Sete

Arrived in Sete early today and parked overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. This was a first for me. Patisserie luncheon eaten whilst overlooking the water. Not a wave in sight, just crystal clear water. Sat for hours just watching and absorbing the view. We then made our way along the coast to locate our accommodation Hotel L'Orque Bleue. Car parking secured we were checked in by a very friendly face and immediately made to feel welcome. No luggage issues for there was a lift. Our third floor room was fine for our evening's stay. Out and about we found a park called Chateau de Vert. We sat and rested on a bench under an enormous canopy of trees. It was good to find such a calm and leafy oasis amongst the city's central commercial area. A short trip back to the canal where we decided to check out the tourist, boat cruises. Luck would have it that we found one leaving at 3:00. The cruise was informative and relaxing as we listened to the boat's audio re the sights along the coastal strip and around the port of Sete itself. From the boat's deck we saw an old fort at the edge of a cliff that now serves as an open air theatre; rather unique. A stone fort and hospital sits at one edge of the port and its ancient design tells us that it has been standing for many, many years. A bit like Fort Dennison in Sydney. The boat also took us past the ferry to Tangier and the many people lined up in the car park waiting to board. There was livestock carrier that was enormous too as was the dry dock. When you are able to cruise right by and almost reach out and touch the cold metal of its hull you appreciate its full height. Seagulls trailed us for some time hoping to be fed as they were from the many trawlers in port. Tuna and sardines are the local favourites and the fish market serves the wholesalers rather than the general public. Today the weather was cooler and we actually wore some of the winter clothes that we had packed. Sete is obviously a place to be and probably to be seen in summer. No postcards as yet. Not sure what the postal service at home would think of some of the featured images on those that we saw. Going out for dinner last night I realised that I had gone mad, possibly tourists disease or something as I had actually been looking forward to the cooler weather but as Stephen and I made our way along the canal to the restaurant we remembered the cold that we had experienced on our last trip to France. Coat, jumper and long scarf and I was still cold. Obviously a crazy Australian. I've been wondering why everyone thinks that we are Italian. We are regularly greeted and fare welled in Italian. Perhaps I look more Italian than I do Australian.