1/20/2020
(Above: A sleepy, grey day over Aix.)
Active Summary: This morning, I woke up late at 8:30 AM. This was ensued by calisthenics, writing time, and then by my brother and I eating a breakfast of Clementine oranges and citron-meringue tarts (similar to lemon meringue pie but smaller, thinner, and much more flavorful). This was followed by our venturing outdoors, walking around, and then stopping by a local grocery / department store.
For groceries, we had to venture underground, so that is what we did. We procured some Diet Cola (Pepsi Max), some citron soda for my brother, sea-salted butter, more Clementine oranges (much cheaper down there than at last night’s street vendor), some Spain-grown heirloom tomatoes, and a baguette. After carrying all this back to the room, we decided to eat a small lunch of Clementines and buttered bread.
Much of the ensuing afternoon was spent writing, computer-related leisure time, and then another 1.5 hour walk at around 3:00PM. We almost got back to the apartment before remembering that we should procure desserts for later*. This hunt proved fruitful as can be seen by the images below.
(8:51 PM Update:) We have just returned from Tonkin Food (Vietnamese Restaurant). It took a little while because the power went out while our mango was being baked, but other than that it was all superb and fresh. I think we may end up going back there.
Beef pho (soup) from Tonkin. 
Fried pork egg rolls and some very fresh lettuce. 
Various noodles, pork, beef, and vegetables from Tonkin. 
A healthy dessert of caramelized mango (sliced, baked for about 15 minutes, and topped with a sprig of mint). 
Two creme-puffs that appear to have been arranged in a provocative manner. Procured from a stop at a bakery around 3PM. 
A creme-puff. 
Two peanut butter cookies,
TIL: Today I will include a couple facts when it comes to procuring food in France via shopping:
1. When it comes to boulangeries (bakeries) and patisseries (pastry shops), one must procure what they want before 7:00 PM at night. After that, very few shops remain open.
2. When shopping in France (and perhaps in other places in Europe), people must bring their own totes / bags. Except for the paper bags that are utilized to cover baguettes, none of the stores my brother and I have been to thus far provide the shopper with plastic or paper totes via which they can carry their purchased wares.
Commentary: Today was a day of leisure. We spent much of the time in our warm room, but intermittently, we ventured outdoors, explored, and on one occasion procured some late-night, after-dinner snacks.
All of these items together costed less than 15 euros. 
Bagged ice that I found in the freezer. I thought the packaging was quite elaborate. 
An ‘oil-painting’ of my midday meal of buttered bread, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. 
A closer look at that salted butter (on the lower left, a salt crystal can be espied). 
A cool, cloudy day on fountain square. 
My brother lounging in the top bunk. 
A particularly picturesque curve in the lane. 
Ornate entrance to one of Aix’s cathedrals. 
A many-tree’d square. 
Another long, curving street. 
This is another cathedral in Aix. Like the others, it appeared to be under renovation (probably a winter-related activity). 
Yet another cathedral in Aix – this one at the end of a descending street. 
A closer look at that cathedral. 
It is hard to tell what cathedral this one is, because there are more than three of them, and the roads of this city wind in ways that one does not know where they exactly are. 
A pylon-fountain adorned with fishes. 
The fountain square at night.
Final Note: Tomorrow we plan on meandering/lazing around Aix for another day. Supposedly there will be a market tomorrow, and if that is the case, we will likely go hunting for some tasty local foods.
*Often, desserts at French restaurants seem to have been procured from nearby bakeries and pastry shops, or in some cases, they don’t have desserts at all aside from a plate of ‘ripe cheeses’. Ripe cheeses can be delectable, but they can also be not-so-delectable. So, instead of chancing it, my brother and I took fate into our own hands and pre-procured desserts for after postsupper repast.
Sounds like a great day… the food looks/sounds very tasty. I could go for a bowl of pho now, although the plate of delectables with balsamic looks tasty too… enjoyed all the pictures