Afternoon

After the lunch break walked back to the school again; the walk took slightly longer that I had expected, now I know it better. Read to which level I had been assigned, and took the first afternoon class, which mainly was about getting to know each other and memorising names. Even though it may seem that some retrograde motion in my progress has occurred, it seems to be a comfortable level to be at.

West window of the cathedral

After school walked back through the cathedral area, took a stroll inside, and at one display of archaeological excavations studied for some time the maps of Roman and Mediaeval Aix. It seems that just under my hotel many Roman ruins had been found (or that the hotel was one of the few buildings in the area before which construction through excavations were made). The Roman and Mediaeval cities did not overlap much, like usual.

Then also visited the local supermarket, just around the corner from the hotel. Its three cheese counters/shelves combined were almost as long as the wine shelves!

Walking in the rain

Steet signs are both in French and Provençal

Skipping the details of the level test at the school, the rest of today morning was a city walk in the old town. In rain, stronger than yesterday's. We saw some of the city's numerous fountains, walked along several of its narrow streets that form the maze also known as the old town, and were given nice explanations and practical hints (like where to lunch, where not to lunch when we are in hurry, where to meet other foreigners if necessary, and where to play petanque).

Connected again

Bad luck with Wifi, good luck with the LAN cable.

English

Apparently, Aix has 140,000 inhabitants and 14,000 French students and 4000 foreign students. This explains the ease attempts to ask something in French are replied in English.

Rain

Still raining today morning (like yesterday but more), and all this in an area known to have more than 300 sunny days a year.