I Must be Getting Old..

Wednesday March 4, lovely day again.

Up and gone again by 9:15. It was a relatively short run today from Marrakech to Essaouira, 191 Ks. The roads were excellent and the landscape was mixed: some barren, some crops, some small towns and then some mega-farms with olives mostly as far as I could see.

We had a few quick stops so the driver could get a break. Nothing terribly exciting for me, we did have another stop at a Argan Oil facility. It is the oil made from the fruit of an Argan tree. The nuts are processed into oils, butter, creams, rubs  etc. It is loaded with fatty acids and is used for treating skin issues such as psoriasis etc. Frightfully expensive.

We passed some Argan trees today with goats perched in the branches. The shepherds place them in the trees and they just stay there, almost frozen. You pay to take a picture. Apparently there is a black goat that does climb trees but these ones are staged. Anything that makes money here is fair game it seems.

We came into our town for the night and my main objective was to have nap!  We had lunch at a restaurant very close to our hotel and right on the beach. Very very Mediterranean and very French.

A short five minute walk to the hotel, Cutlers went for a walk. I had my nap while Fellette read.

Somewhat later we went for a walk. I had hoped that the walk would wake me up and give me some inspiration for the blog. It failed. We walked to the harbour where the fishing boats are tied up. It smelt like any fishing wharf only worse because there was a hint of sewage in the mix as well as old fish,.

We wandered the area a bit and found it interesting but not particularly pleasurable. The beggars are a bit depressing but the scene is lively with scores of tourists from everywhere: some old Brits, some Americans, lots of French speaking non-Moroccans, some western Europe and others of course.

Maybe it is my age, maybe I am a bit travel-weary and just want a peanut butter sandwich and home, who knows, but I cannot understand what the attraction is here. It has an African feel outside right now, it sure is a working fishing town but other than that I do not understand the appeal.

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Our  Morocco trip has been a very, very interesting and at the same time puzzling experience. It is in the middle ages and has a surging economy, at the same time. It also appears to be one of the more sensible of the Muslim countries

My biggest single problem the last 13 days has been the food. In reality my appetite has been turned off and I eat only to sustain life. I had a simple lunch today, I thought, yet here I am a few hours later typing the blog sipping a drink of water with a sachet of a powdered mix I bought from a chemist a few days back because I always seem to have an uneasy feeling in my stomach. It will soon be dinner time again and I am not the least bit hungry. It is a wonderful and exciting country, sans food!

On the other hand, the Internet has been remarkable, easy to connect and fast. Also FREE at every stop we have been. As I say, a remarkable place if they could only get the food right!

Sunrise in Marrakech this morning, no need to look at the weather forecast.

Pit stop.

Argan nuts being cracked by hand, with two rocks!

Fellette and Gail dutifully listening to the sales pitch without any intent of buying. Doug looks on from afar.

Back in the van!

A Moroccan Goat Tree.

Yup!

Lunch, before the place filled with tourists, who eat later.

This is our first view of our destination for the night, that is the Atlantic ocean.

Out for a walk with high hopes.

Part of the fleet of smaller boats here, not how they fit in with the larger trawlers, if at all.

Nets and gear waiting to go fishing I assume. The scene was reminiscent of Porbandar, our last port in India, which was appalling,

Just a cool door.

Big square. I assume it has/had a purpose.

Our home for the night.

The dining area is inside. Looks great but there are no peanut butter sandwiches in there.