All Roads Lead to Rome

All roads lead to Rome, and after my previous travels, there was an Italian shaped void on my checklist that needed to be booted off.

Sunset at the Vatican

Italy has long since been a country I want to explore in all its glory. From Venice to Florence, Naples to Milan, so many Italian cities evoke images of grandeur, history, romance and sun. Given the time (and the money) I would spend many months unearthing the treasures of this country, which certainly wasn’t built in a day.

The Eternal City needs no introduction; from its Roman heritage, to its religious significance, Rome is a living testament to centuries of human development.

Thankfully, this urban landscape packs an entire metropolis into a limited area, and so walking around Rome is one of the best ways to explore. Head to the Travestere district, west of the River Tiber, to get a sense of Rome from the local perspective. Here, the streets are a maze of restaurants, hidden churches and boutique shops and art fairs. The houses are all painted in different colours, and tiny cars from the 1960s and mopeds are actually out in force. Food is at its cheapest here, with pizzas from six euro, and pasta dishes not costing much more.

Visiting the Colosseum

For those looking to travel back to Roman times, the old ruins are all surprisingly close which makes for a great day hopping between reminiscing about gladiator battles at the Colosseum and imagining the bustle of a bursting Roman Forum, before visiting the most iconic of religious temples. Tickets to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum can be bought as a combined package for under 10 euro, but make sure to arrive at the Colosseum early should you visit during peak season, or on warm days.

Altar of the Fatherland

Other highlights include the “Wedding Cake” building, a monument to Victor Emmanuel, the first King of Italy, official called the Altar of the Fatherland. Its scale dominates the Piazza de Venezia, with its white marble screaming importance and decadence. The view from the top is well worth the extra expense for a central city outlook. The adjoining Capitoline Museums are also worth several hours of your time, housing a number of Italian sculptures and artworks, as well as monuments to Marcus Aurelius and Constantine and the remains of the Temple of Jupiter. If that doesn’t sway you, there is an excellent private terrace that overlooks the whole of the Roman Forum, for a picture perfect moment.

The view from St Peter's Basilica

The Vatican City is a must regardless of religious outlook or philosophy. From its art to its architecture, this is certainly an inspiring marvel, that is a testament to the skill of some of the most talented and enlightened individuals of history. The Vatican Museums will take a good three hours of your day at any time, but the history of the different rooms and the expansive detail in each work of art is so intricate that it merits more than a rushed photo. The museums give way to the Sistine Chapel, where photos are forbidden, but the real impressions are left from craning your neck back to admire the painstaking ceiling fresco that depicts numerous passages of scripture with dynamic realism, whilst leaving an air of the divine at play.

St Peter’s Basilica itself leaves any visitor in awe, and the peace that the basilica instils is tangible. From the scale of the building, there is sublime sense of being connected to a greater being, with light pouring in from high windows, and huge pillars leading to the dome. A view from the roof is also a must – but beware of the 550 stairs. Try to visit on a Wednesday if possible, when the Pope gives his weekly address.

Gelato in Travestere, Rome

For alternative Rome experiences, check out the Castel San’Angelo, close to the Vatican City. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, it later became a castle and strategic defence and hideout for the Popes. To put a bang in your visit, don’t miss the midday cannon fire at the Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi. This free spectacle, with a complementary inspiring view across the city, is steeped in tradition, and was a signal for all the bell towers in Rome, which failed to accurately mark the passing hours. The cannon fire was introduced to keep time, and continues to this day.

Giolitti gelato stole my heart.

One last piece of advice: try as much gelato as is humanly possible whilst on your trip. Of course, this goes without saying – Rome is a food capital and you will be spoilt for choice. However, make sure you are constantly popping into different gelaterias for one scoop here and there to dabble in all the flavours. Some favourites were Grom, Roma and Giolitti, where I think I lost my heart to ice cream. Three scoops (slabs more like) of some of the most delicate and creamy gelato you will find, fresh cream, and a chocolate covered cone for under 3.50. More of this please.

Private Beaches

The French Riviera has long since been an area reminiscent of glamorous film sets, ports brimming with expensive yachts and rolling beaches. Indeed, there is some truth to these images, even if they are somewhat exaggerated. However, for the most mesmerizing views, clear blue waters and private beaches, you should head to the Calanques near Marseille.

The Calanques, rocky inlets across the south coast of France, are known in the region for their outstanding beauty and unparalleled scenery. For several miles between Marseille and the small town of Cassis, the Massif de Calanques offers over thirty of these isolated and idyllic slices of paradise, which attract plenty of locals throughout the year.

