Liquoristerie and Marseille

After a week of relaxing in Aix, I had a semi busy weekend that began with visiting a Liquoristerie about 30 minutes outside of Aix. While they distill and manufacture many different liquors and spirits, their main specialty is the production and distillation of absinthe. Absinthe is a very strong spirit derived from a variety of herbs including basil, thyme and rosemary. Production takes 4-6 weeks and we were able to see the different steps of this process involving the pressing and straining of the herbs to create about a dozen different varieties of absinthe. It's pretty flavorless to drink straight, so a small amount is added to a glass, and then water is poured over a sugar cube creating a pale green looking beverage. With the addition of the sugar and water, the absinthe takes on a strong flavor of black licorice. Below is a photo of the traditional contraption that makes this beverage possible...

On Sunday, four friends and I took a day trip to Marseille, a port town about 30 minutes south of Aix. It's the second largest city in France next to Paris and has a very high population of North African and Arab immigrants and is notoriously known for pickpocketing so our expectations were low. Upon arrival at the bus stop however, we were immediately greeted with a gorgeous mini version of the Arc de Triomphe surrounded by a grassy park. We then meandered the streets and made our way to the Vieux Port (Old Port) which was surrounded by cafes, seafood restaurants and street performers. It was a gorgeous day so we dined outside for lunch enjoying a delicious spread of paella, calamari and provencal shrimp while being serenaded by an accordionist.

We then ventured up to the top of the town where the main attraction the Notre Dame sits overlooking the entire town. Le Mistral was blowing so the warmth of the day vanished but we still enjoyed breathtaking views of the city. As it was Sunday, mast was taking place inside the church and we were able to experience a little piece of the religious environment in Marseille. The painting detail on the inside of the church was incredible and vibrant, much different than the gothic cathedrals of Aix. There were even wooden antique boats hanging from the ceiling everywhere reminding you how much this city in influenced by their port life. Even though the church was packed, there were hundreds of lit candles everywhere maintaining a very powerful spiritual ambiance. The photos really don't do it justice...

I'm back now in Aix ready to start another week of classes before our winter break next week. My trip to Switzerland is now completely booked and I'll be there for 5 nights staying one night in Geneva and the rest in Zermatt. I cannot wait to go snowboarding and experience mountain life in the Alps, I'm just crossing my fingers that my box of winter clothes arrives on time! To close here's a photo of one of my favorite places in Aix, the biggest fountain at the end of the Cours Mirabeau called La Rotonde. Hope everyone has a great week! A bientot!