MY BELOVED AIX! AND A YANKEE DOODLE!

Saturday, October 20: Marseille. Tour Aix en Provence--my city

Aix-en-Provence (usually simply called Aix) is a small, classically Provençal town, famous for being home to Cezanne. With a population of 143,000, Aix boasts three universities and several French-language schools for international students to produce a very strong student presence.

Aix has always been a rich city. There is a high contrast between Marseille (only 30 km and half an hour away). Whereas Marseille is one the poorest French cities, Aix is perhaps one of the richest. As in all Provençal towns, the city center consists of narrow streets, lined with interesting buildings from 17th century hotels to paved plazas.

I will always love the Cours Mirabeau, a wide street planted with double rows of sycamore trees and decorated by fountains in the middle of the street. It follows the line of the old city wall and divides the town into two sections. The new town extends to the south and west; the old town, with its wide but irregular streets and its old mansions dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, lies to the north. Banks line one side of the street and on the other side are cafés and the Monoprix (a department store with a grocery store in the basement now and when I lived in Aix). One café is the Deux Garçons, the most famous brasserie in Aix. Built in 1792, it has been frequented by the likes of Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola, Ernest Hemingway, and MaryJane Phillips Koenig.

 I told the tour guide that we would meet them back at the designated area, that we would tour by ourselves. As soon as we got off the tour bus, we headed to a café for strong French coffee and a restroom at Le Cézanne. When I am in Aix, I feel completely at home. Aix is a beautiful old friend that I will never forget.  We strolled along the Cours Mirabeau to 46 Rue Manuel, where I lived from August to November 1967. I did not have the exact address in 2008 and could not find it. Today I understood why I could not find it because the exterior had been changed. It was a 12^th century stone building and though not unusual for Aix, it was unusual for me in 1967! I moved to another apartment after November 1967.

From there we walked to a luscious fruit and vegetable market near the Palais de Justice. I took Tim to another market area, showed him the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), the 12^th century clock tower that I passed on my way to school every day,  St. Saveur where I attended Mass on Sundays, and then my school. I doubt that any of this was what Tim expected, but I was home. The many streets, the alleys, the small stores, the patisseries, the boulangers, the papeterie, the cafés, all home. I showed him the post office we used all the time, too. All still there!

We took another break and stopped at Le Grillon for coffee and a Coca Cola Light. The bathroom was up the winding stairs. I have never seen an automatic flush toilet, but now I have. It is just like the hand towels, one waves a hand over the sensor, and Voila! The toilet flushes!

 We only had a half hour more so we headed back to the bus area. I purchased something fun for B1 and B2 on the Cours Mirabeau, something I am sure they can use and something they will never see in the U.S. The busy Tabac where I made the purchase sold lottery tickets and I doubt they expected to sell the two items I bought to an American. Inside the store I met an elderly gentleman who asked me if I were British. I told him I was American and he brightened up and told me that he was a translator with the U.S. Army in World War II. He told me he was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war. He asked me if I was a Yankee Doodle or a Dixie. I told him we were Yankees and he sang Yankee Doodle Dandy to our delight. I truly loved this experience in my Aix.

With regret I left Aix behind and we returned to the Epic. We will arrive in Barcelona tomorrow, but I don’t think we will get off the ship. We will have days and days to recuperate from the extremely intense schedule of visiting ports every day for 8-9 hours. Today was a short port day. I do think about the people who return to the States tomorrow and go back to work on Monday or Tuesday.

The day was sunny and warm.