Exploring Maroc

Agadir

Casbah hill

It was a 3-hour bus ride from Marrakech to Agadir. The bus service was good and the air conditioning wasn’t as fierce as we thought it would be. The views were lovely on the way. We could see the mountains and the different type of Moroccan houses in the fields.

We arrived around 5:30 pm. Still on schedule and allowed us enough time to chill out and still wander about in the evening.

Just so we didn’t have to worry about buses to Essaouira and Marrakech, we decided to buy our tickets well in advance with Supratours. Good planning because it was so difficult for us to book these online. They required certain cards for payment purposes.

The cab dropped us off at New Farah Hotel. It was located a little bit further away from the touristy

Petite Taxi

buildings and the ocean. I actually liked that it wasn’t close to the typical spots. We didn’t get to see fellow tourists as much though. But not that it really mattered.

We were ushered to our room. It had 2 single beds clothed with red covers, a typical Moroccan style. The toilet wasn’t as clean as we expected it to be. Alf had to dose it with Dettol. I guess for a low rating hotel, it was good for the amount we were charged. So not that we can really complain.

For dinner, we decided to try out the restaurant downstairs. Tagine was the main thing in our minds. Alf ordered the beef and I ordered the fish. It was my first time to try it and was happy with the flavours and spices. We also tried their mint tea, which was Superbly done and mixed. Apparently in Morocco, they have a particular style in serving tea. 

Alf buying spices

After dinner Alf and I decided to go to the beach and explore around. We ended up going back to the hotel after 45 minutes of walking, the beach (la plage) out of sight, only darkness and the ocean breeze. Why? We weren’t really sure about our bearing, but for sure we could feel the ocean was just nearby. We had a faint sketch of Agadir but I guess the best way to find your bearing is to arrive at a place in broad daylight. Of course that statement does not apply for all countries. Obviously for this one, daylight was so much safer. We experienced men looking at us, and hassling us. The point where we got scared was when a car pulled over and put down the window just to yell something at us. Same happened for a few cars on the other side of the road. We weren’t wearing offending clothes at all, come to think of it. I guess it was just that we looked different. Plus, we were both girls… coz we observed that some of the girls who wore daring clothes weren’t hassled..as long as they were with a guy. Fair enough. We decided to call it a night.

The following day, we were more ready than ever. We slept in a little bit and woke up around 10 am. Breakfast was available in the hotel so we decided to just get it there. Besides, wifi was only available downstairs. No signal whatsoever in and around the rooms.

We decided to explore the Souk, which wasn’t that far of a walk anyway. Of course, we indulged in the cheap items we could get out hands on. Spices were beautifully prepared inverted cones that intensified the colours of the souk. Alf bought a few for her cooking. Other colours were from the fruits, sandals, tagine containers and so much more. It was buzzing with life and energy. Bargaining will always be part of the souk thing, I guess it’s all the same in any market you go to. Walking away has always been the technique, and of course, it worked. Prices decreased from the original amount. In a way I felt guilty asking for such a lower price, considering that you can actually see the poverty in the country. But just is the case, some store owners bump it all too high too which is not fair either. So I think if you agree with a median amount, then all should be sweet.

Around mid-afternoon we decided to go back to the hotel, drop off our stuff and head to the beach.

view from Casbah

Agadir beach has been the fave spot of locals and tourists alike. Reviews always call it a very touristy city in Morocco. True enough, decks of chairs were planted on the beach, but we noticed only a few tourist. Majority of the people were locals… friends and families who were hanging out on the weekend. We took our shoes/sandals off and walked barefoot on the sand.

After an hour, we headed to the Marina. And of course, as expected it was posh and full of signature shops. Expensive cars could be spotted around and a few boats were at the dock. We lingered for a while and watched some kids feed the fish. Then we decided to have our late lunch/early dinner in front of the wharf. Just chilled and waited for half an hour before sunset.

fortress walls of Casbah

Around 7:30, we hailed a cab. The driver demanded 100, to take us up to the summit of Casbah, wait for us, and drop us off at the hotel. We said yes. The guy was wearing a blue & white checkered shirt, looking more presentable that the other cab drivers we’ve had.

Casbah is the oldest district of Agadir which was built back in the 1500's by Moullay Abdallah. It was once a lovely fortress with winding road and walls until the destructive earthquake of 29 Feb 1960. Now the only remnants of is a restored long high wall. on the hill is an Arabic inscription translating to "God, Country, King".

We got to the top and found that it was indeed a good view of the city of Agadir. We waited till sunset (around 8-ish pm), then allowed the hues change and add up a little bit of drama to the scenery. Remnants of the fortress glimmered in red and the fishing ports below got darker as the sun went down. That was our last night in Agadir.

Essaouira

We only had 1 night in Essaouira but I was glad we took the earliest bus from Agadir (via

Supratours). The city was well worth the visit, and I’d say I can picture myself staying there for a few days.

The bus ride from Agadir was 3.5 hours, flowing through the coastline and catching lovely views of the Atlantic Ocean whilst winding up the mountains through dry Moroccan fields. Alf was feeling a little bit dizzy so she tried to have a shut eye along the way.

