Hanging out at the beach

From El Jadida we hopped on a bus (one with AC) to Essaouira, another town on the coast.  Once we cleared the touts at the bus station we made our way to the old city and found an interesting mix of French beach resort and Moroccan medina.  There were far more tourists per local than in any other city we had visited so far, giving Essaouira a distinctly European flavor. We decided to relax for a few days and recoup after two weeks in Morocco.

It was unfortunate that the weather was quite cool while we were in Essaouira, and only Michael was brave enough to take a dip in the chilly waters.  It was probably for the best as the Moroccan men still do not seem accustomed to seeing women in bikinis and tend to stare excessively, with hands in their pockets.  It is also a very windy beach, making it a popular spot for windsurfing and parasurfing.  As the water was so cold and our time limited, we were not tempted to try out a new sport.

Essaouira was and still is a fishing town, however it used to be a major port for European merchants to Morocco, and hence is a fortified city.  On the seaward side of the fortification there is a row of more than 20 cannons facing out to sea, prepared to defend. At the end of the fort is a large square that leads to the fishing harbor.  Here you can get fresh fish at one of the numerous stalls cooked in front of you on a grill. We took a stroll through the fishermen inspecting their nets after the days work, tidying up and preparing for the next day.

Within the sea wall were a series of workshops making turned wood out of the local burl wood, called Thuya. It was good to see the pieces being made in front of you, relieving the constant worry that it was children manufacturing the handicrafts in sweatshops as we saw in the textile shop in Fes. Michael is kicking himself daily as he thinks back to the missed opportunity to buy a chess set of this wood. Or to stock up on some blocks of the stuff for carving later! We did buy a couple bowls made of Thuya though.

We took enjoyment in eating non-Moroccan food for a change.  Each morning we had breakfast at a great little pastry shop that had the recognition of having served the King, and a picture on the wall to prove it. Their window was always filled with lovely pastries that would be completely snatched up by lunchtime. Erin also found the best pistachio gelato she's ever had here. We ate at an Italian and at a French restaurant, which was welcome. Even though we loved the Tangines and Pastillas, the restaurants seemed to only offer a small variety, and we did not succeed in getting invited into anyone's house except Ali in Ouzoud.

Walking though the medina was relaxing too, some hassle from the stall owners, but also there was a good variety of objects on sale, and there was never a cafe far away to relax in. We came across a tailor, who had some neat shirts for sale, although not in the size and color Michael wanted. He offered to make one to suit by the next day. We negotiated a good price, and were quite pleased in the resulting green shirt, to be seen in the photos from now on.

Our time in Essaouira was relaxing, and in hind site perhaps we should not have left to go on a camel trek in the Sahara! Perhaps we should have stuck around and enjoyed the weather as it warmed and explored some more of the coast!

Unfortunately we have no photos for this entry.