We took the train into Marseille Wednesday and found the Maison du Pastis. It was quite something and the fellow spoke English which was great for Don and Elaine and he was very knowledgable about pastis and all the specialty ones. It's really almost like single malts when you get to the specialty ones. We bought some neat glasses and of course some very special pastis which we've been enjoying tremendously especially since we'll never be able to get them in Canada.
We had a bouillbaise at a very highly recommended place but were rather disappointed. You can't go to Marseille without having a bouillbaise but we all agreed it is a rather bland dish with all white fish (albeit many different types) and can't compare with local Victoria creations for taste even though they aren(t so called authentic. Took the petit train around the old town and that was neat as we hadn't done that before. Lots of excitement in Marseille as there was a huge demonstration by fishermen protesting increase in the price of diesel fuel...they blocked the port and the street were choked with people and police. We were quite thrilled to have the old regional train that we took over 30 years ago when we started going to Bandol. Great nostalgia but the pleasure was somewhat diminished when the one on the way back broke down and we had to change trains and just luckily heard that it wasn't going to stop at Hyeres so had to get off at a little station and get another one. No English of course so any tourists would have ended up in Nice!
We did get to Cassis yesterday and the weather cooperated. It really is such a super place and the entry through all the vinyards is so neat. Don and Elaine loved the narrow buildings with all the different colours and we had a rather choppy (good thing they've dived and are used to motion on the water) ride on our trip to the calenques (high cliffs and inlets that are famous in the area). We started off the day going to the market in Carquieranne which was also quite a thrill for them and Don found s vendor with a roast rabbit so we bought that. He spoke some Enlgish and he was quite a card joking about it being 'cat with blue eyes'...those of you who know Don know how much he would have enjoyed that! It was fabulous and all the innerds including the head were there so Don was in heaven.
