Riad Dar Emotion Essaouira

Got up to another really tasty breakfast had a terrible nights sleep as some spanish girls that were staying in our Riad got up with the call to prayer at 5am and they were going off on a trip to the desert! You can go on a camel to the desert and stay overnight sleeping in a traditional tent and eating traditional food something that we would have done had we had more time.

We decided to go for a little walk around and try and buy ...

Ah Essaouira - a most idyllic seaside town along the Atlantic coast, about 3 hrs. southwest of Marrakech, and a fine spot to wind down after my many adventures across Morocco. (it's also a prime example of the Moroccans apparent fetish for vowels) ;)

Such a lovely time I've had here - more than 3 days to meander along the waterfront with nothing more pressing to do than sample freshly squeezed O.J. from a seaside ...

... it. This riad was my least favourite of all, it really needed some TLC, it was quite run down. The owner recommends a nearby restaurant and then gets offended when Alex asked if it was run by a friend or family – she meant no harm, she was just interested, maybe he was in a bad mood, I don’t know, but he says no I am taking you there because the food is good – however when we get there he walks straight past everyone and shows us to a table, so we thought he ...

... two hours. When we arrived, it was such beautiful! We walked to the defensive fortress built right on the cliffs, there are many cannons which looks ahead on the ocean. The waves are crushing on the cliffs under the fortress... And the wind of course! It knocks you down as if you were a puppet... Incredible feelings... Then we went to the deep part of the fortress, to the town itself. We visited ...

Hotel Palais Le'Heure Bleue







Imagine waking up to the sun peeking in through your suite window.

Just enough to summon you to the balcony to take in the marvelous views of Morrocco
.


The sea, the port and the towns that await you...


This could be the start of your day when you stay at the Heure Bleue Palais
.


Located in ...

... of Arabia, and lots of people would travel back home to their families, so they put an old rattling bus back on the road and it came just at the right time. There was one seat left and it was next to a middle aged woman in a long dress so I wasn't too sure if it would be ok for me to sit there or would I get thrown out of the bus after only 50 meters, but I guess I was tolerable to the community ...

Sabato pomeriggio riconsegna auto a Marrakech e subito ripartenza in bus per il mare: destinazione Essaouira! Afferriamo l'ultima serata di festival musicale e un bell'ambiente in cittą. Clima freddo e ventoso, ma soleggiato, passeggiate e grigliatone di pesce fresco accanto al porto in vista dell'ultima tappa (per me): Marrakech!

... started off lower than what we could haggle them down to in Fes. Most of our meals here consisted of the local round bread and cheese from the street stalls. Breakfast was served at our hotel. It consisted of french bread and jam and mint tea of course. Bread is a basic staple here I have learned. Which is probably safer than the meat which is just kept hanging out ...

... shame involved, no guilty looks, they just did these things. As we approached Essaouira, the scenery changed-- there were hills, some green, and yes, an amazing ocean view. It was as if we'd reached a true oasis. (by the way, it seemed that every gas station cafe we passed was named the Oasis.) When we got off the bus, we were accosted by numerous people telling us to follow them to their hotel ("clean!", "5 minutes walk", and "very clean!" appeared to be ...

... hair.  Essaouira falls between the two.  But then again p**haps th**e would nev** be a right time for us in Essaouira.It feels like a v**y European city with whitewashed walls ev**ywh**e and trimmings painted a striking blue.  P**haps a Portuguese influence?  It gives it a feeling of space, and completely diff**ent to the shambling, rambling medinas of Marrakech or Tangi**s.  It's European-ness is enhanced by a far more cosmopolitan feel to the locals - for example ...