Marseille – Seafood Capital of Provence

I visited Marseille – the oldest town in France, in the end of February. It left me a deep impression – it’s a beautiful seaside town! Even when it’s a big city (820 000 inhabitants), it’s not crowded at all, you always feel the space there.
The guide of Marseille says: “Marseille seems somehow larger than life, its colours even brighter, the sun-soaked terraces of its cafés even sexier”.

The old part of it – called “The Basket” is 2600 years old. In French, the old part is called Le Panier. It was found by the Phoceans 600 BC; and the Old Port (called The Vieux-Port) played an important role – “The Basket” is on the north shore of the Old Port.
I had a very nice overview of the town from the Conference Venue (where I spent the first two days) - it was a Palace (called Palace to Pharo) which was built as an imperial residence for Napoleon III in the 19th century. It was situated on a hill on the shores of Vieux-Port, and I could see “The Basket”, the yachts in the port, even my hotel.
I explored the Old Part of town in February 27. It was a beautiful sunny day, with the degrees about 20 Celsius. I was so happy, and my mood was just great! In „The Basket” the main attractions are the Cathedral, some old hotels (lovely ones), many narrow streets, and Charity House (opened in 17th century for poor people, who lived and worked there) with a lovely chapel in the centre.

Vieux Port - the Old Port of Marseille

Photo: I walking around the old part - to one side (where my hotel was) to another (where the old part of the town is situated). It's 7 a.m in the morning.

Photo: The Old Port with old town in the right shore. Photo: The Vieux Port at night.

Photo: Besides yachts, you can see a church called Notre-Dame Church in the top of Le Garde hill. The church was consecrated on June 5, 1864.

Photo: Again the port... Photo: A lot of beautiful yachts stand there.

Photo: In each morning, you can wonder around in the fish market opened in the port.

Photo: And more yachts which are chosen Marseille Port as their winter home

Photo: some people are ready to go to sail...

"The Basket" - Old Town Photo: I in front of the Hôtel-Dieu, a former hospital in the Panier, currently being transformed into an InterContinental hotel

Photo: The construction of the New Cathedral of Marseille was initiated by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte and was finished in 1852. It's 146 metres long, and the main cupola is 70 metres high.

Photo: The Hotel de Ville (the Town Hall), a baroque building from the 17th century.

Photo: Some colourful houses in the old town of Marseille.

Palais du Pharo - the Venue of the Conference

Photo: The Pharo Palace lies on a rocky plateau, built by Prince-President Louis-Napoleon as an imperial residence. The Emperios actually never used it.

Photo: Park around the Palace.

Photo: Pharo Palace taken from the cruise-boat.

La Corniche and Malmousque Village

One day, I took a picturesque waterfront road between the Old Port and the Bay of Marseille - called La Corniche which runs from Catalans cove to the Prado beaches and it was very, very beautiful!
I also visited a small village called Malmousque, which is a fishermen’ village (or used to be) with small houses, but nowadays a very a prestige living place for rich people who build more and more big villas there. In Malmousque, I was able to go down to the port and sea, too (in most places, you can just walk, but cannot have an access to sea; as the cliffs are closed (probably for safety reasons)) – it was so lovely, a narrow narrow path on the side of cliffs geting you to the sea, and it’s very easy to slip and fall down to the sea from there! As it’s not a tourist season right now, then I was all alone there! Malmousque has really nice small ports for the boats of fishermen.

Photo: The Mediterranean Sea is indeed very clean and transparent...

Photo: The view from La Corniche pathway

Photo: The days were so warm, that some people played beach volleyball already, and even took sun...

Photo: More views during my walk

Photo: A Monument in La Corniche by a sculptor Antonio Sartorio. It represents the "Gateway to the East", as Marseilles has often been named due to its geographical location, its maritime traits and the fact that it opens onto the East

Photo: The small port in the fishing village Malmousque.

Photo: A little bit larger port in Malmousque.

Photo: Nice houses in Malmousque.

Photo: I took a narrow bath to get to the sea.

Photo: I in Malmousque.

The Calanques

In the sunny afternoon, I went on a boat-cruise to the Calanques – which are long cliffs on the coast of Mediterranean Sea with many hiking tracks and beautiful views. I was that I couldn’t go hiking there (the public transport was on strike, and the buses didn’t go there, and it was too far away to talk a walk there). As it was such a beautiful day, the boat was full of tourists – from France, Russia, Belgium, Germany, Japan... It was a lovely tour, we saw many nice cliffs and saw people hiking (not many though) there, and I was so envious, we saw lovely small private beaches between the cliffs, and some people kayaking etc... If I ever happen to go to Provence region in France, I certainly want to go on a hike there in the Calanques. The hiking tracks are closed in summer-time – in order to protect the wild life there (birds are laying eggs during that time) and due to the risk of forestfires.

Photo: The small cruise-boat to go to the Calanques.

Photo: Some views of Calanques.

In my opinions, Marseille is a wonderful city with its own special vitality, antiquity, and marine fragrance. Definitely worth to visit!

