Day Fifteen
Date: 12 May 2013
Place: Essaouira -
Marrakesh
Weather: Sunny and very
hot
Accommodation: Hotel
Akhiti
After a very enjoyable evening we were up, a little slower
and knowing that this was the last full day of the Moroccan trip. Essaouira has been a very enjoyable stay at
the end of our exciting trip. Being
heavily French influenced makes it easier for people to negotiate their way
around restaurants and of course our favourite hobby of shopping!
Essaouira enjoys balmy temperatures with windy conditions
and is such a contrast to hot and dusty (albeit exciting) Marrakesh which we
were heading back to today.
The baggage was loaded for the last time and Said had two
wagons full to head through the alleys to the bus outside the medina. Marrakesh was only three hours away and we
had two stops – one to take photos of the goats in the argan trees and a
coffee/WC stop.
The last time.....packed up and ready!
At the goat stop next to the highway there were quite a few
of the animals up the trees and Said had warned us that the people place them
there for tips! Undaunted we asked to
stop and paid the usual amount before taking photos. One of the men wanted us to hold the cutest
little goat but as I am one of the last people standing that hasn’t been sick
it was a polite ‘no, thank you!’.
The men had built little platforms of sticks for the goats
to stand on and they were busily chomping away on the flesh of the argan
nuts. A little way along I saw a small
kid clamour up a tree so although we saw a staged setting for tourists I was
reassured that goats really do climb the
argan trees!
I kid you not.....excuse the pun!
I often wondered what they ate!
As we arrived in Marrakesh to the same riad we had stayed in
before it was very hot once again – such a difference from the coast. Our guide, Said, settled us into the hotel
and distributed our luggage before we said sad goodbyes to him and our lovely
driver Abdullah. We were a lucky tour
group to have such attentive and thoughtful people.
A group of us headed into the souk for some last minute
shopping and lunch. David and I sat
overlooking the square under an umbrella taking in the sights. Acrobats performed in front of the
restaurants for tips and small shops dotted the square.
You can feel the heat just looking at this!
One last look at the snake charmers....for a price!
As one of the group had shown us the main street of the
markets we headed back in for some more shopping. It is a great pastime on a hot day as the area
is covered and much cooler and we spent some considerable time before raising
the white flag – so much to see!
By mid-afternoon we had had enough of haggling and we made
our way back in the heat to the hotel for a sleep. I must have needed it as two hours later I
felt much better.
We met up with eleven of our group for dinner (one was
feeling the heat, the other still not quite well enough) and chose a bar near
the riad that sells alcohol…..we couldn’t celebrate our last night without a
few ‘good health’s’ before we went our separate ways.
The group savoured the last night with each other’s company
and reflected upon the marvellous, interesting and sometimes bizarre
experiences of our Moroccan adventure.
What a time we have had!
Tomorrow we head off in all directions so this is the last
post from me until our next adventure!
Wishing all my lovely new friends ‘safe travels!’.
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