Essaouira was originally called Mogador in portugeuse. In Berber, it meant “wall” pertaining to the fortress walls that was built around the city. Remnants of this still remains, which I’d say, adds up to the character of the place. It seems that the place has been one of the well-known trading posts even back in the 5th century BC.

We got ourselves a petite taxi and was dropped near the main square. Good thing we had a map with us… it didn’t take us 10 minutes to figure out where our Riad was.

Riad Dar Ness was so accessible and convenient. The Rue was a small dark alley but still safe. A blue gate greeted us with the sign Hotel Dar Ness. We knocked and a Moroccan lady welcomed us in.

I’d say, the place is highly recommendable. Everything was Moroccan style even from the faintest details of the toilet/bath and to the details of the doors, windows and interior. It didn’t have aircon, but being right beside the Atlantic, the cool ocean breeze was enough for a night in summer.

After blazing with amazement about the Riad, we went out to start exploring. We only had technically a day to see Essaouira coz we were catching the bus to Marrakech the following day.

The cobbled streets were very lovely and different restos and cafes had their seats out with people just lazing around. We found it interesting though that we found more tourists in Esso than in Agadir. I figured maybe because there were day tours organized from Marrakech, which explained the numerous tourist buses along the beach, waiting for their clients to be collected.

We had lunch at a restaurant with a lovely view of the fortress walls. The ocean breeze was cooling
despite the sun’s heat. It was a top deck lounge where a lot of tourists lingered, taking photos of the view from afar.

The seagulls pestered onlookers as we walked along the coast. The fortress walls still designed with old canyons had a 10DH entrance fee. We didn’t have second thoughts, paid the guy at the door and found our way up. The view was lovely, with the mix of the blue fishing boats, the fortress walls, the north tower and a sight of Essaouira square. The Atlanta crushed the rocks just below the walls, and some of the locals jumped from stone to stone, enjoying the day.

We explored more and found ourselves along the stretch of beach. It was a very long stretch of sand but we liked it more than Agadir. A lot of wind and kite surfers, locals and tourists alike, enjoyed the waves and bumped up and down as the wind blew them away. A few horses and camels lazed around the beach, waiting as their masters tried to lure people to get a ride. I observed though that they didn’t hassle people as much as how the locals did back in Agadir, which was good. Make me like Essaouira so much better.

It was Ate Jojo’s 40th birthday and I wanted to hear mass for her, so we found ourselves a Catholic Church on that Sunday afternoon. We read , 6 pm mass..so we decided to stay around the beach till we had to go back to hear service. We ended up then walking further on the sand until we got to the point where dunes were forming and the small town of Essaouira was quite a distance. We wrote our names on the sand and designed it with our jandals. Cute.

Around 6 pm, we headed back to the church just to find out that we read it a little bit wrong…. It meant that it was an 11 pm Sunday mass and a 6 pm Thursday mass. Oops. Oh well. We did enjoy the beach walk anyway. So all was well.

We decided to head back to the Riad quickly, refresh and then head out to the West/North Gate. We watched yet another sunset in Morocco. A lot of people sat there just to have the silence they needed. A group of locals were singing playing instruments by the canyons. I just had to take a photo.

Dinner was at one of the local restos, where I tried the fish and Alf tried the kafta. It was a full meal, with a dessert of yoghurt.

Yes, the yoghurt. The following day, Alf had the traveler’s diarrhea, and we were thinking it might have been the yoghurt.

Alf decided to stay back at the Riad while I went on my way to get myself stamps. I tried to check out the nearest pharmacy and buy Alf some dehydration tablets, but just found that it was due to open at 3 pm in the afternoon.

Around 3 pm we were bound for Marrakech.

Marrakech

Our first few moments in Marrakech were crazier than what we expected it to be. Of course, as a big city, we knew it would be hectic compared to the rest of the places (except Casablanca), but getting hassled by a kid wasn’t part of what we thought it would be. By the time we found ourselves at the door of the “well hidden” Riad, 1 kid turned out to be 5 kids, asking for 50 dirhams, instead of the initially agreed 20 dh. Talk about cunning or what.

The riad was fine, but nothing could beat the Dar Ness for us. We still had a double bed, but the toilet/bath was so small and it didn’t have a door. Yes, it had a curtain instead. Plus, it didn’t have exhaust which meant the room would have the scent of the toilet. But, we didn’t bother to complain anymore.

Marrakech adventure was more of walking the “big square”, going through the Souk, hanging out for 3 hours at the a very good restaurant with authentic Moroccoan meals, and going to the post office to drop off my postcards.

The other touristy stuffs we did, like going through the Jardines and the tombs. But just the same as Alf, we thought Marrakech was just another tourist trap.

I believe that going up the Atlas mountains and staying in the villages would have been more of the experience to have. Going through souks and market would of course would always be part of the Moroccan experience.

By Wednesday, we were on the plane back to London.

And… after the crazy Ryan Air adventure of running around … I lost my glasses.