Day 5: Sheer beauty.

This was, by far, one of the most beautiful days on this trip!
We departed early from the hotel, and drove 2 hours south to a tiny fishing village on the coast of the mediterranean called Cassis. I was asleep for most of the ride, but I was really in for a treat when I woke up!

As we wound our way down the rocky coast, we could see the blue sea meeting with the coastline and the little village. We passed by local houses--they were beautiful! Some had pools and gardens, and most were white with a brown tile roof. It was very picturesque, and it only got better when we got off the bus! We took a little train down from where the bus was parked, and we walked from where the train dropped us down to the main area. There were many shops and restaurants, and lots of people were visiting the town. In Europe, today (Monday) was a holiday for Pentecost, so the long weekend allowed for vacations. Luckily, we didn't hit bad traffic.
We went down to the beach area and dipped our feet in the Mediterranean--it was very VERY cold. But people were sunbathing and enjoying the water. Some women were bold enough to remove their bikini tops...lovely. Lovely indeed. I could've done without the old woman showing me her chest. At least the water, cliffs, and surrounding area were enough to keep the girls focused on the scenery.

We then got on a boat that took us along the shoreline, and into the canals between the cliffs. The wind was blowing, the sun was shining, and it felt so refreshing to be out on the sea.  I took many pictures that I can't even describe. It was very, VERY pretty. We made it back to the coastline and did some shopping. My mom and I met up with my cousin Katie and her husband Pierre, and we ate a great lunch at an Italian restaurant, and got delicious gelato for dessert. It was so hard to leave Cassis!

We bussed next inland to Aix en Provence--an adorable city with great views and shopping. The city is dedicated to water, and so there are many fountains that you can find all throughout town. We explored a cathedral from the 6th century, and saw the original baptistry--absolutely amazing! My mom and I looked around in the shops some more, and headed back to meet the bus with the rest of the group.

We drove to the restaurant where we ate last night and indulged in a delicious meal of turkey with potato balls, and more wine. YUM. Dessert was chocolate mousse. We walked back to the hotel (very full) and had a quick meeting, and off to bed we went. All in all, it was a fabulous day along the coastline, and we got to experience many great things.

Off to Nimes to see the aqueduct and Avignon to tour the papal palace tomorrow!