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Published: February 15th 2008
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We got up too early this morning, we were even up before the sun. The stalls were only beginning to set up as we walked down the streets to the bus station. We wanted to buy food for lunch but only found a stall selling brown bananas which we bought four of.
We arrived at nine for the nine thirty bus to find that it was already pretty full. It was another rickety vehicle with scruffy seats and worse leg room than ryanair. As we were waiting to put our bags in the hold of the bus, we stood next to four nets full of chickens. There was no room for them to stand and their necks kept on getting trapped through the holes.
We sat on the bus for half an hour waiting for it to leave and we were irritated continuously by the flies. We were constantly swatting at them whilst it appeared that no one else even noticed them. Just before we set off, a guy hauled himself onto the roof of the bus and with him went the nets of chickens. Not quite the standard of animal transportation that the EU would endorse.
We
were asked where we would like to be dropped off and using our limited French, we agreed that Centerville would be a good start. We were told that we should get off at a stop just after the Gare Routiere, which we did in good faith. We consulted the map which implied that we were only 400m away from the main centre of Agadir. The sun was 32°C and there was no shade at all.
After failing to find any landmark after twenty minutes of walking, we decided to just get a taxi before we both collapsed from heat exhaustion. We jumped in and the taxi set off. He did use the meter, but he put it on night time rate. We tried to communicate this with him but he suddenly lost any ability to understand English or French. We drove for a while in the wrong direction before I pointed this out to him and he pulled over to ask for directions. Eventually I had to describe the location of the hotel to him which was not a mean feat. He then tried to set off with the meter still running, but we were having none of it.
We argued with him till he turned it off and he then turned it onto normal day rate when we reached the place we began at.
We finally reached Hotel Tiznine at around two only to discover our room wasn't ready. We just dumped our bags in a lovely looking room and headed out to find food. We found a café and ordered two Jus d'orange and two polenta type cakes (Harcha?) which were warmed and covered in honey.
Agadir doesn't really have anything in the way of sights or cultural experiences etc it is purely and simply a beach resort. We walked down towards the waterfront, completely melting in the heat. The guidebook only had to mention the word "Ice-cream" and we were sold. We walked past a shop where I found a pair of sunglasses that actually fit my tiny head, so I bartered hard for them despite the initial "good Moroccan price" I was given.
The ice creams were unbelievable and so appreciated. We did have to laugh at the fact that for people who try and avoid tourists at all costs, we sure fitted right into the package holiday scene.
The beach
at Agadir isn't too dissimilar to Essaouira in that its one long stretch around a large bay except Agadir has a lot more tourists. As soon as we set foot on the sand, we were confronted by a group of Rastafarians who offered the use of their jet ski free to me and 300dh for Rob. Once we had declined that kind offer, they then proceeded to offer us kif and other services they had.
Thankfully the afternoon sun was bearable, so we walked along the waters edge around the bay. There were so many fish in the shallow water which we made a pretense of attempting to catch. We enjoyed spotting the hustlers and watching them get irritated as we walked further into the water where they couldn't follow.
Once we had walked far enough around the bay to escape the typical "package tourist" we found ourselves a nice spot to watch the sunset which was beautiful.
The guidebook told of a supermarket where we hoped we could stock up on supplies at good Morrocan prices. What we were faced with was a tourist trap full to the brim with westerners. Everything was immensely overpriced and
there was nothing useful for sale. No bread, cheese, fruit, toilet roll etc, just junk food, alcohol and souvenirs.
Ok so we weren't that much better than the other tourists because we did buy a bottle of wine but at least it was Moroccan.
We walked past an eatery that looked ok and decided to go in despite the guy standing outside trying to push us into the restaurant. I hate the way you walk up to peruse the menu and they stand right next to you talking so much and pointing out dishes that don't interest you at all, then They try and get you seated before you've even finished looking at the starters.
Whilst we ate our meal we sat and watched two restaurant owners acosting passers by. You would think that they would learn that people avoid restaurants with people waiting outside.
The beach is the attraction at Agadir and many facilities have opened around it in a bid to please the packa tourists. The result is a resort with little identity and it is entirely like anything else in Morocco. McDonalds and Pizza Hut have pride of place on the boulevard next
to the beach, and restaurant cry out that they sell alcohol. We looked at the hundreds of restaurants and whilst most offered typical Moroccan food on their menus none were only Moroccan cuisine.
We walked away from the noise and towards the sea. We found shelter beside a catemeran and cracked open the wine. The wind had picked up and so the sea was really crashing in, drowning out the cacophany of faux Berber music coming from the restaurants.
Our hotel room is lovely if slightly chilly and the shower is once again not too dissimilar to a sandpit. Rob has just put his shoes on the window ledge to air out and is about to discover that I used up all the hot water in the shower.
Night night. Stob.
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kate
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copy cat
Hi Dad and I have just returned from Abereenshire and have copied your idea of writing place names in the sand. We have Cullen, Whitehills, Fraserburgh and Cruden Bay. We have not been to yours and you have not been to ours!! Love mum xxxxxxx