We left the mountains behind and headed towards the windswept Atlantic Coast and the old fishing town of Essaouira.
The name Essaouira means image, which is appropriate since it's such a picturesque town. Its charm is undeniable - within the stone ramparts you'll find whitewashed houses with bright blue shutters, art galleries and wood workshops. This laidback artists' town is a former Portuguese trading colony and was once home to sizeable British and Jewish populations. The town faces a group of rocky islands - called the Mogador - and is surrounded by an expanse of sandy beaches and dunes. Really beautiful, but more importantly...really warm!!!
It's still a busy fishing port and its pretty harbour is filled with colourful boats which go out early every morning for the day's catch. Visitors who have been seduced by its charms include Orson Welles and Jimi Hendrix, who (according to local legend) spent much of his time here in the 1960s. More recently, filmmaker Ridley Scott chose the ramparts as an important location for his film, Kingdom of Heaven.
We had a local guide who took us on a walking tour through the old Medina, Jewish mellah, port and skala (sea wall).
We stayed in a wonderfully restored riad - a traditional nobleman's house unique to Morocco - an escape from the hustle and bustle of the Medina. Our riad had a central courtyard and was beautifully designed and decorated in traditional Moroccan style.
Everything in the small centre was within walking distance and the beach was beautiful and clean. It was wonderful to be by the sea again. I took the time to browse the shops and art galleries that make this little town a particularly pleasant place to be. It has a growing reputation for its unique art including its burled Thuya wood - delicately formed and inlaid in tiny shops, which are built into the thick walls of the Portuguese ramparts. The scent from the oils used to polish the richly coloured wood permeates the air and made for a pleasant change from the meat markets with sheeps heads, entrails, and God knows what, filling the streets!
Our guide Aziz took us to a very fun restaurant for dinner. It was Laura's birthday and we were in the mood to celebrate. The food was amazing - fresh seafood caught that day and traditional live music to dine to. We all ended up dancing until midnight and then walked back to the hotel to have birthday cake. It was one of the best nights of the trip, and, I'm sure, one of Laura's most memorable birthdays!
