And country number three on the trip is France. Marseilles is the oldest city in the country, over 2,000 years old, founded by the Romans. I slept till 8:30, which didn't give enough time for breakfast in the main dining room. Quick run to Windjammer.
We got off the boat and I swear there were 300 people trying to board shuttle buses to downtown. Then the port had a fire drill so everyone was moved outside on the street. Then they went back inside. Meanwhile we were just trying to find the person organizing the electric bike tour. I noticed two women, maybe in their 40s with confused looks on their faces. I had a gut instinct that they were looking for the same person that we were. Eventually I found a short haired, olive skinned girl holding up the sign written in a dry erase board marker. And those two women were indeed looking for the same tour. They both are from Chicago, and one of them lives in the same town my best friend used to live. We also had a Chinese family of five that ironically lives on Long Island, but recently moved there away from Newport News. Small world.
I don't even remember how long it's been since I've ridden a bicycle. Probably 2012 with Jean before she broke my heart. But I think if I ever purchased a bike, it would be an electric. That motor makes going up hills so much easier. We went through a newer neighborhood and then into the city center. I can't even begin to write names down, there's no way I could understand her accent. I did have a few issues with the seat early on, it kept falling down on me, even though I had it locked in place. Anastasia, our guide, did a good job of fixing it, even though it was a little high for me, but I was not about to adjust it again.
But oh my goodness, that town was so remarkably beautiful. The bluest water I've ever seen, ships in the inlets, outdoor cafes, well maintained streets, respectful people. I could easily spend a few days there, even though I know maybe four words in French.
Climbing uphill to the Basilica Notre Dame was a bit of a challenge and I don't know if I could have completed it on a bike that wasn't electric. It was super steep. But it's been so great to see all these old churches in Europe. All I can do is pray that faith connects with the next generation of young people over there.
Soap is a big deal in Marseilles. We stopped in a shop that specializes in soap made primarily of olive oil, called 72%. Back at the terminal, I picked up a package of herbs de provence for myself and a nice coaster of the Marseilles coast for LB.
It was 3 pm when we returned to the ship, too late for lunch, too early for dinner. So after eating pretty sensibly all week, we went to the sports bar Playmakers, and we really didn't care that it cost extra money. We both ordered the burger, with two patties, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, onion rings, and sauce. Not to mention steak fries and more pickles. For 9 bucks, it was fantastic.
Feeling adventurous, I decided to do the zip line. While eating the burgers, mom and I could see people going down the line right over us. She said she'd try to watch me. Well it took me a long time to find the entrance. The signs says the 16th floor, but I had to go to the 15th floor and then walk upstairs. Then I had to sign the waiver. Then I was told I needed socks. Back down ten floors to my room. Back up ten floors to the entrance. Then the staff had issues deciding what harness I should wear, I guess my size was right in between middle and large.
I didn't think mom was still watching but just in case, I decided to take The Final Abyss slide down to the sixth floor, right near where we'd been eating. It took about 15 minutes to get in. It was a pretty freaky slide, with sharp turns and total darkness. After that, I went back to the room where mom was reading her book with a British game show on the tv for background noise.
I went outside to the pool for a mojito and to take in the sunset. After fifteen minutes, the wind kicked up and I was back downstairs. I must have fallen asleep because all of a sudden, it was 7:30 and time to get ready for the 80s music quiz. We got 13 of 15 songs right, I didn't know Centerfold and some song about Axels. Maybe it was Curtis Axel, who the hell knows. Three teams aced the quiz, so hey, what can you do.
We went to Paul's next comedy show, some of the jokes were the same as the show I saw, but some changed. I wound up sitting with three couples from Canada who were arguing over their next excursion to take, so I guess I was the seventh wheel in that group.
I headed up to Family Feud, which was being advertised as Friendly Feud. Well, I don't know what kind of family it was referring to. The host looked and acted like a complete queer. And one of the questions was that Steve Harvey classic, Name something you put in your mouth but don't swallow. Thankfully nobody had the balls to say what we were all thinking. I don't know why I went to Boleros, I guess it was because I just wanted a drink. But I wanted something more adult oriented, not a beer, not a fruity beverage, not even red wine. After glancing through the menu, I went with the Gentleman sidecar, which has Gentleman Jack, cognac, and lemon juice. It was a delicious drink. Mature, yet approachable, and satisfying, just like me. Next thing I know, a guy and his wife stood by me at the bar. I recognized him from being one of the Family Feud contestants and I remembered him saying he was from Brooklyn. So I said to him "Hey Brooklyn!" He started laughing and I told him I was a Jersey boy and my dad was from Brooklyn. He then said he had an important second question for me. I was pretty sure I'd get a sports question, this is just the standard follow up. The only thing I didn't know is what sport he would bring up. The question came..."Giants or Jets?" Thankfully I answered correctly. The guy was named Gene and we talked about everything from sports, to travel, to work, to moving. Really it was that good human interaction that's so important to me.
I decided to head down to the jazz club. After having breakfast with the drummer a few days prior, I felt I should go down and see the band. I took a seat on the couch in front and almost immediately, Jeff saw me and gave me a wave. Pretty cool feeling. Across the club, I saw something that I still can't shake from my memory. It was a man who looked exactly like the spitting image of my paternal grandfather, just with rosier cheeks. I couldn't help but gaze in his direction a couple of times. He's been dead 11 years, but I wish I could have said goodbye to him. Just wasn't meant to be.
Regardless, I stayed about a half hour before going upstairs to the 80s party. For only lasting 45 minutes, it was a pretty wild scene with the loud music, leg warmers, and the abundance of lime green and neon pink colors. Plus a guy came dressed as PacMan. I managed to get a spot near the main stage and I got a few selfies with the staff. Finally I went to Copper and Fiddle for another 40 minutes of music. American Pie closed the set.
I have one full day left on this boat and the inevitable ending of the trip is starting to hit me. I have to ask myself. How do I explain everything to people who will inevitably ask me how my trip was and what did I do. I've had so many experiences that I don't know where to begin.
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