Day off in Taroudant - 13 March

Wednesday - we are back at Riad Taroudant with its central court yard and the two cats.   

Sunset over the Medina -

- and burning hot fried rings for supper with a cup of tea.

Some fresh figs for tomorrow’s trip.  We are to get up early to catch the 11 o’clock bus. 

We are to arrive in Ouarzazate at 16:30.  Our host, Mr Hassan, has suggested to pick us up.

Tuesday, 12 March - travel day

Today ‘Taros’ went elswhere.
‘Taros’ is the Berber word for the strong wind blowing on Essaouira, ‘The windy City of Africa’.   

But the fog was thick and we can hardly see the Ocean.   That made it easier to leave this small city, where we have felt so well.   Small and small ..... the book says 77.426 inhabitants, but as we were inside the city walls, it felt small.

Transport can be many things. 

I am sitting on the our two small suitcases.

The streets in Essaouira are too narrow to allow vehicles.  Everything is transported on the push barrows or, eventually, on a motorcycle with a big box behind the driver.

The bus stop is right at the foot of the city wall and next to the nursery with hundreds of small palms.

We are well in time for the 2:30 Supratour bus and get good seats. Almost 4 hours to Agadir, from where w hope to get a ‘Shared Taxi’ to Taroudant. 

A  last look at the Ocean - and then inland with green houses to all sides.

Midway stop reminds me of  the movie ‘Baghdad Café’ 

All went as planned and we arrived well at Riad Taroudant, where we seem to be the only guests.

Essauoira - Saturday, 9 March

We are to discover the neighbourhood and start with the woodcarvers’ street.

A narrow alley echoeing the noise of hammering and sawing.

 

We meet the artist, who gained the title as ‘Best wood carver of the Year’.  Pleased to show us around with in depth explanations.

The inlay of this table is designed on the support, cut out and carefully numbered,

- then colour treated with varnish before being repositioned and polished’

There a several motives to chose from ....

We buy a few small boxes with secret openings.

Much more difficult to chose the right, very sweet and homemade candy - with nuts or almond

Essaouira - Sunday, 10 March 2019

We have two more night at Hotel Riad Nakhla, where we have the sole double room on the rop
 with view on the Minaret of the big Mosque, Sidi Ahmed (better known as Sidi Mohammed).
Next to sightseeing we also find time to read and to play a game of card (Casino) or dice (Yatzee).

Essaouira is not only beauty, blue sky and good food ... here is a backside alley with the well hidden but ever present rubbish.

Our only company is dozens of seagulls, agressive during breakfast time.

Behind the Mosque is the harbour - and some 45 seafood stalls.  The setup is frightfully simple awould never pass a European food safety control.  There is for instance no water supply.  But who cares about cleaning tables and cutlery as long as the freshly grilled crustaceous are excellent - and served with a  big smile, often toothless, and much enthousias ?

Fishermen on the cliffs, the Northern Bastion, Mogador Island at the horizon and a close view on Square Orson Wells. 

Essaioura has seduced many film instructors such as Oliver Stone with ‘Alexander’ and Ridley Scott with ‘Kingdom of Heaven’.  Orson Wells as for him choose Essaouira for the first scene of ‘Othello’. Some will reecognize Essaoira from the third part of ‘Game of Thrones’.

Leaving Sidi Kaouki on Friday, 8 March

A last walk to the beach in Sidi Kaouki.

Leaving with some regret to catch the mid-day bus for Essaouira.

This parking lot gateman sits the whole day in a small box opposite the bus stand.  

Happily, because he knew that on Fridays the noon bus will leave only at 18:45 !

So we are, once again, forced to take a ‘Shared’ taxi.   There is nobody to share with except a man, who wants a free ride. We end up paying 100 Dh (10€) for 25 km.  Expensive here - cheap in Europe.

This 45-minute ride is beautiful with breathtaking views.  Once again Hans is pleased not to drive

Cars and motorcycles are not allowed behind the city walls - luggage is transported on a kind of wheelbarrow.

We get the top floor room with view on the Mosque and the ‘pittoresque’ back alley.

Lots and lots of seagulls keep us company throughout the whole day.

The weather has been lovely throughout the day.  

The evening is so cold, that we greatfully accept one hour’s hammam before supper in the harbour.

Although Essaouira proofs to be entitled to carry its name as ‘Windy City’, it is tempting to stay for a couple of says ....

Friday, 8 March 2019 - Muslim prayer day

We are about to leave Sidi Kaouki, 27 kms south of Essaouira, at the Atlantic coast.  

We stayed at va small guesthouse, 

Dar Afoulki, and paid 30€ for BB with private bathroom and sea view. 

Goats and sheep right at the doorstep and a lovely beach at 100 meters.

Our destination is Essaouir, where we will stay for a couple of nights.

Monday, 4 March 2019 - Taroudant

This morning Mohamed was happy to present HONEY for breakfast. That reminded me of the many beehives, we saw when driving through Sahara some weeks ago.  There is nothing but stones, sand, ruins - and bees  They are brown and smaller than the ones in Denmark. There are patches of yellow rucula flowers all over the desert, but still the distance to the hive is considerable

 

Some weeks ago we saw how a roof is made:  long reeds are cleaned from leaves and small branches.

Then they are neatly sewn together to be covered with a layer of mud mixed with straw.

This what the ceiling looks like in most houses.

Walls are built with sunbaked bricks made from the same mix and laid out to ‘bake’ at a temperature reaching 45°C.

This kind of mud-bricks have been used throughout the country and as it doesn’t rain much, they are fine.  But after a couple of heavy rainfalls they will start to crumble.

The finishing of the interior walls are made with ‘Tadelakt’, which is typical for Maroccan architecture to make baths, sinks, floors, walls and ceilings.  It is made from lime plaster, which is rammed, polished and treated with soap to make it waterproof.  4 layers of 1/8 inch, polished with a stone and black olive oilsoap.  The result is like shiny marble.

 In the valley It is already spring  -