Essaouira Experience

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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 heaven and after some of the flea-pits we had seen - before you could say 'hello, yes please, come see my shop, just for looking' we were showered and shaved and looking slightly more alive. The rest of the day was spent wandering the medina, sussing out this seaside town.

Up bright and early on day 2 in Essaouira, we decide to down-grade the digs and up grade the character. Hotel Agadir was 5mins walk away, where we ended up in a blue and white rooftop terrace room overlooking the main drag - not bad at all! I scoped out some Berber jewellery the day before and went back today for a closer look and my first shopping experience in Morocco. The experience started civil enough, I inspected the merchandise and inquired about price - it turned out to be more than I thought and I decided to leave it there.... I had decided to leave it there, old mate Mohammed Berber Jewellery seller had not decided to leave it there... the mild mannered moroccan obviously fuelled by desparation and with his son watching on, upped the anti and the sound level. The softly softly approach had failed him and he morphed into salesman of the year, the price lowered and the benefits and authenticity increased.. I stuck to my guns and after another 15mins of ear drum bursting negotiations I had a bracelet and complimentary necklace and mohammed had his price and sale. It wasn't quite over tho... We had to pull some Dirham from the nearest ATM to finance the operation, Mohammed kindly offered us his only son to act as chaperone, we kindly declined and the poor red-faced kid went back to his marbles. SOLD.

The beach here is magic. Shaped like a horse-shoe, not very sheltered tho - hence the many wind sports. We wandered the length of the beach and back in glorious 40 knot conditions, oblivious to the sun working its magic on our pale pasty skin. As soon as we pulled up for a feed in a nearby restaurant we realized the damage had been done. Lisa's radiant Northern Irish glow had intensified 10 fold, we probably could have cooked on it. I wasn't much better taking a good dose on my chevy chase and neck. After a quick tajine we retired to the boudoir to nurse our wounds. Two weeks later Lisa still looks like she is wearing the same T-shirt from Essaoira.

All in all a great time was had in Essaoira, could have stayed longer and would go back.

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