Big smiles and warm hearts

There’s one place guaranteed to put a smile on my face – North Africa! As the plane door opens and the heat of the sun hits, I know I am in for an assault on the senses. This blog takes you on my recent journey from the heat and hustle of Marrakech, to the more laid back vibe in Essaouira.

The rickety taxi lurches out of the airport, across two lanes and onto the highway. Motorbikes shoot past us, wiggling between the traffic (not exactly going slowly itself), some of them laden down with 3 generations, the baby balanced precariously somewhere in the middle. Pedestrians step fearlessly into the road with a simple flick of the wrist to indicate they expect to be given right of way which, usually by a narrow margin, they are. Welcome to Marrakech.

Marrakech

It is a few years since I last visited and it hasn’t changed a lot. The main square, Jemma el-Fnaa, is still the hive of activity it always was, especially in the evening. Food stalls share the space with snake charmers, performing monkeys, and various other artists of the human variety, all of it shrouded in one big plume of smoke from the multitude of barbecues. The souk is piled high with product. The principles of retailing that I was taught are noticeably absent here! Stock control is definitely not a known concept, and duplication is clearly not a consideration with stall after stall selling almost identical things.

A two night stopover is enough this time, and we are more than happy to leave the city behind and head westwards. Three hours on a coach (which, I am delighted to see, is driven by a woman) and the sweeping beach of Essaouira comes into view.

Essaouira

Essaouira has a rich and diverse history influenced by various cultures and civilizations. Originally known as Mogador, it was a thriving Berber settlement before being transformed in the 16th century by the Portuguese, who built a fortress and established a trade route. The city’s most significant development came in the 18th century under the rule of Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, who expanded the port and fortified the city with impressive walls that still stand today. It became a major center for trade, especially in silver and sugar, and attracted a mix of Portuguese, French, Jewish and Arab merchants.

A ten minute walk from the bus stop brings us to the edge of the medina and Villa Maroc.  It will be our base for three nights and it’s the main reason for the trip. We stayed here 6 years ago and it left a deep impression. I always wanted to return.

Villa Maroc was started over thirty years ago by a Swiss lady who met a Moroccan and stayed! It is one of the original riads in Essaouira. Now massively expanded from the original 4 bedroom property, it is a warren of rooms, each individually designed with a selection of local antiques and interesting pieces. It is incredibly homely, with a unique attention to detail from staff who truly understand the meaning of hospitality. Stepping in through the lovely blue door, I feel like I am being drawn into a huge, restorative Moroccan embrace which lasts for the entire time I am there.

One of the many highlights of a stay here is the breakfast, taken on the terrace overlooking the beach and the crashing waves of the Atlantic. It’s always a sumptuous spread including homemade breads, jams, freshly squeezed orange juice, and mint tea, served with a flourish from a great height. Fatima, an employee for over 34 years, reigns supreme. She is totally charming and absolutely nothing is too much trouble….apart from the seagulls who lurk above ready to swoop at every opportunity. At one sitting, they manage to secure a donut, a large piece of bread, butter to go with it (which apparently they love), while at the same time breaking a piece of the beautiful tableware, made specially for the hotel. You can imagine they are rather corpulent seagulls and I have no idea how they manage to hoist themselves in to the air.

A stroll across the square takes you to the small port, once filled solely with the iconic little blue wooden boats. We watch them bring in their catch, scooping the fish from the pool of water at the bottom of the boat into baskets, which they throw up to waiting traders on shore. These boats are now dwarfed by larger trawlers which apparently go out to sea for over a month at a time. You can walk along the pier, soak up the atmosphere and perhaps buy some fish which you take to the makeshift stalls to cook. You can’t get much fresher.

Turning away from the harbour takes you back towards the medina, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Shopping here is an altogether more relaxed affair than in Marrakech. They are not really up for much negotiation, and my usual trick of walking away doesn’t work either. Instead of running down the street after you, they simply settle back into watching the football on their phones. On balance. it’s probably a more pleasant experience but not quite as much fun.

While there, if you have the stomach for it, it’s worth stopping by the food market where you can find all manner of things both alive and dead…or about to be! I had temporarily forgotten about this until on our first afternoon, while enjoying a coffee and a bit of people-watching, I saw a gentleman walking down the main street swinging four, presumably recently deceased, chickens!!

No trip to Essaouira is complete without a bracing walk along the endless crescent shaped beach. The sails of the kite surfers dance merrily above as they ride the enormous waves. Eventually, as the camels come into view, you know you are almost at the row of beach bars, and a well earned pitstop. The best of these is Vagabond with its chilled out vibe and a great terrace looking directly out over the beach. You can sit here for hours gazing out to sea, and watching the camels do their best to escape.

There’s a great food scene in Essaouira too and a vibrant café culture. Our favourite cafe is Saha K’fe, handily just a short walk from the riad. There’s an endless choice of restaurants, from the more sophisticated options like Umia, and La Table de Madada housed in a beautiful old warehouse building, to more authentic Moroccan experiences. All are generally much cheaper than Marrakech. As ever though it is Villa Maroc that delivers the stand out experience. Just as we did on our last trip, we finish our stay with a delicious, home-cooked dinner in a little private candle-lit dining room served impeccably by Hassan. A fitting end to a wonderful few days in the care of such special people.

The next morning we are back in the mayhem of Marrakech and then on to the relative calm of Wandsworth. The memories of a great trip will last a long time, but the warmth of the people and their big smiles and warm hearts will stay in my mind forever. If you get the chance to go, do take it. It’s an experience not to be missed!