November 12 - Ajaccio, Corsica, France

I’m back at the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. I was just here at the beginning of May and it hasn’t changed much. 

Before I go any further I should mention that I’ve skipped Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.  That was yesterday and it was the end of one leg of the cruise.  Nearly 300 passengers disembarked and 300 new people boarded – an opportunity to make more new friends!  I had to change cabins because I had booked the first leg of my voyage after the rest and the same cabin wasn’t available.  It was less painful than the last time I had to do it.  The biggest problem now is remembering to go to the correct door.  I only moved across the hall and up two doors.

Anyway, today is a gloriously beautiful day as we are docked here in downtown Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. I walked ashore and headed first to the market across the street from the terminal.  It was quite different from my last visit.  It seems it’s the end of the season, tourist and growing for many fruits, so there weren’t nearly as many vendors.  It’s still fun to look at the cheeses, sausages and baked goods for sale.  It would be so lovely to have such an assortment at stores at home but we don’t.  

Don't these saisages look good?

These were all varieties of macaroons.

I left the market and continued walking to the main square, the Place Maréchal Foch.  I haven’t figured out why it’s called that. Maréchal Ferdinand Foch was a French general during WWI, but the square is dominated by a huge statue of Napoleon Bonaparte garbed as Caesar.  The statue is surrounded by  four lying lions guarding the emperor.  It’s quite an impressive structure and a very pleasant park.  There are palm trees and benches and one can just sit, listen and watch the world go by.

I can't help it; I love photos of laundry hanging off balconies and windows.

Napoleon as Caesar

I had intended to take a little train, sort of a Corsican hop-on/hop-off trip around the town.  It begins at the square but sadly the season is over and it isn’t running.  Maybe next time.  I continued walking up the Avenue Premier Consul (that was Napoleon’s title before he made himself emperor).  There are mainly cafés along the way with only a few shops in between  There were signs of preparations for the upcoming holiday season because some lights had been strung across the streets.  It might have been here before but I don’t remember seeing the most impressive light array.  At the intersection with the Avenue Eugene Machini (I have no idea who that was) there was an enormous crown made of lights suspended over the intersection.  It must look splendid at night.  I browsed in a couple of stores and then walked back toward the waterfront.  On the way I found a beautiful store that sells housewares which I don’t need.  But, they had the place decorated for Christmas and there were lots Christmas decorations.  I found several lovely ones which I bought to decorate my door on the ship.  Many passengers do that so I’m ready for it now too.

I would love to see this at night and all lit up.

It was too early for lunch at one of the cafés so I headed back toward the cruise terminal.  As I walked I noticed for the first time in the square next to the market a statue with flags in front of it and the base of the statue festooned with red, white and blue flowers and ribbons.  I walked over and saw that it was a monument to the Corsican soldiers lost in the WW’s.  The flowers around the base were interesting. As I got closer I saw that there were a series of separate arrangements, each with a ribbon emblazoned with the name of one of the municipalities here on Corsica.  So each town sent a floral tribute honoring those who died from their city or town.  They were there because the French too celebrate Armistice Day, November 11.  That’s something I should mention.  I know we have a holiday on Veteran’s Day and we place flags in cemeteries, but the English and French do much more than we do.  Many of the English passengers have been wearing poppies on their dresses or lapels.  Yesterday at 11 AM, the captain came on the PA system and read a passage from a poem by Laurence Binyon. He then called for two minutes of silence after which e bugle played the British bugle call “The Last Post.”  It’s very moving!  Every time I’ve been on a Seabourn cruise on 11/11 they do commemorate it in some way.  I think it’s so meaningful to them because essentially the British and French lost nearly an entire generation of young men in WWI, either dead or wounded.

This isn't the War Memorial just another statue at the waterfront

These are the War Memorial

I came back on board and had lunch with friends, played trivia with a new configuration of our team.  We lost half but gained new members that two of our existing team already knew (and I was assured are very smart).  I had dinner with  Ceci, a staff member I sailed with last fall.  This cruise has been a little like old home week.  The show was an excellent violinist from some place in Eastern Europe.  And of course I went to listen to music and dance just a little.  It was a good day!

You must know by now that I love sunset pictures and I just loved the way the skyline of Ajaccio looked as the sun went down.

Finally, I was reading something about Napoleon and I came across this quote which I think is pretty thought-provoking.  “In politics stupidity is not a handicap.”

Until tomorrow.