The road is long

with 550 kms of winding turns...... so we used the Peage & saved ourselves about a day of flat dull landscape. Even so we still had ourselves a full 6 hours of driving & were just about at the end of our tethers when Essaouria hit the horizon.

En route we've seen some really poor, poor areas of the country, as well as the opulent flip side (such as the $0.5 BLN mosque of Casablanca). Halfway down the coast we dropped via the "St Tropez of Morocco" for a relaxing spot of lunch. Errr, either the writer hadn't been to the said destination or I must have blinked when the token Ferrari shot, by but we have started to take our guidebook descriptions with a larger pinch of salt than before. L'Ourila was full of French caravans, mussel selling touts & pink fishing boats. We could have stopped for the night but decided to snap teh pretty boats & press on as the place was dead.


With no radio or music of any description we'd started making up games, singing songs & then fining each other for trivial stuff like swearing & putting annoying 80's tunes in our heads that then wouldn't leave. We've all but had enough of traveling through Morocco now. It's been great fun but are in need of a change of scene, culture & cuisine; There is after all only so lunch Targine & couscous one can eat!!!

We've compiled a list of mementos & images that sum up Morocco for us

1. Pictures of the King in every establishment - some with stubble, some without, some posed for others "action" shots.
2. The Flag - in even more places than the king's face.
3. Cafes full of just men.
4. Men seemingly sat watching the world go by, even in the middle of nowhere.
The pointed hoods of the affectionately termed "Moroccan sleeping bag." (hooded all-in-one overcoat)
5. Disheveled looking Donkeys out numbering men.
6. Being called my friend by nearly everyone I don't know
7. Lines of Medina bazaars selling absolutely the same stuff all at a very special price to you.... my friend
8. Targine & Couscous on every menu.
9. Awakening to the call to prayer every morning.


Anyway, we're now within the high sided harbour walls of Essaouria's medina. We've been sheltering from the weather over the past 2 days, catching up on sleep & reading up on UK news, courtesy of the day late Telegraph that is sold here. We are out of season & many of the hotels & restaurants are closed. Those that remain open are clean & friendly (a novelty factor) & naturally, as this is a fishing town the fish here is superb. There has been an arty influence of a few European Bohemia which gives the the town an individual vibe that feels really good.

We head back to Marrakech tomorrow & fly home briefly on Friday, glad to know be are on flying on Easyjet not BA!! Next stop - Kenya & Kilimanjaro !!!