A Broad Abroad

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Part 6: Our last few days we spent in Essaouira, on the Atlantic. The Medina is much smaller than in Marrakesh and we had it figured out within a day. We stayed in a typical Riad. A Riad is a sort of guest house with a central area open to the heavens which lets in air but little sun. All the inner doors and windows then open into this central area. It gets mighty hot in Morocco and this is an ancient system that kept people cool. Lots of shade. One of the walls of the Medina is built right on the rocks over the ocean. Huge breakers crash against the walls and the spray leaves a constant mist in the air of the first few roads nearest the wall. Farther in one would never know the ocean was nearby. Essaouira is a whitewashed, bright blue shuttered kind of place. Where it's clean and pretty, it's very pretty. Where it isn't, it's because it's dirty and dank. However, there a a lot of little hidden surprises. Our Riad, for example, was down a tiny, damp, smelly, dark alley. I had serious doubts when we saw the entrance. But once the door was opened all doubts disappeared. Inside is a true oasis. There is the tiny center garden surrounded by seating area and a wood fireplace for cold evenings. Looking up through the middle to the blue, blue sky you see 4 floors of balconies with carved wooden doors, intricate rod iron light fixtures, potted plants, and lovely colored tile work. Of course being Morocco there is always a layer of dust everywhere but I was not discouraged. On the roofs, on three levels, were terraces. One where we ate a scrumptious breakfast every morning, (the French brought pastry and bread making to North Africa,), one for sitting in the shade, and the topmost for sunbathing. I spent at least an hour up top each day. Essaouira is well-known amongst surfers and has miles of beach and huge waves. We took a long walk one day and watched locals give horseback riding lessons alongside surfing lessons and camel rides and dune buggy rides. This town was much more relaxing than Marrakesh and we spent a lot of time doing absolutely nothing which was WONDERFUL!

Here are a few of my favorite things! xxoo me