Marseille and Chateau d’If

I had hoped to visit a friend in Montpellier, but when that fell through I went to Marseille because I didn’t want to go from Barcelona to Toulon non-stop. When I stepped out of the metro in Marseille’s Old Port I was immediately met with the nasty smell of fish. The smell plus the fact that I pulled some muscles climbing up and down the amphitheatre while carrying my backpack inspired me to stay in the hostel that evening. Luckily, I had a nice conversation with another girl, who explained to me how to get to Chateau d’If the next day. The Chateau d’If was built as a military fortress/watchtower, but it was later used as a prison. When Alexandre Dumas set most of his novel The Count of Monte Cristo in Chateau d’If, it immediately became a tourist destination. Mark Twain was among the first visitors, but the trend continues today. (probably because many people, like me, read The Count of Monte Cristo in high school) It’s funny because it’s a real prison, but its most famous inhabitant is fictional. They have a cell that is now labeled the Edmond Dantes cell, and it’s the same size as my tiny apartment! Argh!! I think I’d rather live on the island, except they say the seagulls get vicious around nesting season.