A Marseille Journal (Part 5)

26 April 2024 – The Mucem, Marseille

By Lidia Karanfilovszka Zikic (Creative Writing and English Literature/Year 1)

A rainy day in Marseille. Just before we head home, one more Provençal delicacy. The one-of-a-kind and very interesting Mucem, the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean. The museum exhibits an impressive collection of ethnographic objects, photographs, prints and postcards from the Mediterranean regions dating all the way from the neolithic period. It is also popular because of its unique architecture designed by Rudy Ricciotti. The enigmatic façade is made of moulded concrete mash patterns, which form an exoskeletal structure that easily lets through light and air. After the guided tour through Mucem, we were off to lunch before packing and vacating the hotel rooms. What was downhill on arrival is uphill on departure. A challenging, steep, almost mountaineering walk, manoeuvring our not-so-light-anymore suitcase to the bus station, and we were on our way to the airport. As the plane took off, it was hard to say goodbye to these days of bliss, but there was a feeling of contentment accumulating so much beauty in just 4 days and the great feeling of batteries recharged. Thank you, Uni of Westminster, for making this trip happen! I would definitely recommend it! Au revoir, France. See you later, Marseille.