Blogs from Essaouira, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa - page 9

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 ... read more

I'm still in Essaouira-- when was the last time I posted? yesterday? The days run into each other here- and I live sans watch, calendar, and sense of direction, so it's a bizarrely euphoric feeling of disorientation. I'm now pseudo-working at the hostel I'm staying at- staying for free in exchange for entertaining the owners and doing the odd clean-up (which, as my friends all know, is practically the reason I get invited to parties nowadays...) I am, however, exhausted, as I went SURFING yesterday and it. was. amazing. I actually got up quite a few times and rocked the waves. Then again, the only reason I got up is because the manager of the hostel was pushing me at the good waves as opposed to letting my weak chicken arms paddle-- but nonetheless. I love ... read more

Hello! Kelly and I are now in a town called Essaouira, which is about an 8 hour bus ride from Casablanca down the west coast of Morocco. Getting off of the bus was quite overwhelming! It didn't appear to be the quaint ocean town we had read about. The ocean was nowhere in sight and it was dirty and dusty. There were people everywhere trying to get us to go to their hotel and women with only their eyes revieled trying to get us to look at their goods for sale. It was hard to read the level of "friendliness" without being able to see smiles under the material. Luckily, we had already booked a room at the Essaouira Hostel and we were picked up by someone who works there. The hostel is located in the ... read more

so yeah, this ones in english. so essouira is this lil city by the coast nearest to marrakech. it gets all the wind of the dessert as it is; well; basically in the dessert. and it is surrounded by a portuguese fortress which zith the natural fortress that some rocky islands constitute gives it a unique look. it is a peaceful spot where yuou can see fisherman and you dont get too harrased byt people selling srtisany. on the other hand; youll get offered any kind of drugs every 15mins according to my personal experience. all bad quality and expensive; of course (including beer; the MOST FORBIDDEN one). I slept in some kind of hostel; crappy; didnt even sax the manager (so i didnt pay hehe) full of stoners. huh.. its also zindy as hell. anyway... ... read more

A blast of wind welcomes me as I open the van door. Sand whirls across the dusty car-park where we're stopped forming miniature sand-banks in the corners of the low surrounding wall. The wind blows the sand with such force that as it hits the wall it ricochets upwards in a fountain of dust that gives the violent air visible form. Its windier than normal, here in Essouaira, otherwise known as 'windy city' and along the sea-front is where it is most ferocious. But there is respite. The medina is a hive of activity, a hotch-potch of vendors selling everything you could possibly need. Fancy a pigs leg to suck on, complete with trotter - look no further! There is a thriving cafe culture here, not least because of the hundreds of tourists that flow through ... read more