Far from your standard beach near a sleepy suburb, or the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the Calanques make you work for your reward. Their location, away from main roads, and along a mountainous ridge on the coast, means that you are expected to trek for anywhere between half an hour and two hours to reach these private beaches. This could involve some tarmacked road, but more often than not, the trekking routes cut through forests, steep hill sides and some of the most untamed parts of nature in the south of France.

Visiting the Calanque d'en Vau

Indeed, friends of mine have fallen several times, or managed to cut open their feet due to inappropriate footwear. The Calanques are not for someone who likes to simply lay on a beach all die – the effort might prove overwhelming.

Hiking endurance, then, certainly pays off in the case of the Calanques. Over the past months, as the weather has improved (well gone from spring to summer, because winter never fully hits here), my friends and I have taken our time to enjoy and explore some of these great locations.

From the most visited Calanque de Sugiton, with its panoramic viewpoint, its small rocky beaches, and crags used as impromptu dive boards, to the remote Calanque d’en Vau, deep in a gorge, with light only overheard for four or five hours of the day, no two of these natural wonders are the same.

Overlooking the Calanque de Sugiton

Some of the Calanques have been made into make shift ports and harbours, such as the Calanque Port-Pin or Calanque de Morgiou, which means that you are able to appreciate the tiny fishing villages that have formed around the inlets, and also admire some of the gleaming vessels which are the pride of their owners.

From the centre of Marseille, you would have to take the metro to Rond Pont du Prado, and then the appropriate bus (19,21,22,23) and then subsequently hike the challenging terrain for a minimum of thirty minutes or take the train to Cassis, and approach the hike from the far end of the coast.

The only other way to visit these remote regions is by a boat tour, but these will only provide a brief glimpse of the beauty here and there are no stops to enjoy a beach or two.

Despite the difficulty in reaching these beaches, families still come with young children, and even carry babies on their backs. Such is the allure of these frigid, crystal waters, that should you have an afternoon off work or school, you are almost sure to head here as a local.

Calanque de Sormiou 

Stunning scenery, small beaches, exercise and golden memories are guaranteed with the Calanques.

Tongue Twisters

Sharing ideas with other language assistants can be a great source of inspiration and motivation. Not only do you brainstorm entire new lesson plans and ways in which to engage an audience, there is the satisfying reassurance that other teachers are experiencing similar difficulties. Together, growing your ideas and using these connections helps both teachers grow.

Such was the case this week when, over coffee, a friend and I noted how we were losing steam with our ideas for how to engage a class. We discussed our teaching methods and reminisced on some of the better lessons we had delivered over the course of the year so far.

As with chocolates and football, the key seems to be never to complicate matters more than necessary.

Tongue Twisters left the children with funny faces.

My friend suggested I try a lesson of tongue twisters to help my students hone in on their pronunciation, whilst having fun at the same time.

In Marseille, where teenage attitude favours rap and hip hop above all else, this seemed a perfect method to connect with the students. Many of my classes have certain pupils who try to avoid speaking each week, and this seemed like it would encourage an overall level of participation, whilst also nodding to some of the favourite hobbies of these would be rap stars.

Introducing the tongue twisters, the children were a little shocked and perturbed. I rattled off several different examples without pausing and when I got half way down my list to “How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck if a wood-chuck could chuck wood?”, I not only had stunned silence, but certain nervous glances shot around the room.

I explained that these were difficult for English people and gave a few examples where I had difficulty such as “Red lorry, yellow lorry”, (which one student later did perfectly to everyone’s amazement).

To start out, I had individuals pick one of the rhymes to practice. They would say it slowly and I would correct their pronunciation for everyone to repeat. Gradually they would say it quicker, until I told the student to keep going until they messed up, leaving several out of breath and red in the face, but smiling.

After, I split the teams into two groups and they had a rap-off battle, where a member from each team was sent up to face off in a tongue twister battle. I was later told that this led to one avid pupil rapping “Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?” for the whole week much to the consternation of other teaching staff, who had no idea what the boy was talking about, or why the other children found it so highly amusing.

This teaching tip was a brilliant way to reinvigorate the classroom and match the mood of a number of my teenagers. Collaborating with others can be just as important as leading your own classroom.

Fishy Food

To say that France is known for its food would be somewhat of an understatement. As a gastronomy capital of Europe, and indeed the world, there is nothing the French enjoy more than a great cuisine and local specialities, be it wine, bread, cheese, meat, or, more wine.

