Essaouira - What It's All About

From Oulidia, continuing down the coast, the scenery begins to change.  The green rolling hills slowly give way to low-lying rocky mountains; the coastline becomes more dramatic; men wearing turbans wrestle donkeys down the shoulder of the road; camels are silhouetted on the horizon.  There is a greater sense of the exotic and anticipation mounts for what lays ahead.  Then comes the town of Essaouira.  Immediately upon stepping foot off the bus I knew this was my place to slow down.

Historically Essaouira was an important trading port where gold, ivory, and salt, among other things, passed on its way to Europe.  Today, it is a busy fishing harbor with a vibrant port packed to the gills with fishing vessels.  The new part of the town feels like any other city with unattractive concrete buildings and annoying traffic, but once inside the old fortified medina, one is taken back to the days of wheelin' and dealin' in ivory and gold.  Although touristy, the medina is exotically charming; the streets are narrow and winding (perfect for keeping cars out of) with lots of old wooden doors hanging on rusty hinges and tunnels and arches one has to duck to pass through.  My aimless strolls through the streets left me wondering where one building started and another ended; it's as if the entire medina is one giant building in which the streets and passageways were carved out of.  To further add to the atmosphere, the constant rumbling was a reminder of the wildly churning ocean just beyond the walls.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed looking at the map of the medina (which is where all the cheap accommodation is), I went against my "do-it-yourself" attitude and had a local man lead me to a place to stay (for a small tip of course).  I told him cheap, so I wasn't too surprised that the first place he took me to was likely his buddie's bedroom that was already occupied by two men lazing around in front of the TV.  Okay, not that cheap.  the next place he took me to was a small multi-storey riad (I think a riad is more or less a traditional home) tucked way back at the end of a dark alley and ran by a husband and wife. It was perfect.  For the equivalent of $12 I got a beautifully decorated room with a brass sink and more pillows than I knew what to do with (again).  Turns out, a couple years back this had been the home for a Peace Corps volunteer.  It was a magical place to rest my head with warm greetings from the husband and wife and the delightful smells of their cooking and burning incense wafting into my room.

It is remarkable how quickly time flies when in an extraordinary place.  I have been in many a places where after one hour I am already pulling my hair out, ready to hit the road.  Essaouira is one of those special places where you just kind of meld into the surroundings.  You become part of it and the hours and days disintegrate with all the intoxicating aromas.  I really didn't do anything in Essaouria besides stroll, eat, drink mint tea, and learn to surf (try to learn to surf, rather).  I reluctantly left feeling that I could have continued doing nothing in particular, indefinitely.  These are the types of places that travel is all about.

 The chaotic fishing harbor of Essaouira; one can only imagine how boats manage to come and go.

The fortified medina from the outside looks like a ramshackle conglomerate of crumbling buildings; once inside though, it is magic.

I like camels, and I like places where camels live.

One of the many paths winding through the medina.  Where does it lead? Doesn't matter.

I think I've died and gone to heaven.  Olives are cheap in the market and I have been eating them like they grow on trees...they do grow on trees don't they?  A lot of trees there must be!

As if the sunset wasn't good enough, Essaouira has to add it's own wild touch.