AixPatriots: Our Semester in Aix en Provence: Popes, Another Lucky Pot, and Guests!

To make up for our lazy last weekend we did tons this weekend!

We had another guest, Nick (you may or may not have heard of him, some say he is kind of a big deal)!! He arrived Thursday morning - Emily and I picked him up from the bus station. We all hung out/went to class/walked around town (in various and sundry combinations) Thursday afternoon. Thursday night Sara and I took Nick to have dinner with our host family. Unfortunately we forgot that we were supposed to get there 30 minutes early. Fortunately we brought champagne and raspberries (Nick's hostess gift). Also we had sour kraut and potatoes for dinner. It was delicious - I personally love love love sour kraut. After dinner Nick, Sara, and I met with Emily and some of our other friends at a cafe for dessert/drinks.

Friday we got up and met our friend Laura at the neighborhood boulangerie for a bible study/catch up session. It was really nice - an energizing way to start the day! Then we met Caroline and we all went off to Marseille. Here is some background about Marseille: it is on the Mediterranean sea, it was originally a Greek settlement (as in the Golden Age of Greece - wabam! it's that old) named Massilia, it gets mixed reviews. Our Provence class teacher lives there and loves loves loves/raves about it. Our host/dinner brother, Christophe, detestes Marseille. Nearly every meal (whenever Marseille is brought up), Christophe decries the city and says how dangerous it is. He tells us to never ever go there (unless we want to die...). When we told him we were going on Wednesday for a class field trip - he said "I hope you survive". His diatribes (friendly - but prevalent nonetheless) are basically a dinner group joke now. But despite all his warnings we went to Marseille. We took the bus from Aix (it took approximately one and a half hours to buy tickets - typical France...) and then the Metro (yes, you read correctly, Marseille has a metro system) to the Vieux Port (old port). We grabbed lunch in the area. I made the mistake of ordering a very heavy cream sauce pasta - it haunted me (aka sat heavily in my stomach) all day. We took the bus up to Notre Dame de la Garde - a catholic basilica on top of the hill. The views over the Mediterranean were gorgeous - it was just before sunset so the light was a dream. The sun was breaking through the clouds in rays and then the rays hit the ocean so you could see sun spots on the ocean. It was one of the coolest things I've seen this semester. The basilica itself was very beautiful. The outside was green and white striped stone (a bit like the Duomo). The decorations inside were really spectacular - very ornate painted walls and ceilings. I really enjoyed the church. After taking tons tons tons of great photos we took the bus down (I got mega car sick) and headed back to Aix. We split up with Laura and Caroline for a bit - but then after dinner (only an apple for me) we headed over to their place for a movie - Invictus. Then bed time!!

Saturday was work work work. Nick and Sara got up a bit late, so we didn't make it to the marche until noonish. After speed shopping there we headed back, Nick took an afternoon length nap. I worked on an essay about Phedre (not my best ever...) and Sara did some creative work (designed her website, emailed some people). After 5 we woke up Nick and started preparing for our pot luck. Sara made pasta with Vodka sauce. I swept/cleaned the auberge. We listened to Christmas music during our prep - it was delightful. Everyone came over around 7:30. It was definitely the best pot luck of the semester - people brought great food - everyone really stepped it up. We had a tomato tart, rosemary vegetables, salad, sara's pasta, cheese, bread, egg/sausage/green pepper sandwiches, pesto risotto, and apple cake. Then Emily and her parents (who are in town for the week) popped in with wine, cheese, and grapes! Everyone stayed for almost 3 hours!!! Sara, Nick, and I talked with Emily's parents a bunch. They were wonderful - no wonder Emily is so great! After the pot luck ended, we talked some more with the Galls. Then we went to bed.

Sunday (today) we got up a bit early and headed out quickly to meet Emily's parents who were going to take us to Avignon!! I have been trying to go to Avignon all semester. It was too rainy last weekend, and the only weekend it was too expensive. In an example of French highway robbery, the bus to Avignon costs 35 euros!!! But because the Galls have a rental car, we were able to go today for free.99 (aka no money!!!). It was so kind of them to take us along. We got to the city around 10 so we parked our car and headed to the Palais des Papes. History lesson!!!!! From 1309-1377 the popes were based in Avignon (also called the Babylonian Captivity). During that time there were 7 (legitimate) popes (all French, and all increasingly loyal to the French crown). The move happened because of political instability in Italy - the civil war between the Guelfs and Ghibellines was particularly out of hand during this period. Part of the Avignon papacy witnessed the Western Schism, in which there were two popes, one in Rome and one in Avignon - both of which claimed to be the real pope. There were two such instances between 1378-1423. But that's enough history for now! So basically the Palais des Papes was the Papal Palace for some years in the 14th century. We took a tour - complete with audio guides! We saw many large stone rooms - dining halls, chapels, meeting rooms, antechambers to the papal apartments. Some rooms were had painted walls - sadly we could take pictures - but they were very beautiful. Another cool thing: there was an exhibit (and then later some rooms) of painted ceramic tiles. Chronologically, first there were mostly geometric designs, then later the designs became more complicated and featured animals (real and imaginary). After the Palais, we had a leisurely lunch and then set off to the Pont Saint-Benezet. It is a very old bridge that was built after a man, Benezet, received a message from God in which he was told he must build a bridge across the Rhone river in Avignon. When he mentioned his command to the Pope and citizens, they all laughed at him and told him that they would believe him if he could lift an incredibly (and up until that point unliftable) boulder. He did and they were convinced. We had more audio guides for the bridge but I can't remember anything specific - except this little gem. At one point, during a papal procession on the bridge, two cardinals slipped on the icy bridge and fell into the Rhone. Luckily boatmen saved them! The Pope, after ordering the bridge to be paved, offered his own doctor and gave the two men money to make them feel better! After the bridge we walked back to the car and drove home. The Galls dropped us home and we made dinner. Then the Galls returned and we had bread, red wine, pasta carbonara, salad and chocolate molten cake. All very delicious. Then Nick did all the dishes and cleaned the kitchen - it was fantastic!!!

So that was our super duper busy weekend. Now I have two more Provençal cities to add to my scrapbook!! Next weekend we go to Madrid to visit some friends from Duke - so that should be swell. Other than that - the end of the semester is rapidly approaching! Only five weeks left - which I am happy about. I can't wait to get back home and see everyone in Jax and celebrate Christmas!!!!