"Three Generation Vacation"
Some might think traveling in Europe with your mother and her mother would be less a vacation, but instead a high-speed disaster train careening out of control. I, too, feared this would be true. But now, after such a trip, I can honestly say it was a once in a lifetime experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
During my spring semester abroad in the Netherlands, my mother and grandmother came to visit me. From there, we traveled to the south of France for four days to Marseille and Nice. We discovered that to see the best parts of both Marseille and Nice we had to spend much of our time outside. Why else would you go to the south of France if not for the glorious sunshine and pristine Mediterranean beaches?
In Marseille we started off our city tour by having lunch at a French restaurant. Down towards the harbor there is at least one restaurant on every block, and sandwich shops and cafes fill in the spaces between them. Lunch is the largest meal of the day in France, so we filled up because we needed our energy for sight-seeing. Most restaurants offer menu au prix fixe (or fixed priced menus), which is a choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert for a set price. We found this to be the best deal. On the days we couldnt fit a sit down meal in between all of the activities, we opted for eating a sandwich in a park, a very French thing to do.
After lunch, we strolled along the harbor and watched the boats docking and departing. In the mornings the fishermen sell their catches along the docks, and chat with other locals about the news, the weather, the sea...anything. Even though Marseille is a fairly large city, watching this interaction made it feel like a small sea-port town.
Since we were not interested in buying any fish, we decided to peruse the store-lined streets around the harbor. They offer wares ranging from beautiful fabrics to pointy shoes, and just about everything in between. Prices are pretty high, so we didnt find too many K-Mart "Blue Light Specials."
After a few hours of shopping, my grandmother began to feel the effects of traveling non-stop for two days, so my mother and I dropped her off at the hotel to rest while we continued on. I realized that when traveling with my grandmother it is necessary to walk at a slower pace and take frequent breaks. It was frustrating to me at first, but slowing down a bit ensured that she was able to continue sight-seeing throughout the day.
Free to cruise around the city, my mother and I visited Palais Longchamp. The palace, finished in 1869, was built to celebrate the newly completed channel. Today, Longchamp houses the museum of the Arts schools, and the Natural History Museum. The palace was under construction when we visited, but we were still able to see the amazing beauty of the structure. In the front, there is a pond with a fountain, around which the flowers were just starting to bloom. Encircling the pond are sweeping stairs that lead up to a gigantic, awe inspiring sculpture. The sculpture is carved out of rock that molds into the building, and features wild animals and goddesses climbing out of a massive bowl atop a rock face. It was fascinating to see such an eccentric sculpture so closely joined with the splendor of a nineteenth century palace.
With only about two more hours of sunlight left, my mother and I decided to try to see the sunset from the church overlooking the city, Notre Dame de la Garde. For the most part, we were able to see the city by foot. But since we are not triathlon runners, the use of public transportation was necessary in order to reach some places. The subway system is easy to use, but we found the buses to be a little tricky. After messing up a subway stop (though the names are similar, Notre Dame du Mont turned out to be the wrong stop) and waiting for the bus, we made it to the church just before it closed. The view was spectacular. We were able to see the entire city, the mountains behind it, and further out onto the sea. We took a few pictures, said a prayer to protect us on our journey, and hopped on the bus back to the hotel.
We were too tired to go out to dinner, so instead we bought a loaf of bread from a boulangerie, which we tore into before we got back to the hotel. My grandmother wasnt too pleased with the choice of dinner, but joined in our feast nonetheless. It was a tired travelers meal.
The next morning we woke early to take a train to Nice for the day. It was only a two hour ride since we took a high speed train, otherwise it wouldve been three hours. I was entertained during the ride by a strange but funny argument between my mother and grandmother. Acting much the part of a selfish only daughter, my mother thought she should get all of my grandmothers jewelry when she passes away. However, my grandmother thought she should distribute some to her daughter-in-laws. My mother thought I should side with her, being that I am also an only daughter, and would eventually inherit the jewelry. Oh, mother/daughter quarrels.
