Morocco: Finding peace in Essaouria
Unlike usual we booked this trip months ahead. As the time came closer so did ambivalence. It was hard to slot in, I was now pregnant and until a few weeks before the flight, we thought we could not go. Once we landed in Morocco ambivalence ceased. We hit Marrakech first and it is a city that forces clarity fast. I felt immediately that this travel experience was going to test our edges. And it did.
Ruya has started talking and the new words and phrases that emerged during our Morocco visit tell a lot about her take on the trip: a bit dirty, Marrakech, sad donkeys, see camels, motorbikes, orange juice and croissant.
Marrakech is bustling, hot and full of visual impression. We stayed in a traditional riad house in the centre of the old city. The location was prefect, in the heart of old city walls and current everyday living. My first mistake was to book us in for too long in Marrakech. After two days we were ready to go. It felt good for that time and then we were done. We are not big buyers so the markets did not interest us beyond a walk through visual experience. We were told we would be hassled non stop by sellers but we did not experience that. You need to barter and barter hard. But my partner is Turkish and has bartering in his bones, and I have had enough experience in India and South Africa. We played and haggled and had no issues with being harassed. The issue is more that prices are not fixed. If you get that then much of the stress falls away. It forces a different relating between buyer and seller, a give and take. It makes the exchange more vivid and challenges our concepts of what is fair. Fairness becomes momentary. And the price depends on how you relate in the moment, the meeting of character and discussion.
Beyond markets there is of course food. My pregnant belly made itself heard and toddlers need to eat now. It is hard to avoid the tourist trap restaurants. We would laugh at being confronted with the same kind of menu every day. But we did find one brilliant cafe that was used by locals and served food worth going back to. Ruya ate a lot of couscous, fruit, bread and the occasional omelette. Cheese is non existent, except for a soft white version of happy cow, but olives abound. In the morning people eat various flat breads and we would find fresh, hot ones from small local canteens, with no menu or table. Fruit juices are everywhere and the date juice blend with milk is a sweet taste of heaven. French cuisine is part of the culture so crepes, croissants and coffee feature on every menu.
Our one respite in Marrakech was the Jardin Majorelle Garden. Small yet exquisite, it served as a perfect playground for our little one, who spent a lot of time mastering the various stair cases. There were fish, bright colours, pathways to explore and a decent cafe. It is peaceful and easily accessible.
In search of more peace we headed for Essaouira. This small, windy, coastal town is 2 hours and 45 minutes on the bus. Supratours offers daily bus rides but opt for the first class bus. You can reserve your seat and get much more leg room.
Essaouria is windy so whilst the beach is large you have to be comfortable with wind to enjoy it. People flock here for wind sports. I love the wind so this did not put me off. The one small playground that exists is on the beach. It is simple but suffices. You pay a small fee to the man who care takes the area and enjoy the view of the ocean. The old town with its maze of streets has a magic that grows on you. I relished my morning walks with Ruya, as the shops opened, the smell of hot bread being cooked outside and cats running around. By afternoon it buzzes with shops selling sandals, clothes and bags, vegetable stands and fish markets. The locals eat fish at lunch and the best way to do it is go to the fish market and pick your fish, sit at your chosen restaurant and they will cook it for you. It is fresh, simple and delicious.
In general there are no changing stations. People seemed totally fine with us changing diapers on public benches. Just find a shady spot and change away. You can easily buy diapers and wipes at many little shops within the walled city. The streets present a challenge for a toddler who wants to walk. In Marrakech motorbikes wiz past, and in Essaouira carts drawn by donkeys and fast moving people make it hard to navigate. But Ruya learned to grab my hand and we found quiet streets for her to explore.
La Fromagerie, which is half an hour drive outside of Essaouria, is a taste sensation. Small, rustic and homely, this cheese making farm has been running for decades. It recently moved so the new location is still getting done up but it already has an ambience of pleasure. A small menu rotates daily, and our dishes were exquisite. Ruya played with puppies, explored the garden and tasted cheese. You could feel time rest a little here.
Perhaps the highlight for our little one was the cats. They live on the streets, many of them pregnant, and she got to see newborn kittens. Ruya loves kitties so seeing them was a constant delight. She learned not to touch just look. And gaze she did, at everything. I wander what she thought about the place we were in, but I know for sure it will leave a deep impression.
Morocco was not always easy. Having a child and large belly made it harder. But for all the challenge it may present the experience is worth it. There is something charming about the walled in cities, the desert that still holds nomads and the bustle of people living in close quarters. It is a land that has been deeply colonised and yet it holds its own. We may not be back but our memory will visit this area often
