Agadir, are we in France?

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Agadir, what a beautiful drive for 7 hours of perfect panoramas, and endless breaking waves of the Atlantic Ocean. It was so mesmerizing no one said many words at all. We stopped in Safi and Essouara, where we dropped of an English guy we had met in Casa. The land was flatter than I had expected, too flat. Salt flats littered the ride from to Safi and the strong spelled of potassium filled the air around the city.

Agadir is a tourist town. One that has long been trapped in the spell of vacation packages and sun burnt Europeans that travel a thousand miles to sit in French cafés and look at a vista no different than those of the North Mediterranean, or for that matter, Florida or the Caribbean. Its a place over run with post cards and tacky souvenirs, its a place to find ham and imported beer, and apparently, clubs selling 10euro bottles of Coca Cola!

Our hotel has a swimming pool and a big TV, and the guys are very happy to spend two days soaking up the sun and fun on the beach. We climb up the mountain and walk around the Kasbah, which was destroyed in 1970 by an earthquake, only the outer walls remain.

Ludo and I check out the souq, which in Agadir they boast is the biggest in Africa, though I'm skeptical. It is very large and each alley boasts a different speciality- oranges, mattresses, bed clothes, bed pans, toiletries, rugs, spices, dates, figs, tagines, and terracotta dishes. Outside the souq, flowers are sold and dozens of knife sharpeners set up shop. I have to be honest, seeing many large butchers knives being sharpened out doors on large circular stones does make me nervous. But the people here are too accustomed to tourists, and like most people we meet, they are friendly.

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Comments

[Pam from Wrenson]

Suitcase Carrier Available
Hi Madison, this is the first time I've 'blogged'. Got your postcard yesterday! Gaurding your house while your Mom and Dad go to Costa Rico! Your Trip sounds AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! I just got back from Temagami (go to North Bay and tur right) Does that count -Love Pam

[mrose]

wow!
Hi Pam! How are you? Thanks for reading my blog and expect a postcard from the next exciting place I go to... we are thinking Vienna or the Netherlands. See you in June