed that she left it near the mailbox and I was looking everywhere but I couldn't find it when in fact it was actually covered by the mails inside the mailbox.
Another dilemma I had encountered was about the way out to the bus stop because she instructed me to keep walking and wait at the end of the street across the house. I didn't know where to make a left or a right that's why I missed the bus. I tried to call her on the celfone that she left me when I realized that I left the phone inside the house.
I went back again and get the phone then called Doreen and told her that I missed the bus #20 so she instructed me to keep walking down until I saw the intersection where I can wait for the bus #1. I walked a little less than a mile until I get to the intersection and was lucky to have caught the bus going towards Centerville.
I then phoned Doreen that I was on my way and told her to wait for me at the fountain. When I got up of the bus I was lucky the driver understood Engish so I instructed him to drop me off the fountain only to find out that he drop me off at the wrong fountain.
I called Doreen that I was waiting at the fountain but she told me that I went down on a wrong fountain. She instructed me to walk a little bit more down until I saw her on the other side of the street near the big fountain at the rotunda.
Since it was already late to go to Marseilles by this time we decided to just stroll around Aix and see some of the nice places, buildings, shopping centers, and restaurants around.
We decided to take a late lunch first at Bistro Romaine where we ordered Beouf Bourgogna de es Rigatoni which was very very delicious. I also ordered a Spinach Salad with Steamed Shrimp mixed with Grapefruit and Orange Wedges with a White Cheese Dressing which was superbly done. We also sipped some red wine in between and creamed French coffee afer the meal. It was a very satisfying meal after all.
After the meal we started to stroll around the Centerville. We checked out the shopping stalls and went to the Tourism Office to get more information about the places we can check out around Aix.
After that we headed to the back of the museum where another shopping center was been located. We then kept walking down the end until we reached the Grand Theater. We climbed up to the rooftop of the theater where we can see the aerial view of the whole town of Aix-en-Provence. We took some pictures of it to document our little stroll that sunny afternoon.
We then went down and left the Grand Theater walking all around the streets of Aix going to the heart of the town visiting three of the famous churches of Aix. We also passed some very posh restaurants as well as the open restaurants at the piazza at the center part of the town.
I kept clicking my camera enjoying taking pictures of the beautiful sceneries and vintage buildings that the whole town can offer.
We then sat down at the center piazza near the municipal hall sipping some soda while looking at the students and young people talking on the table laughing and yacking with their friends and some were smoking cigarettes clipped between their fingers.
The town boasts a university of economics and business administration that's why we can see students passing and going as well as spending time with their friends at the piazza.
I can see a lot of goodlooking French guys dressed up in formal and casual attire on this sunny and windy afternoon. They look so cool and georgeous. They were very professional fashionistas. My hats were really off for them for dressing professionally.
After a little talking, laughing, chatting, and sipping of soda at the piazza we decided to watch "Lola" (a Filipino movie which won first prize at one of the recently concluded French film festival) at the Renoir Theater but apparently Shelly (Doreen's lady boss) called that they were on their way home from a very long trip from Palm Springs, CA.
We decided to postpone our plans to watch the movie tomorrow and headed home to open the gates for Shelly and Michael who had just got home from a very long trip.
The day was even fulfilling despite of some little glitches and dilemmas. At least we had roamed around Aix and had accomplished something today. At least tomorrow I don't have any problem at all in going back to Centerville because I know how to take the bus in going back there even though I don't know how to speak their language.
So tomorrow we planned to watch "Lola" and we will see what will happen next to that. We would probably get something to eat that is very very special and different. Doreen will still be working tomorrow so I have to meet her up again at the Centerville and plan out what to do after that.
But for me, I have to go there early in the morning to see how's the market day looks like and get some more pictures of Aix to document everything that I saw.
Aix is always an unforgettable place for me. I learned to love this place already!
P.S.
Happy birthday to my little sister and to my dad! I love you both. Mwah.
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