I had no idea what to expect when I boarded the minibus to Marseille. Actually, I expected a large, dirty, diverse city--that was what I had heard at parties held in mansions in the wealthier suburbs of the city. When I finally explored centre ville by day, I was blown away. I really, truly fell in love. Marseille is the second largest city in France (sort of tied with Lyon) and boasts an absolutely beautiful panorama of the Mediterranean and the Alps. The city itself is similar to Aix if Aix were exploded to cover more ground and contain more people, but the color palette is almost completely different. The feel of the streets, too, is somehow so different. We visited L'iglese de Notre Dame, which offers a stunning view of the city, which seems to stretch on forever inland. We walked through the older quartiers and then along the coastline and the entire time I was just stunned. Now I know why so many people retire here. It's not for everyone: the city is less pristine, less precious, and certainly less homogenously upper class than Aix. Still, and perhaps for those same reasons, it captured my heart. What an absolutely amazing day.