The trip to Cassis

Yesterday had a very exciting day...sort of. I decided to go to Cassis on the coast as it looked very nice in the real estate rags that I amuse myself by browsing and also I love the creme de cassis liqueur..black current liqueur. Its a little coastal resort in a cove over looked by a huge cape Cannielle on the eastern side and on the west there are the Calanques. These are huge fingers of limestone that go out into the sea and are very deep. Historically they have been strategic because boats could conceal themselves and some how they played a part in thwarting the British from capturing Marseilles. They have tiny beaches at the ends and beautiful green blue water where its shallow. I caught the bus to Marseilles then rode to the other bus station to catch the bus..which didn't take bikes , to Cassis. I was rather annoyed when I got there to find a bus goes direct from Aix and would have taken the bike. Never the less it was what a Mediterranean beach resort should be. Magnificent setting, marina with cute little fishing boats and yachts, a swanky yacht club and heat. I went in a boat to the Calaques and saw 3 of them. The were big yachts moored stern in swinging from steel loops bored into the rocks and a bow anchor, completely sheltered from the 20kt breeze outside. It was truly idyllic and in an area where it is quite heavily populated and I'm not sure that it is a national park. Its should be. I though the next stop should be the yacht club for lunch. I had been a bit nauseated in the last few days but managed a reason lunch the day before with no repercussions. Needless to say after the salad I was vomiting in the toilets and well...groaning just a bit.. the alarmed staff called the ambulance. The 2 ambo guys were very spunky and I got carted off to a hospital in another town. Thankfully the intern spoke english and after a bit of a rest I was OK. I did make it back to Marseilles to pick up the bike and got on the wrong bus. It went to Aix but via every village on the way swaying and lurching and I was very glad that the gut held out.