MARSEILLES

I HAVE SO OFTEN THOUGHT OF MARSEILLES AND WANTED TO VISIT IT BUT I HAD TO KEEP REMINDING MYSELF THAT I WAS ACTUALLY THERE YESTERDAY.  IT IS A GLORIOUS PORT CITY AND SHOWS EVERY EVIDENCE OF ITS MIXTURE OF MEDITERRANEAN, AFRICAN, GREEK ORIENTAL AND NUMEROUS OTHER CULTURES AND PEOPLE.  IT IS BUSTLING AND VIBRANT.  ESPECIALLY DOWN BY THE OLD PORT THE STREETS ARE VERY WIDE, THE OCEAN IS A SPARKLING BLUE/TURQUOISE COLOUR, THERE ARE BOATS OF EVERY SIZE AND FISH STALLS BY THE QUAY.  A COVERED AREA HAS A CEILING THAT REFLECTS ALL THOSE WALKING UNDER IT AND THE SHOWS TAKING PLACE - PEOPLE TUMBLING AND DANCING AND DOING ACROBATICS.

THE MUSEUM AT THE END OF THE PORT IS UTTERLY AMAZING.  IT IS NAMED THE MUCAM which stands for Museum of civilisations of Europe and the Med. IT WAS BASED UPON AN ANCIENT SITE FOUNDED BY THE GREEKS WHEN THEY ARRIVED HERE HUNDREDS OF YEARS BC.

The old port

Entrance to the MUCAM

TOP OF THE CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME
WHICH OVERLOOKS THE CITY

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