After a corona-forced hiatus, it was time for the annual Surprise Weekend, albeit now in challenging
times. The model remained the same, the group have no idea where they are going until the
morning of the event and all they have to do is arrive at the meeting point on time, usually a bar!
On the morning of the flight we were fed some clues en-route to the airport for the big reveal,
Marseille! It was to be my third trip to Marseille and very different from the first two during Euro
2016 when we were chased around the city by Russian hooligans.
Jonny, who organised the trip, based it solely on one factor… where can you fly to from Terminal
3 at Heathrow? Being an AmEx Platinum member, he had wanted to check out their recently opened
lounge and it turns out the European flying routes in November during a pandemic are not too
plentiful, so France it was! The lounge to be fair was fantastic, great food and strong cocktails!
Being organised by the stylish Jonny it was only fitting that we stayed in one of the best hotels in
Marseille set back from but looking down and over the vast marina. Ten lads turning up slightly oiled
from the AmEx lounge might have brought the tone of the hotel down a little but it wasn’t evident.
First stop was an amazing Tapas restaurant in the edgy 5th Arr. / Camas districts of Marseille.
Amazing food and incredibly cheap wine! The start of the night everyone was feeling energised and
ready to go, come the end of the meal everyone was struggling but we couldn’t work out why until I
stood and my head entered a plume of smoke! The room was pumped full of cigarette smoke! I
thought it was illegal to smoke indoors now in France? Perhaps something overlooked in this district.
The night ended with some drinking games and a trip to a very intimate nightclub akin to a super
spreader event, however we did have to show double-vaxxed status to enter.
Saturday we started the day with a classic French brunch, now a lunch it took so long! Not
sure my tender stomach was ready for such rich cuisine! Nevertheless, after lunch with the sun high
in the sky and the temperature reaching that of a UK summer we headed off for the most enjoyable
electric bike /scooter tour around the city. We reached the Notre Dame Cathedral for sweeping
views of the city and marina before swooping back down to a city beach and then back in to the
Marina for some pre-spa beers.
For the evening, we headed to Le Dantés Skylounge overlooking the marina for the most expensive
cocktails I have had in some time! After a boozy and delicious French meal we headed to the nearest
bar for some music and drinks, which just so happened to be an Irish Bar!!
Another fantastic Surprise Weekend this time organised by Jonny!