Brussels - The Capital of European Union

Brussels – the capital of Belgium and the heart of European Union. The City what I never had a chance to visit… when finally, in the last day of February 2008, it changed: I spent a day in the Old Town of Brussels, trying to catch the atmosphere of this well-known city in Europe. Apart from the fact, that the day was freezing (compared to the 20 degrees in Marseille, from where I arrived to Brussels), I enjoyed the day in the heart of Brussels very much.

Brussels explains it’s aura as follows: “Brussels has been given its character by the coexistence of French and Flemish culture, and it is nowadays home to nationalities around the world, adding a cosmopolitan flavour to its atmosphere”. And you can really feel it when you walk around there…
Brussels has grown from a 10th century fortress town founded by Charlemagne's grandson into a city of over 1 million inhabitants. Yet, the Old Town is fairly small and you can reach the main sights by walking.

The Grand Place (the main square in the heart of Brussels Old Town; also called The Market Place) is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe– it has many nice houses with variety of style (mainly Gothic and Baroque), and the Town Hall is just amazing - and all the narrow streets around it… Just lovely! One can see, it has developed with time: during the early Middle Ages small wooden houses were scattered around the market, but as from the 14th century the rich and powerful patrician families built stone mansions. Gradually the market turned into the main commercial and administrative centre of the city.

Town Hall – the first stone of the current Town Hall was laid in the spring of 1402. This original town hall (which is now the left wing) was completed in 1405, together with a small tower. The architect is believed to be JACOB VAN THIENEN. However, on the 3rd March in 1444, the original building was extended with a smaller right wing, which was ready in 1449. In that same year the architect JAN VAN RUYSBROECK built the tower that still crowns the building today.The King’s House – stands opposite to the Town Hall, is a lovely neo-gothic building with its many decorative statues. It harbors the historical City Museum today. The house has been severally rebuilt – it used to be a gothic building, but after the French bombardment of 1695, the building stayed in poor conditions for many years, and was decided to rebuild in neo-gothic style in 1860’s. Guild Houses
Most were built between 1696 and 1700 in the style of Italian Baroque, but with some Flemish influences. As well as bearing the names of the guilds, each house has its own individual name as well.

The Peeing Boy

To see the Manneken Pis (“The Peeing boy”) in Brussels is the MUST – the most famous boy in the whole Europe.
It’s such a small statue, but so nice to look at it in real life after seeing him in many different postcards! It’s an old statue - already in Already in the 15th century a fountain called manneken-pis existed in the same place. The official origin can be traced back to the 13th of August 1619 when the city ordered the sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace an old and withered one.

Photo: I with the Manneken Pis

There are several legends behind this statue, but the most famous is the one about Duke Godfrey II of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen, in Ransbeke . The troops put the infant lord in a basket and hung it in a tree, to encourage them. From there, he urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle.

The Saint Michael and Saint Gudula Cathedral Already at the beginning of the 11th century a church was situated here. St. Gudula church originally built in Romanesque style was transformed in gothic style as from the 13th century. Today, the foundations of the first church can still be seen under the crypt of the gothic cathedral. The western facade, completed between 1450 and 1490, follows the example of the French gothic facades.

The Royal Palace In 1815, William I, king of the reunited Netherlands, decided to rebuild these houses to turn them into a royal palace. This was finished in 1829. One year later Belgium became independent and the new king of Belgium, Leopold I, decided to use the new palace as his residence. It was king Leopold II, who had the original building turned into the palace like we now know it. This transformation ended in 1903. Nowadays, The Royal Palace is used as the office of the King and as the residence of the Crown Prince.

Food in Brussels
Yum-yum-yum…
Belgium is famous of certain food items:
1. Belgian chocolate – has been the food of champions;
2. Brussels waffles - have been an important part of the Belgian diet for centuries. The authentic Belgian waffle is unique because of the special waffle irons used to bake them;
3. It is said, that the best French fries you can get from Brussels… (I didn’t try though).

My dessert: Brussels waffles with whiped cream and strawberries... how sweet!

There are lovely dining streets all around the Grand Place - each street has its own speciality – the most famous street is called Rue des Bouchers and is a “fish street” – many restaurants have a display of seafood outside in the street.

Monaco - the jewel of Riviera

Monaco - the smallest country in Europe (about 2 square kilometres) AND the home for the Rich and the Famous - is situated on the coast of Mediterranean Sea, tucked into the Maritimes Alps. I visited this amazing place in a bit cloudy day of 28th of February. I took the train from Marseille to Monaco (3 hours) and it was an amazing ride along the lovely coast of the sea, passing Touloun, Cannes, Antibes, Nice (Nizza)... All lovely holiday cities to enjoy yourself on the beach... Of course, not in February though... But my destination was Monaco anyway, so I didn't mind it.

