How do you keep a toddler from wigging out when you talk about going to the beach? You speak in code, or in this case, in French. So we prepared to go à la plage on Friday morning (June 19). We boarded the M1 bus to the Old Port, then caught the 83 bus for the remainder of the trip. Prophète is a great beach for families, because there is a sort of tide pool area where parents can keep their supplies nearby while watching the kids splash about.

It is also a beautiful area, so I had to capture a shot of homes above the beach. I was careful about the photos I took though, because it is not unusual to see women going topless here. Not really common on this beach as far as I could tell, but definitely not taboo either!

June 20…we set off for Le Panier, a very old part of the city just north of the Vieux Port–the Old Port. John had been there and said it was beautiful. Karen and I were delighted with the shops and the picturesque old alleys. We had to take a photo of the four of us who spent a month together in this beautiful city.

Karen and I had not done much shopping for souvenirs, having been busy with work and the household. Our patience paid off, because the boutiques in this area are a lot of fun. It’s a good thing I have limited space in my luggage!

Here are a few scenes from Le Panier. But also just an old city. And more graffiti! But it hardly seems fair to call it that, when some of it is so skillful.

June 21…I got my bags packed in preparation for moving to the rental my husband and I had booked for the coming week. I took off for St. Charles station, where I puzzled over where to go to find my bus to the airport. I had expected to see signs somewhere for the buses, but didn’t see any. I was probably looking for something I expected to see and missed the obvious. My paradigms are formed by my own culture, and I can miss things while overseas that are as plain as the nose on your face once someone shows them to me. Fortunately, when I found someone to ask, I was very close to the door that led to the airport shuttle buses.

I was excited to see my husband Dean after being separated by 4,000+ miles for a month, by far the longest stretch we have been apart. He arrived safely but exhausted from the transatlantic trip that included a layover in Amsterdam. But he was thrilled to see a familiar face there: his orthopedic surgeon from Mayo Clinic! They had time for a bit of a chat. Dean and I are both quite fond of Dr. Sierra, whose expertise and friendly manner enabled us to trust him. What a sweet little interlude in his journey.

After visiting the family and settling in, we ate at a nearby bistro. I felt that all was right with the world with my beloved Dean–mon amour–once again at my side.

We have stayed in many rentals, both Airbnb and VRBO. We really appreciate these services. But using other people’s properties can be tricky. Again, paradigms come into play. We scratched our heads over how to switch the shower from hand sprayer to overhead. Had to contact the owner for that one. And we sure chuckled when it took us a few minutes to figure out how to change the toilet paper roll! So funny. What we expect and what we find are two different things. It doesn’t hurt to be humbled once in a while!

June 23…This morning we went to a local boulangerie for breakfast, eating our pastries and drinking our strong French coffee at a tiny table on the sidewalk–typical al fresco dining in Europe. We then met Karen and Sydney in the Old Port, where Sydney happily took Opa’s hand while we sought a place to get her a “muffin.” That’s what she calls every plain croissant, brioche, and pain au chocolat (chocolate crossant).

We decided to go to the Malmousque area for lunch, because I had heard it was charming. We stopped briefly at a WWI monument, where Sydney was thrilled to look out over the water with me.

We had pictured sitting at a restaurant by the sea for lunch. Just looking at the map, it looks like that should be possible. Hmmm, should have done our research. The restaurants with that view have main dishes–plats–that begin at 100 Euros! At least we discovered this while on the bus and avoided embarrassment.

We found a great place in a little cove called Jeannot, with excellent food: an Italian pizza with burrata, and a daube de boeuf–a beef stew with penne. I recommend it in case you’re ever in the neighborhood. Sorry, no pix! We were too eager to dig in. But a great reward for venturing out on a very hot day. Yes, Europe is having a major heat wave. I’m glad I’m not in Paris today, where it reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Yikes!

It has been hot enough here in Marseilles. We are drenched after walking only a few blocks. Thank God for air conditioning! Don’t take it for granted friends. Stay cool, and see you soon–à bientôt! Even little Sydney can say that now when we promise to be back soon.