I really loved Barcelona, the town area we were in felt really safe to me and I loved the bright, bold vibe of the local culture. Marseille, to me, has been big, dirty, and a monotone of grey buildings. Sandra, on the other hand, didn’t seem to enjoy Barcelona as much and apparently didn’t feel safe the entire time. Whereas, she is absolutely LOVING Marseille, feels right at home, and perfectly safe. It’s interesting. I spent a bit of time trying to figure out what made the difference, and wasn’t really able to pin point it, but Sandra losing her passport within our first hour in Barcelona was a huge stressor and she admits it biasing her against the safety of the city. Additionally, Marseille is filled with a incredible mix of people from all over the world, especially Africa. I can see hints of the “whatever man” attitude carried over, which creates a really fascinating and unique local culture of North meets South, but nonetheless, I think because I can see that I’m a little more apprehensive. Sandra has remarked on not noticing that so much, but remarked that she was apprehensive in Barcelona because she can see into and understand the Hispanic culture more clearly than I, and thus could see the danger spots more clearly. I guess the reverse is true for me here in Marseille.
Regardless, it is a fascinating city with a truly unique atmosphere, bustling with people from all walks of life. Arab and African Muslims walk side by side on the street, Moroccan restaurants stand next door to Irish pubs, and you never seem to hear the same language twice walking around. And all of this is superimposed over the framework of a French city, yet stands somewhat delocalized from the typical French culture.
The nightlife offers pretty much anything your heart desires from pubs, bars, hookah, clubs, salsa, disco…literally, anything. During the day the tourists flock to the beaches, which are pebbly but the Mediterranean waters are an intensely amazing share of blue, which stands out especially against the grey mountains in the background.
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