When I arrived to Monaco, I realized one cannot make a good use of the map. In fact, the map can be confusing - as Monaco is so hilly and the streets, houses and sights are in different levels (almost in the same spot), then you don't really get it from the map; and two paralleel streets on the map can actually be streets tens of metres away from each other in height (and no way you can just step from one street to another what you guess from looking at the map!). Luckily, Monaco is very small, and due to the hills, it's like in a nutshell: you can always see everything. When you are on the top of the hill (for instance, in Monaco Ville in the square of Royal Palace), you can overview everything else, and when you are down on the Port Hercule (the port for the lovely big expensive yachts), you can see everything which is situated on the hills (Royal Palace, Casino etc). So it's almost no way you can get lost in Monaco. But indeed it's a bit tricky to arrive from one lower place to another higher point (NB - one should make use of the elevators and escalators).

Even when Monaco is so small, there's a lot to see. This country has known how to mark itself in the world's map. The Monte Carlo Casino is known to everyone and so is the Monaco Grand Prix of Formula 1. But there are much more...

Monaco has several different parts, mostly tourists visit Monaco-Ville (the old city, where on the rock, the Royal Palace is situated) and Monte Carlo (the other side of the Hercule Port, wellknown spot because of the Casino), but also Moneghetti (where the well known Exotic gardens are situated) and green Fontvieille (with Princess Grace Kelly's rose garden).

Photo: The Port Hercule and the part of Monaco called Monte Carlo.

Photo: Parts called La Condamine and Moneghetti.

Photo: The most well-known (and probably also one of the most expensive one...) hotel in Monaco: Hotel de Paris, situated next to the Casino. The photo is taken from the garden made on the roof of Rainier III auditoriums.

Photo: This is how the Monte Carlo Casino looks like! One can enter the Casino's lobby without charge (it's beautiful there!), photographing is strictly prohibited. You can enter the Casino's playing rooms only when you're 21 years or older (presenting your passport) and paying the fee of 10 or 15 euros.

Photo: The Monaco Cathedral which was consecrated in 1875 (dedicated to St. Nicholas). Many of the members of royal family are burried here, including Princess Grace Kelly (in 1982) and her husband, Prince Rainier III (in 2005).

Photo: I in Monaco.

Photo: Hercule Port and Monte Carlo.

Photo: streets, flowers, palm trees and a photo frame in Monaco-Ville.

Photo: Place D'Armes

Photo: The sculpture to honour the Formula 1 driver Juan Manuel Fangio who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing in 1950's and won several times Monaco Grand Prix as well.

Photo: Karin and the pictureframe overlooking to Monte Carlo.

Photo: Coloufrul Monaco.

Museums in Monaco

There are several interesting museums in Monaco, but unfortunately I couldn't step into any of them, even when I wished to. Perhaps the best well-known museum is Oceanographic Museum & Aquarium which is situated in the very edge of the rocky coast of Monaco. It's a beautiful building with gardens around. Photo: The building of Oceanographic Museum and the Mediterranean Sea

Photo: The garden beside the building of the Oceanographic Museum - it's designed on the roof of a house

Monaco and the Royal Family

Visiting Monaco always means to think of the royality, too, and the celebrities from the royal family of the country... Well, in Monaco, you can't walk around without noticing the ever-lasting aura of Princess Grace Kelly. You really feel her importance in the late history of Monaco - people in Monaco like to say, that "She is a lady who made Monaco a world famous destination". I think it's really true - you can see her presence everywhere. This year (as marking the 25th anniversary of the princess' death) many stages (25 in number) with commentaries are placed on the different spots in Monaco which give a legend about Princess Grace work and big events in her life. Photo: The Royal Family: Prince Albert with his children, and Princess Grace Kelly on the painting (this is a postcard I bought from Monaco :)).

Photo: Royal Palace (has a VERY long history; and The Grimaldi family has fought over their landpiece for centuries)

Gardens of Monaco

Gardens are one of the trademarks in Monaco - and it really pays off. The area of Monaco is small and stucked with many houses, so to have some green spots in the town is very important - it gives you the feeling of space. And the gardens are just wonderful, even in the end of February! They are as small as Monaco is, so you don't need to do lots of walking there, but all of them are carefully planned to make a good symbiosis of different plants growing hand in hand (colourfrul blooming flowers, suculents, evergreen bushes etc), many lovely sculptures in each parc and enjoyable quietness for visitors.

There are 7 main gardens in Monaco: Casino Gardens, St Martin's Garden, Japanese Garden, Princess Grace Rose Garden, Fontvieville Park, Zoological Terraces and Princess Antoniette Parc.

Due to lack of time, I was able to visit only the first three, but the visits made a deep impressions to me.

Photo: Lots of colourful flowers in the gardens of Monaco

Photo: I in the middle of cactuses in St Martin's garden

Photo: a sculpture in St Martin's gardens

Photo: Fontevieille district (the commercial centre)

Even when Monaco is so small, it certainly deserves of exploring more than just one day. I hope I can go back there in summer time to enjoy the beauty of the gardens and the warmth of the clear blue Mediterranean Sea.