View from the balcony:
Yes we could see all the way out to sea, the hotel was right on the promenade but in its own grounds (which were very well kept). Food (good), drinks (plentiful), hotel (lovely) and just a short walk to the main town. Overall Agadiar was not a sprawling place and there was a marina, souks, cafes, restaurants and the mad taxis!!! Oh the orange taxis are an experience in themselves (these are the petite taxis for 2 / 3 people), however you may have to hang onto the door in case it falls off!!! Seat belts are optional (or not there!), and there is no clear give way on roundabouts - on the plus side, they are cheap and cheerful.
On our way to Essaouria (4hour drive by coach), we saw goats climbing trees to eat, camels in the wild and `park and ride`donkeys; yes people park there donkeys and get a bus to the nearest market, then on there return load there donkeys and head home (can we have this service for Waitrose? - well it would be carbon neutral). It also seemed that people lived in the middle of nowhere and we saw people just walking eventhough we seemed not to be near a village or town. So you see a `basic`side of life and the souks reflected the local peoples life of going to the market daily. Essaouria old town was pretty, with walled souks, fishing marina and a slow pace to life. On the other hand Marrakech was full of hustle and bustle with mopeds, donkeys and people busying themselves in the central area of Djemaa el Fna. The souks were busy with traders making leather goods to welding, and you certainly got fresh chickens, take your pick from the cage! (well it is better than having them sitting on the self covered in plastic for a week!!). We saw Riads (which were like boutique hotels), the Bahia Palace and the 11th century Koutoubia Mosque. People dressed in traditional cloths (djellabas), snake charmers and too much more to mention. We ate chicken, lemon and olive tangine, couscous and fruits - the meat was really tender, but the mint tea was an acquired taste.
Yes at times I felt tired and that is when Andrew and I put our feet up with a glass of wine or two in the hotels pool bar. We a laughed lots, met some really nice people and the locals were really friendly. Only one more thing to say - we missed the kids and would love to go back and see more of Marrakech.
What trip can I plan next?
Love
Kathryn X