Since we didnt have much time in Nice, we headed straight for the beach. However, like Marseille, Nice has plenty of stores. We made a stop at "Nicolas," a French wine store, along Avenue Jean Médecin. They were very friendly and more than willing to help us pick out a bottle of French wine to take home.
After a little shopping, we strolled along the beach on the Promenade des Anglais, which is a wide sidewalk stretching the length of the Baie des Anges. Others found the promenade perfect for roller-blading or biking on while taking in the view of the crystal blue water. We were not forewarned about the beach, and it came as a bit of a surprise. It is not the golden sand we imagined it would be. It consists of rocks, and by "rocks," I dont mean just little pebbles. They are rocks the size of a large potato. But I was told it is still possible to sunbathe on, once you get comfortable.
Also on the Promenade, we found Les trains touristiques de Nice. It is a tour, on a little train, to a few main parts of Nice. The tour lasts about forty minutes, and costs seven dollars (six euro) for adults and four dollars (three euro) for children under nine. Unfortunately, we decided to eat lunch before going on the tour and took too long. We missed the last tour for the day. But Im sure it wouldve been a lovely enriching experience.
After "almost" learning about the history and culture of Nice on the tour, we had to experience the best part first hand-the pastries. There were numerous patisseries at which we could fill a box with mouth-watering desserts. We figured since we were only in the south of France once, it would be best to splurge. Theyre a little taste of heaven.
Once again, worn out from our day of sight-seeing, my mom, my grandmother, and I got on the train back to Marseille with our box of pastries and bottles of French wine, again, a much deserved tired travelers meal. My grandmother voiced no objections to the simple meal this time, because it was desserts, and not just bread.
On our final day in the south of France we took a ferry to Ile d'If, located twenty minutes by boat off the coast of Marseille. The ferry to the island departs from the harbor five times a day, and costs nine dollars (8 euro) for a round trip ride. Château d'If, built on the island in 1516 for protection, is the setting for part of the famed "The Count of Monte-Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas. The island consists solely of jagged rock and ends abruptly on all sides at sheer cliffs plummeting down to the crystal blue water. The ruggedness of Ile d'If, and the strong stone towers of the castle, transport you back to a time when the mouths of cannons filled the now empty holes in the fortress walls. Inside the castle is a museum that features the history spanning from the sixteenth century, when such weaponry was needed, until 1890, when it was opened to the public. My mother and I braved the long climb up the stairs to the top of Château d'If for an astonishing view of the coastline of Marseille. My grandmother waved to us from the ground. She said the view was not worth conquering her fear of heights that day.
The return trip from the island signified the quickly approaching end to our journey. We had been a few places, seen many things, and were now taking with us an abundance of memories. All that was left for us to do was to board the train back to the Netherlands.
There is much to learn on a "three generation vacation" in Europe. Not only did I get to experience cultures completely different from my own, but I learned more about my history through stories my grandmother told me. Who knew I once had family in the mafia, or that my great-aunt Boobie (pronounced Bub-e) is called so because she has huge boobs! I also found out that it is smart to pack light. When traveling with weaker companions, you will most likely be carrying their bags along with your own. One thing I'm glad my mom learned on the trip is that no matter how old you are, your mother will never stop acting like one. After being told by her mother not to cross streets or eat certain foods, my mom now vows never to tell her children what to do. I have yet to believe it. As for my grandmother, a Florida winter migrant, she learned that it isn't eighty-five degrees everywhere in March, and to pack warmer clothes next time.
What I will remember most from the trip are not the places we visited or works of art featured in our pictures, which will fade over the years and be forgotten about in an attic somewhere. Instead, I will cherish those moments in time I got to spend with my mom and grandmother sharing experiences together. I wouldn't trade the train rides with my mom and grandmother when we laughed until our sides hurt and tears were streaming down our faces for anything. Even now, after only a few weeks have past, I don't remember what it was we were laughing about, but I do know I will always remember sharing these moments of happiness.
