Morocco - Sidi Kaouki to Oualidia - Essaouira

 

Breakfast outside at the Dar with the usual feline accompaniment.

Time for a quick walk, escorted by a small pack of dogs which made the first part a bit uncomfortable.

What a beach!

So different without the crowds, camels and horses from last night.

Need for a washroom visit before the drive let me see the Dar 

where the others had been staying.

It wasn't a very long drive and we were in Essaouira, first settled and fortified by the Portuguese.

We had a brief tour around the Medina to get the lay of the land. It was very quiet,

more stores opening up as we walked.

Cats waiting for the daily

activity to start.

Up onto

the ramparts.

with the waves crashing at the base.

Its a small pedestrian area, 2 main streets,

so, unlike Marrakech,

no fears of getting lost

or hit by a scooter.

Back at the main square we decided to stay for a couple of hours and meet back there.

Nic, Dave and I

found a place for a coffee and then bought some pastries to try.

I split off,

to explore

the harbour.

Through the arch and it was a swirl of 

sights and

smells

and sounds.

A huge variety of fish to buy - crab, lobster, urchin, huge tuna, long eels, sharks and lots and lots of sardines.

Opportunistic cats

and gulls.

I walked all the way to the end past the bigger boats

and the men mending nets.

and then back to the square

where I enjoyed the music, acrobats, balloon sellers and crowds, while sketching, until it was time to meet up with the others.