Essaouira to Marrakech

 The cat population in Essaouira is quite large, about 3000, and with tourists cats are often associated with rabies. Not so with the Essaouira people, who treat cats with a similar kindly attitude as they treat all people. The cats are not domesticated but were appreciated as rat and mouse catchers in the days of the large shipping port. Many people cut a cat hole in their door so the cats could enter, however this led to more rats and mice entering too, so now we can see many sealed up cat holes.

The cats are fed with dry food in bowls or heaps in the street, and many frequent the port area where the fishermen are kind to them. Rashid told us that there is a system started by English people who live there where cats are de-sexed, and a missing tip to the ear indicates that the cat has been fixed.

                                                                                                               

With the many hours we spent crushed amongst frenzied crowds at Dubai and Casablanca airports it was inevitable that COVID would catch us. We have now been in Morocco five days and of our seventeen Travellers six now have COVID and another six have had 'upset tums'. Our wonderful tour guide has been very kind in sourcing more masks, looking for anti virals and other needs. All are soldiering on, the sickies sit at the back of the bus and those expecting the inevitable are sitting to the front. Driss says that in his vast experience it is just like a cold so don't worry!

Today we left the Atlantic coast and travelled inland. Morocco is suffering a six year drought and the land we saw this morning was very dry. Small Berber villages appeared every so often otherwise the country was pretty much barren.

Our morning break certainly felt like an oasis, located in the middle of nowhere yet set in a green and pretty garden space. It had take-away style food as well as chicken tagines cooked outdoors, lots of garden seating, an excellent play area for children and very clean toilets (5 -10 dirham entry)

What charmed us were the Berber tent-like relaxing areas. They were all hand made and so beautiful.

                                             

Nearer to Marrakech we passes argan plantations and later watermelon and melon plantings.

Housing in one of the larger towns. I would like to be able to photograph some of the rural dwellings but of course I only see them from the coach. They range from shanties to quite large structures made from hand made mud bricks or concrete ones. Very many seem to be not completed nor occupied. More than roof tax I'm thinking.

Nearing Marrakech I saw this wall art on the end of a sporting complex.

Marrakech is known as the pink or red city, for obvious reason. Its appearance is very French with wide boulevards, grand buildings and French style restaurants. The addition of tall palm trees makes a stunning impression.

This is the Royal Opera House, opposite our hotel.

The view from our fourth floor balcony, from which we enjoyed real French-style baguette with Emmental cheese for lunch.

In the evening we went to Marrakech's main square Jemaa el-Fnaa. As our info sheet says 'it is a wondrous mix of food, music and entertainment [which gives] a taste of this lively city.' The music was the dominant feature for us, lots of strings and drum beats ... very tribal. It was just after sunset when we arrived and it was amazing, but when we came out of the restaurant and it was dark...wow!

Our typical Moroccan dinner at Al Baraka provided food, music and entertainment too. We ate bread and a variety of 'salads' (grated carrot in rose water was a favourite), lamb with cous cous, vegetables and chick peas and two sauces, followed by oranges slices with rose water and dates and mini pancakes.

Musical entertainment with traditional instruments and a belly dancer completed the evening.

              

Home to bed in preparation for a big day of walking tomorrow.