The Blue Coast

The Blue Coast train is a hop-on-hop-off day line between Marseille and Miramas in the north. By car, it's probably less that an hour. But the train rides along the coast till La Courenne and then go inland, leaving the beautiful blue coast behind. You can buy the pass for 15 euros per person and get on and off the train as many times as you want in that one day. (Both photos taken from here.)

The train starts from St. Charles de Gaulle in Marseille at regular intervals during the entire week. The schedule changes only slightly during the weekend. Make sure to check before you make a trip. We had planned this day trip for the Sunday before last. But we missed the one at 10.30 and the next one was only at 2.30 PM.

This time we were better prepared and took the 8:30 AM train out of Marseille. Initially, we'd thought we'd get off at Martigues. But a closer look at the timetable told us that the train left Miramas only 20 minutes after it reached there. So we decided to go all the way up and see what's good and what's not along the way and then decide what to do.

On the way back, we got off at Martigues, the 'Venice of Provence.' (We'll let others decide whether or not this actually stands true!) When we reached Martigues, we thought that was it. However, the main hub is quite far from the gare. The timetable on the bus stop right outside told us that the next bus to anywhere was a hour later. So we walked in the direction that seemed right, walked into a shop, asked for directions and took the long walk back along a highway into town. Fortunately, we met someone who was more specific with how 'far' town was and this time we were able to get a bus.

We knew that the next train out of Martigues was at 2.30 PM. So after spending some time walking around town, we took the bus back, got on the train and headed to Carry-le-Rouet to spend the rest of the day at the beach.

Some things I realized:

• Make sure to carry food and water with you. It's less expensive and you can munch as and when you want to.
• Very rarely will you find yourself without a timetable to refer to, especially when you are relying on public transport in Europe. Make sure to refer to timetables and ask for assistance. If you know how to read one, you are pretty much ready to go!
• Be ready to adjust along the way, alter your plan and walk a lot. It can be fun and you'll learn a lot more.

Happy travels!

(Make sure to check out our personal photos of Martigues here!)

Hampi

2012 was a fantastic year for us as far as seeing new places was concerned. In fact, each year is! We try to make it so. It ended on a high note when we joined the rest of the family  and took off to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hampi.

Hampi has neither its own airport nor its own train station. The nearest airport is Hubli which is about 140 kilometres (kms.) away and the nearest station is Hospet, about 13 kms. away. I am guessing trains to be an overnight affair. Given a choice, I would take a train. However, booking tickets (www.irctc.co.in) is a nightmare and you have to have a plan in place months in advance. From Bangalore, we chose to drive the 350 kms. to Hampi. The driver was my BIL's and so we didn't have to worry about being driven around by a stranger. I guess if there are more than 2 drivers in the group, self-driving is a good option too.

We started early on a Friday morning. After a couple of stops for tea and photo-ops at the Tungabhadra reservoir, we reached Hampi at around 3.30 PM. We had booked rooms (which included breakfast) at the Royal Orchid in Hospet. I noticed a lot of good places along the way that would suit a budget trip as well. After a quick snack, we headed to Hampi. After about 15-20 minutes on the road, the landscape begins to suddenly change! Out of no where, you will begin to see boulders, a random pillar surrounded by greens, some small temple; all of them hinting at what lays ahead. I liked this part of our drive to and from Hampi the most!

That evening, we were able to get hold of this amazing guide, whose business card says he is fluent in English and French and that he is recommended on Lonely Planet! (G. Srinivas Achar can be contacted on 94488-37990. Make sure to prefix this with India's country code if you are calling from another country.) Having him with us for the next two days made our tour extremely knowledgeable and exciting. Across India, there are innumerable ancient tourist spots where it is best to get hold of a good guide who is registered with the central authority. They walk around with so much knowledge of the place, I like to call them the keepers of our history.

Before you start your day, make sure to have a good breakfast. You might be tempted to continue the tour without breaking for lunch. Carry water and some snacks that'll fill you through till an early dinner. It's best not to rely on buying something along the way. For a proper fill, you MUST eat at 'Under the Mango Tree'. Forget the negative reviews and just go there to sit under the shade of mango trees and stare at the river bed as you wait for your delicious but homely and simple food to arrive. This place is ideal for people who are in no hurry to get anywhere. Of our four meals, we ate here twice and thoroughly enjoyed it! Don't let the walk through the banana plantations fool you. There is food paradise waiting for you at the other end, especially if you have spent a hot day walking around Hampi. Make sure to be prepared to wait for a while, or make sure to reach there early. It offers authentic floor sitting as well as table sitting.

