(From Marseille)
The shuttle bus for Aix-en-Provence
It’s pleasant to meander through the old streets, and I was also on a quest – to see the natural history museum, which was reputed to have dinosaur eggs, from a site not too far distant. These I found, together with a display on Antarctica, a section on dinosaurs and an explanation on earthquakes and volcanoes, so for me a record speed for visiting a museum –tucked in just before the inevitable lunchtime closure – since all the rest of the museum was relatively familiar. If you are ever near Canberra
The ‘little train’ experience seemed attractive in the heat of the afternoon and it was good to recap where I had been earlier in the day and to hear the commentaries. I had in fact ventured much further than the old city, as on arrival I had taken a wrong turning, which led me into a shopping area, street market and blocks of flats, the modern face of Aix.
Last port of call for me was to be a quick look at the unusual (because small and has an outside door and was meant for lay people as well as clergy) cloister of the St-Sauveur. As the cloister is locked and all visits are guided, I waited the five minutes before the next tour. And waited. And waited. Once you’ve waited a certain time it seems stupid to give up, so I just waited, and eventually I did get in and the tales were interesting. If I got back later than I had thought I would, it didn’t matter, as the evenings are light and pleasant. This is the one one real advantage of travelling in the summer instead of the winter. You do have long days.