So over the past couple of months I have sampled a couple of the well-known dishes in the area.

Marseille food is very much embedded in its fishing culture. Fresh produce is on sale nearly every day down at the Old Port in the centre of the city, where the smell of fish is now a permanent fixture. 

Consequently, the restaurants serve up a number of tasty meals from the catch of the day.

Firstly, snails – or rather sea snails. As stereotypical as snails are in France, I had never tried them before so this was a culinary adventure. Although I wasn’t completely convinced by the idea, nor was I too impressed when I had to remove the snails from their shells, overall they are quite delicious, if not a little plain. They are for all intents and purposes a more squidgy and chewy mushroom, and when served with accompanying dips and sauces are quite light but satisfying starters.

I also tasted some Tartare de Saumon, which is raw salmon that has been seasoned and garnished, alongside a small salad and some toast. Think sushi a la francaise.

Bouillabaisse

Finally, one of the most infamous dishes in Marseille, and certainly one of the tastiest I have sampled since living here, is Bouillabaisse, which is a fish stew. However, this is no ordinary concoction – no the brew is brimming with just about every fish fresh from the sea. The soup itself is made up of several different fish that have been boiled down and mixed together, and then extra fish are cooked whole and chunks are liberally spread throughout. The stew comes with small pieces of toast and a garlic/mustard sauce called Alioli and is surprisingly filling. I found it difficult to finish my (huge) portion, but the challenge was worth it.

Recipes can be found online for those with kitchen know-how, but to give you a flavour of the fish that could be found, here is a sample ingredient list for a traditional Bouillabaisse.

Ingrédients:

1,8 kg rouget (Red Mullet) 1 congre, en 4 tranches (4 Slices of eel) 10 petits crabes (10 little crabs) 1,3 kg rascasse (Scorpion Fish) 1,3 kg baudroie (Monkfish) 1,3 kg grondin rouge (Searobin) 1,3 kg Saint-Pierre (John Dory) 900 g tomates, coupées en 4 (Tomatoes cut into 4 slices) 4 oignons, en tranche (Sliced Onion) 2 gousses d’ail, haché (Chopped Garlic Cloves) 2 c. à s. concentré de tomate (Tomato Purée) Huile d’olive (Olive Oil) Bouquet d’herbes: aneth – Dill (2 brins – Sprig/A touch of); laurier – bay leaf (1 feuille – Leaf); persil – Parsley (1 brin – a little/a touch of); Pelure d’orange – Orange peel Sel, poivre – Salt, Pepper 2 c. à c. safran – Saffron

Arriba, Arriba

The South of France has many hidden treasures to explore; sleepy towns and villages that almost seem forgotten by time and tourist. Yet, these are some of the most interesting places for day trips.

The Bull Run

Along with a couple of friends, I spent the Easter weekend visiting the old town of Arles, about an hour away from Marseille by train. The town had been described as quaint and traditional, with small streets, uneven pavements, Roman ruins and amphitheatres and the haunt of Van Gogh.

Imagine our surprise then, when arriving in the town we were met with an endless row of police cars lining the street from the train station down to the town itself. Slightly perturbed, we walked down to Arles, only to head into an ongoing bull run in the street.

Bull runs, we later discovered, are a continuing tradition in the city and there are lots of monuments, engravings, and even graffiti dedicated to bulls around the town. The amphitheatre itself was hosting a sold out bull fight, more commonly associated with Spain.

Roman Ruins in Arles

Proving popular, the bull run in the street had been designed with fences wide enough for spectators to fit through – an open invitation for people to test their nerve against the cattle that were let loose along the street. Inhabitants were not shy of entering the “arena” either, with many enticing and antagonising the animals before running back through or climbing up the fences when charged upon.

The Rhone Delta

Away from the chaotic scenes, the small town was what we expected – a quiet place that makes for a perfect day exploring away from Marseille. The history of the town was felt through the ruins of old Roman temples that have been carefully preserved along with parts of a forum. The Vincent Van Gogh Foundation, whilst disappointing for its lack of Van Gogh exhibits, offers visitors an interesting collection of modern art that has been inspired by the famous artist, as well as a roof top terrace across the uneven small roofs of this town.

Horseback exploration

Arles is also the gateway to the stunning Camarques, a special wetland delta of the Rhone River, which extends from the city for approximately 50 kilometres until France meets the Mediterranean Sea. I had the chance to explore the delta on horseback, through a three hour ride. There are lots of fauna and flowers that are unique to the region and hundreds of species of birds use the area as a home, breeding ground and lay over during migration seasons. The Camargues are particularly known for their white horses, and dazzlingly pink flamingos.

