summertime goes south

30th June Girolata to Ajaccio
Things calmed down after three days in Girolata and we made an early start for Ajaccio, 35 miles away. Our course was south and the residual westerly swell made the ride very uncomfortable as we rolled with the swell. As we progressed south, conditions eased and we made Ajaccio in time for a late lunch. The way to Ajaccio was barred by a group of islands and rocks luridly named 'Les Sanguinaires', the Bloody Ones, probably due to past shipwrecks. We chose the widest indicated passage and although the depth shallowed significantly there was enough water for us to pass safely.
We secured a place in the Vieux Port in the centre of town. I put my head down for a sleep after our 6 am start but Linda went exploring. Ajaccio got off on the wrong foot with Linda who reported back that it was full of shops and restaurants catering for the tourist trade, a sort of hot and sunny Blackpool! This is, however, the island's capital so we gave it another chance and as we explored the old Genoese quarter, away from the harbour frontage, Ajaccio improved and we came to enjoy it more. The approach to Ajaccio is dominated by coastal development with large medium-rise apartment blocks rising up the hillsides. The beloved rectangular box dominates, right into the town centre where the older buildings around the citadel, are overshadowed by new apartment blocks, obliterating the skyline and the verdant hillsides behind.
July 1st surprised us with the annual carnival parade. We were aware of something afoot when during the day the town was awash with children in fancy dress and an orgy of face-painting. Here the spectators join in with the fun and the children have a great time in their costumes throwing confetti, spraying all and sundry with 'silly string' and bubbles galore. The parade was very noisy and great fun and it is evident from the costumes that, 'cultural appropriation', the latest 'bête noir' of the angry brigade is alive and well in Ajaccio. The centrepiece was a float with an enormous model of Corsica's 'national' symbol, a negro head. This commemorates the island's liberation from the Saracens in the 13th century and is a common sight on the island.
Ajaccio is Napoleon's birthplace and there is ample evidence of the cultivation of the Napoleonic myth, unlike the rest of the island. Ajaccio has streets named after him and his brother Jerome and there are two statues of Napoleon in the town centre, both showing him as a Roman Emperor in full toga, wearing the laurel leaves of victory. One has him on horseback, reminiscent of the famous statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Rome, surrounded by his four brothers dressed as Roman senators. This was erected by Napoleon III, an obvious attempt to legitimate his own imperial and dynastic ambitions. In neither case has the sculptor attempted any likeness of Napoleon but drew from Roman Imperial statuary. Napoleon III also created an Imperial Chapel as a family mausaleum which is now part of a museum established by Cardinal Flesch, Bonaparte's uncle. There is also a 20th century memorial glorifying Napoleon's military victories but there are no contemporary statues in his home town.