http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Morocco , Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz , Essaouira en-us Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:54:39 +0000 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:54:39 +0000 So we arrived back in Marrakech about 730 PM on the 30th and Ibrahim helped me find the hotel I had booked for the night it was near the bus that I had booked for the next day. It was over my usual budget but a bit of heaven with central heat and hot water I have discovered that my limit for roughing it these days is pretty much 3 days and was very happy for the shower. Weather has been ts http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-473848.html Essaouira is an oasis in all the ways that Marrakech is not. The sea breeze eases the scorching heat in even the narrowest alleyways the locals are wealthy enough that they only hassle halfheartedly and the accomodations are top notch. Ironically this is where myself and friends have endured some of the scourges of Morocco bedbugs stomach bugs and beligerent street confrontations. But http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-415445.html In the morning we walked along the beach back to the medina. Essaouira is also known as ldquoWindy City Africardquo and draws hundreds of surfers. In addition to wind surfing you can also kite surf sail quad or if you havenrsquot had enough of camels yet ride camels.I was going to buy a rug if the price was right. After visiting a few shops JM got a large rug for about 13 of the aski http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-398244.html Early morning hike from the gite back down to Imlil was invigorating and we encountered a Berber shepherd and his herd of goats. It was back on the road again driving through Marrakech to reach the seaside town of Essaouira. Along the way there were many argan aka goat trees a thorny tree whose nut is much valued for everything from dip for homemade bread protection for skin and acne treament http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-398243.html DAY 1112We leave the valleys of the High Atlas Mountains and head westward toward the windswept Atlantic Coast and the old fishing town of Essaouira about a 5 hour trip. The name Essaouira means image and this is very appropriate since the city has a lot a charm and very distinct and picturesque areas.We embark on a city tour with a local guideThe harbor the beach the Medina the souks and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-394409.html We're at the beach The bus ride yesterday was 2.5 hours and very uneventful yeah. When we got off the bus there were no taxis so we hired a guy and his wagon to take the luggage and the kids to the hotel. These kids are ready for any mode of transportation. The riadhotel is beautiful. The best so far. We have a great big room the pool is warm....ish and it's quiet. Last night we settled in and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-386207.html Morocco is wonderful. I have been to Casablanka to Marrakech to Essaouira to Sibiceoki and I now reside in Imsouanne a small surf town. I have been living in a Moroccan cave beach front shack on a sandy cliff ledge right next to the ocean. To me it is a much more than an exotic castle in paradise. I fall asleep to the music of the ocean every night and try to swim in it every day. We cook tagi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-353377.html After a night in Jerez which included a fantastic flamenco display we made out way to Tarifa to catch the ferry across to Tangiers in Morocco. We missed the 11am ferry by about 2 minutes due to traffic on the road so had another two hours in Tarifa that we had not planned. Tarifa is a lovely little town sitting on the coast. During the summer it is full of British tourists but it was pretty much c http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-347169.html The annoying thing about Riads which also makes them fantastic is the amount of light coming down into them. One one hand if you so choose you can sleep all day and all night but on the other hand if you are relying on natural light to wake you you may end up oversleeping. My plans to wake at dawn were retrospectively ambitious alarm clock or otherwise but regardless dawn was well done by the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-345986.html I decided that it was time to leave Marrakech. I knew that I was coming back so it wasnt leaving out of spite in a huffy strop I just thought that was the best way to do things... After breakfast I headed off the the bus station to head to Essaouira. I knew that I would be hassled by touts and I knew I would pay a markup if i used their services but time was so tight that I decided to do so http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-345983.html Hi I'm on holiday with Hannah again in Essaouira Morocco This place is really serene compared with the frenzied atmosphere of Marrakech. I'm having a lotta fun eating amazing seafood tagines and sitting in quaint little cafes playing Chinese card games. The camels here are adorable Hannah took me on a lovely camel ride on the beach across sand dunes ending with a few splashes in the sea. The http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-338825.html I love Essouira This was our first real chance in 2 weeks to see the coastline and soak up the gorgeous sun. When we arrived in Essouira our tour guide took us for a quick walk to get to know the basic layout of the village. I can not describe to you how difficult it was to walk past sooooooo many interesting shops and not go inside. I felt like a bubble waiting to burst Every street is lined wi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-335562.html 15 Sep early morning stroll at 7.30am to walk back down the mountain to Imlil. Drive along more bendy roads as we leave the Atlas Mountains behind. Drive through the outskirts of Marrakech heading to the seaside town of Essaouira. We stop at an Argen oil factory. This is a women's cooperative and they explain how argen oil is extracted from the nuts of the argen tree to become either cooking oi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-334959.html When we first decided to come to Morocco I was doing very brief research online and read a short paragraph about Essaouira and was instantly enticed. Now we are here and we are in love.We arrived Tuesday morning and immediately found a penthouse flat near the bus station and outside of the medina. We negotiated a good rate and we think we got quite a deal for a full apartment with a kitchen and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-322817.html Oh my god this town is lovely any of you following my Facebook updates will know I've stayed here sooooo long a full 7 nights tomorrow then hopefully I'll be away down south though things seem flexible till the last moment. The town is so relaxed so many nice cafes squares and a special arty feel. I have found a lovely group of people in a close by hostel I have been hanging out with and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-318194.html Its been over a week since the last entry here as many of you know im now back in blighty but feeling compelled to tie up the loose ends and the cliff hanger of excitement I last left on I had better fill in the gaps.So I left Marrakech on the Saturday night the bus journey was reasonably straight forward I met some American girls who were doing good things teaching kids to speak english l http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-316380.html Have temporarily moved on to the little read huge but only interesting in the middle costal town of Ess... Essou... Essor... to A beatiful coastal town very windy here. Therefore I find myself stewing in a pleasant cold which is a nice change from the last place.Still cannot work the keyboards here. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-313697.html Hi All.Finally I DUey. gets to write a blog. Kali has taken the Lions share of work updating so here i go b prepqred for spelling mistakes as im to lazy to deal with this morroccan comp well traveled from Bareclona to Essiqouria Morrocco in 53 hours strqight. slept in trqins stations. buses and trqin cabs just to save a few bucks. soooo tired when we arrived we are in a fishing port town http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-310093.html Essaouira... The Wind City. Home to Kite Boarding Blue and White houses and fishy smells.We camped up here for a few days just to chillax after the chaos of Marrakech. On our arrival at the bus station we were set upon by hustlers of all shapes and sizes with little energy to resist we were dragged from Hostel to hotel to Riad with little success. Eventually we came to Riad El Mess it was a h http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-307263.html I apologize for the lack of detail in my blogs.I'm enjoying a quiet moment of solitude the only one that I feel like I've had in a couple of days at 315am Moroccan time. I'm exhausted another day of surfing racing Spiegel the hostel dog in the sand walking the Medina and then taking care of business at the hostel.I've got No Name the kitten we rescued from the street sitting on my lap pla http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Essaouira/blog-302047.html