Marseille

An Entry from the Road written in my hotel room November 7th 2022

A city of contradictions.

The majority of the French population doesn’t think much of this place; there is a knee jerk reaction of locals in Paris to wince when you say “I’m going to Marseille”. It has long had a reputation as a city with lots of crime, dirty, and unsure of its place in the world.

At the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa; Mosques, Churches, graffiti covering the walls of Old Town, narrow corridors of alleys that lead to dark corners with beggars just barely scraping by; the smells of the sea, roasting lamb and tajin spitting on a fire, heavenly bakeries serving up everything from Croissants to Naan; Its the original capitol of France and its dish most loved by its locals is Pizza… 

A town unlike any I've ever been to. 

Exotic, sophisticated in a non-dickhead way, and endlessly affecting.

There are a few cities like it (Istanbul is a good example); places that have seen so much history, so many conquerers and yet Marseille has this vibe of relaxed madness that draws me in, makes me want to understand and appreciate it in all its grimy splendor. 

I was walking around the harbor today, enjoying my wanderings that I get into in this wondrous place, and was taken back by not just the Roman architecture and the intense aromas, but the people themselves; very tall European looking young men in soccer jerseys and skinny jeans to short women in burkahs and bearded old men in fez hats and amber walking canes; all walks of life congregate around the harbor as they have for hundred of years; a port settled between two massive fortresses and overflowing with thousands of sailboats, fish mongers, and tattooed tankers.

As I get older I find I am very much drawn to port cities; Cape Town, Copenhagen, and of course my native Boston all come to mind. There is something about that connection to the water that makes them not just more relaxed but also more interesting; you know that people have journeyed to be in the very spot that you are now; that they crossed large bodies of water just to be here and the cities themselves are shepards to newly arriving flocks of immigrants, dreamers, and refugees; ready to make them feel at home, to wrap their arms around them and welcome them into the fold.

As the world gets crazier and crazier, less inclusive and much more divisive, we can learn much from these cities. 

As I settled down to gaze on the city from the battlements of the fort in downtown I was hit with this overwhelming sense of gratitude; for this tour, for this time to travel, for my bandmates, and most importantly for my family; Ive said it a million times but the whole reason that I love travel is that is allows me to be a more open hearted and understanding person when I return home; all the lessons I take from the band, from my experiences go into the way I conduct myself when I am at home.

Why travel if you just want to become a totally different person on the road?

Many people I know are like that- going out on the road seemingly to live a life of fulfillment… and while that’s very optimistic the real traveller understands that life is not just the road- its the lessons you take home with you, the memories you make, and how that forces you to act in a way that is in harmony with the people you love.

Can’t wait to come back sometime soon.