Like any other place of visit, Hampi has its own market where people were selling everything ranging from costly antique brass items to cheap cotton pants. There were also a couple of small eating places and cafes run by Israelis. I wasn't expecting this contemporary touch in the midst of ancient ruins. We covered a lot in two days but there was also a lot that we couldn't see. And I am definitely going back!

Ruins of the Gold Bazaar

Gold Bazaar            

                             

Gateway into town

Hiranyakashipu

Elephant sheds

                   

                        Hemakuta hill ((Photo courtesy: SIL)

Lotus Mahal (Photo courtesy: SIL)

Day trips

I like day outings. They are a cheap, feasible way of getting a good break away from the city.

Around Bangalore, there are a lot of resorts that cater to corporate and private day outings. The day package includes breakfast, lunch and high-tea. A resort typically houses amenities like a pool and various games for you to make avail of.

Generally, we like to take a day trip by ourselves, without the limitations of time and food that a resort offers. My idea of a day outing is a well-packed picnic basket, some badminton rackets, cool drinks, a book and good friends. It is also a cheaper alternative, don't you think?

Day-trip 1:

In the two months that we've have been in Marseille, we have made two day trips within a week of each other. On 7th April, we went to Cassis, a beautiful beach town about 30 minutes from Marseille. We took the Blue Bus from Metro Castellane. Buses to Cassis are at regular intervals but make sure to look a the timetable before hand. There are also trains between Marseille and Cassis and of course you can drive. This is going to be our year of no driving since we are going to rely on the powerful public transport system of Europe to move around. The return bus ride for two cost us 5.20 euros.

Cassis offers a lot: hiking routes along the calanques, the omni-present 'le Petit Train', sun bathing on one of the many beaches, people-viewing while sipping wine or drinking beer in the sun at a side-cafe. We took the petit-train which stopped at the calanques for about 10 minutes for us to take pictures. We mostly walked around the port area and spent some time on the beach. I am sure there is a lot more to this town. I had made the mistake of not packing any food that day. So we did end up spending a little more than I had hoped for.

On the way back down the hill, we were stuck in a jam of cars and buses, all making their way back to Marseille! I would suggest you spend a night in Cassis and leave the next morning. That way you can see a lot more of this beautiful beach town and also spend less time on the road!

Cassis waters

A view of the port

Day-trip 2:

The following Saturday, we went to Aix-en-Provence. We took the metro to St. Charles and took the bus from there. The bus ride for two cost us 10.40 euros one way. The brochure hinted at an hour's drive. But we were there in under 30 minutes! Again, although they are at regular intervals, make sure you look at the timetable before hand.

This time, to budget our trip, I packed sandwiches, some fruit and nuts. It made such a huge difference and we were able to splurge on a bottle of drink and a bag of chips without guilt! :)

Also, this time, we first made a bee-line for the tourism centre. These places are equipped with all sorts of information and can tell you what to and what not to avoid. So with map in hand, we decided to cover the city centre and, giving the petit-train a miss, walk around this area. There is a lot of history in the little lanes along Cours Mirabeau. We also visited the Musée Granet. But do so only if you are keenly interested and have time on hand.

We took the bus back at around five and were home by seven. We didn't have time to go see Mont Saint Victoire. But that only means we'll have to make one more trip to the lovely Aix!

Four Dolphins Fountain

Ancient architecture all around Aix

One of the squares in Aix

Hello!

This isn't my first blog. I write on The Yellow Wall. It is a personal blog about random, daily life. I get to keep on touch with friends and family while I write about my adventures in a new country.

My husband and I shifted to France about a month and a half ago. He works and I blog, cook, walk around and soak in the beautiful sights and sounds in Marseille. It is going to be our city of residence for about a year. This is also our first time in Europe and we intend to make the most of it.

On this blog, I will note down details of our many trips, suggestions of what and what not to do. I would love it if you too have something to share.

Hope you have a good week in front of you. If you are travelling, have a lovely and safe vacation!