[essouaira...]

On the first day we arrived in Marrakech we hit 46 degrees.  

It was a nice break to pop over to the Moroccan coast - Essouaira to be precise.  It is about twenty degrees cooler at the coast.  We did a day tour with a local guide, who was lovely and knowlegeable.  He also had a very interesting playlist on his ipod which included Peter Andre's 'Mysterious Girl' and some arabic songs and even a bit of Shania Twain.

I'm afraid this post may be a little photo heavy and a little word light, but I wanted to get it up.  Hope you don't mind.

We came across these amazing goats who climb up into these trees and stay up there all day for the fun of it.  Believe it or not (not).  In true Moroccan fashion, some lovely men let us hold the baby goats that they happened to be holding at the base of tree...

... then charged us 100 dirham.  Oh.  If you look closely you'll see the little shelves made of branches, and up the road we saw some more guys giving the goats a... lets say... helping hand to get into the tree.  Funny thing.

The coast was considerably cooler and very interesting to visit.  We were significantly more conspicuous as tourists than when we were in Marrakech, but somehow that didn't feel uncomfortable or negative, quite the opposite in fact.  It felt like we had more of the culture to ourselves.

I particularly liked the seaside, with its wind and fish smell.  I guess it felt a little like home somehow - being able to smell the sea.

Each city in Morocco has a colour theme, and Essouaira's is blue.  

See?

Moroccan streets are lined with tall, coloured concrete buildings.  They boast shops selling oils and herbs, home made key rings, all manner of knick knacks.  They are also complete with a number of pets, which look like they need would love to be adopted.

As in Marrakech, Essouaira is hustling and bustling with markets, people who want to help (and take your money).  People who live from dirham to dirham, with children who need feeding and cats who need tending to, and whose entire living depends on tourism. 

People whose simplest pleasures in life are simpler than you and I could dream of - and they are richer for it.