Morocco, part 7: Essaouira

Having had enough of Marrakech, we headed to Essaoiura, a laid-back and pleasant seaside town that we liked very much. The medina (old town where cars aren't permitted) is surrounded by a wall.



We stayed in a lovely dar (small hotel) with a roof terrace, where we drank mint tea, Morocco's beverage of choice.



There wasn't any hassle from touts in Essaouira. If you said "no thanks," vendors would respect your disinterest and not pursue you. What a relief after the constant harrassment in Marrakech.

This fellow seems relaxed.



We had a look at the little port full of row boats and fishing boats.



Some men were repairing ships.





This boat might need more than a little paint:



The ladder below looks as if it's made for people with five-foot-long legs. Check out the amount of space between the rungs.



We saw some fishermen repairing nets.



We took an enjoyable walk on the long, flat beach at dusk. Kids played soccer, and families and couples strolled. Perhaps the rules aren't as strict as we thought, or maybe this particular couple is really wild and crazy.



People ride horses on the beach.



So it's a cliché; it was still a beautiful sunset.



These lamps add some atmosphere to a narrow street on our way back to the hotel from dinner.

Morocco, part 6: Marrakech

Back to our Morocco travelogue. Back on March 17, we left Aït Benhaddou and drove over the Atlas mountains to Marrakech. The road was curvy.



And snowy.



And beautiful.



Like Fes, Marrakech is full of tiny alleyways, most packed with people, but there are some quiet ones as well.



Some are dedicated to particular types of goods, like slippers (babouches) or jewelry. This is the wool-dyers' alley.



Marrakech is great for people-watching.







Guess which of these people is local.



Much activity centers around Djemaa el-Fna, the main square, known as "La Place." There you can find not very charming snake charmers



who drape snakes around unsuspecting tourists' necks and then demand money.



There are also colorful tea carts



as well as vendors of all kinds. (Those are dried fruits and nuts for sale in the foreground. We got dates and almonds -- yum.)



Behind the man in the photo below, you can see the Argana Restaurant, where we had dinner one night on the balcony. A bit over a month later, on April 28, the restaurant was bombed and destroyed, killing both locals and tourists.