We spent last night in Marseille, and instead of a second night there, we moved on to Aix-en-Provence this morning. It is early afternoon and we are preparing to leave the hotel and head into Old Town for the afternoon.
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It is evening now and we are back at the hotel resting our feet. We enjoyed a delightful afternoon randomly wandering about the streets of the old city. The entryway into the old city is marked by the Fontaine de la Rotonde, a beautiful fountain built around 1860.
Fontaine de la Rotonde periodically springs into life. The fountain is fed by springs under the city of Aix.
Other highlights of our walk included Eglise du Saint-Esprit (Church of the Holy Spirit), stops for coffee, and people watching. Aix is a university town full of a diverse population of young people. It was fun watching them interacting with each other and enjoying the mild fall afternoon. Regardless of age, the people here were stylishly dressed. If their styles are predictors of US styles, expect to see short skirts, dressy shorts, and colorful scarves next year.
Jan taking a break while I take a few photos.
Interestingly enough, we did not see any other US tourists during our walks. I expected to see quite a few as we did in Italy.
Everyone we have met in Aix has been welcoming and helpful. For example, on our way back to the hotel this afternoon, we stopped for a few moments to consult our map and make sure we were making the right turn. Very shortly a young French couple came up to us and asked if we were lost or needed help.
Language has not been an issue. Most we have approached know enough English to answer our questions, and if they don’t, the Google Translator iPhone app is our friend. Thank you Google!!