Monday afternoon we took the #60 bus up a series of winding streets to pay a visit to Notre Dame se la Garde, "La Bonne Mere" that overlooks the harbor of Marseille. It's a wonderfully restored church with a nautical theme inside - wooden boats hanging from the ceiling amidst the angels and biblical figures, boat-shaped sconces in the walls, and memorial plaques to sailors lost at sea. The exterior was gorgeous in the golden afternooon Marseille sun and the view was definitely as spectacular as Eileen said it was. There was an interesting juxtaposition of ancient and modern with QR codes posted around the paintings so you could scan them and learn more. Linda was i heaven, taking photos, though the winds were fierce up there and it was challenging to stand still enough to take a picture while being buffeted about. I kept imagining the centuries of old women trudging their way up that steep hill in colder winter winds in order to get to mass.