A horse tour took my friends and I along the river delta, through mud plains and fields, and along the golden beaches of the Mediterranean – but be warned, mosquitos are also common.

Visiting the Camargue beaches

Festival Fun

On weekends, leaving Marseille to visit the surrounding areas has become a favourite pastime of mine and my friends. On a simple 20 minute ride, you can visit the seaside village of Cassis, or within half an hour, you might find the beaches of Bandol.

The Float of Fire (and confetti)

Last weekend, my friends and I decided to visit La Ciotat, a cheap train ticket away, for an afternoon of exploring. Whilst small, the town was supposed to be a mix between French traditions, docklands and some natural beauty, all of which were delivered as promised.

However, the highlight of the weekend was certainly stumbling upon the Carnaval that was held in the town this weekend. Since we have not read about the event beforehand, and simply picked our destination that morning, it was an unforgettable and authentic experience that you wouldn’t get from the tour books.

Venetian masks

Carnaval is a popular festival to mark the start of lent or the Easter period in many cities across Europe, although its presence in the south of France is not common.

The African history section

As such, the festival at La Ciotat is still a recent introduction to the social calendar, but a date that many enjoy. Each year has a different theme and 2015 saw “Raconte moi une histoire” – Tell me a story - as the designated subject.

Clubs, societies and groups throughout La Ciotat and other local towns designed different floats and costumes to inspire and impress the jubilant crowds who lined the docks in eager anticipation. From the Knights of the Round Table, watched over by a 15 foot Merlin, to Venetian kings and queens, and African dancers, the streets were soon alive with music and colour and my friends and I were quickly covered in confetti.

Both children on the street and performers in the parade threw balloons, confetti, string and all manner of decorations in a multi-coloured frenzy that later washed into the harbour.

The parade lasted for over 20 minutes and was eagerly cheered on by hundreds of spectators.

Being completely taken off guard, the festivities provided a jovial surprise and were a perfect souvenir of the little town. The beaches here are small, but golden, and the cranes around the docks still cast a metallic shadow, but the day was certainly one of the more memorable from recent trips.

Covered in confetti

Capital Crisis

Following its year as European Capital of Culture, has Mediterranean Marseille stalled again?

Marseille Vieux Port

Descending to the métro at Gare Saint-Charles, a large advertisement asks commuters “Do you still listen to clichés about Marseille?”

Questions of Marseille’s reputation have never been so pertinent. As 2013 Capital of Culture, the city hoped to shake its seedy status and rebrand as an international destination. Spurred by an ambitious regeneration project, Marseille benefitted from a 680mn euro investment from the CoC fund, and private investment totalling a staggering 3bn euro. 

When January 2013 arrived however, Marseille was not ready. The inauguration of new museums, including the first national French museum outside Paris, MuCEM, was delayed. Shining new shopping centres in the revamped port district were not opened until half way through the year. The T3 tramline remains a work in progress today.

Sophie Carrano, a teacher in Marseille, told me “In 2013, there were different local events every week. People from all the arrondissements were involved. Marseille was united for probably the first time. It is already a distant memory.”

Marseille has long since been a bubbling bouillabaisse, a city synonymous with gangs, crimes and drug circles. Despite all efforts in 2013, crime is seeping back in, with 20 gun related deaths last year, and widespread standoffs with police. Away from the centre’s multi-million euro investment, Marseille has some of the most impoverished areas in the country.

New maps highlight how poverty in Marseille remains an incongruous anomaly on the sun-drenched French Riviera, as the city with the most socio-economic deprivation in France. Unemployment, whilst reduced, remains above national averages.

Claire Bullen’s report for the European Cultural Foundation found Marseille to be on the precipice of further demise. “Socio-cultural organisations that were involved in the initial bid… are starting to become either circumspect or cynical” she suggested.

“Life for ordinary people seems to remain precarious and the tensions between the different urban agglomerations seem as rocky as ever. [Artists] no longer see a future for themselves.”

When MuCEM finally opened, designer Philippe Starck described the building “a clairvoyant, untamable wild animal”; a metaphor which might be used to describe Marseille itself. As efforts towards regeneration fail to tame the animal, or fail to discourage criminality, Marseille is threatened by a criminal undercurrent that seemingly cannot be dammed by any wave of investment.

(I originally wrote this article as part of a bursary application, but really liked the end result, so I am publishing it here too.)