By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea

[This post begins my five-part midweek series on the places we visited in Morocco. I have provided links whenever possible; several places do not have websites. Make sure to check out my notes at the end of the post!]

When I first visited Morocco in 1991, I was not even aware that Essaouira (ESS-ah-WEER-ah) existed. Sometime, between then and our recent trip, I learned of it and became eager to go there. Those I know who had been to this small-ish, seaside city had loved it. I somehow knew I would as well.

Riad Villa Maroc

We were greeted at the Riad Villa Maroc with glasses of hot mint tea beside a warm fire. This particular riad is actually four adjacent courtyard houses connected by newly-cut doors from one to another. It is at the western tip of the medina — the old walled city. Once in the riad, you slowly become aware of its courtyards, and many charming-yet-wonky staircases.

On the second floor (remember those wonky stairs I mentioned?) there are myriad quiet spaces to enjoy. Later in the day these become dining rooms for varied numbers of guests from one to eight. Dinner orders are due no later than 4:00pm so the kitchen can be ready, something we encountered in many places. Special dietary needs are readily accommodated.

After tea, we were given our room keys and learned that our bags were already on the way to our chambers. The rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated; ours had windows in both the bedroom and sitting area to the north, facing the mosque and (unbeknownst to us till bedtime) a disco! Once we got our room set, we immediately went out to explore in the perfect early evening light.

The Medina

The evening light in the harbor is beautiful, especially for views of the old city — but beware, it is always windy in Essaouira; skirts blow, hats fly… but that also makes it temperate year-round. In the large plaza leading to the harbor, there was a lot to see and hear: musicians playing — traditional instruments, folk guitars — barely audible for the wind. Families, fishermen, tourists, and cats wandered about. And seagulls; lots of seagulls. I don’t think of myself as an “ocean kind of guy,” but standing by the seawall and listening to the waves was so calming.

I took a fair number of door photos, as usual. Essaouira is, to me, a place simply to be. It is not teeming with historic sites and museums; it is about visiting a livable city. Tour packages will say don’t bother spending but a day there, but we both thought we could spend at least a week there and still be happy.

Among the points of interest are a couple of synagogues that are worth visiting (Synagogue Slat Attia, the Haim Pinto Synagogue), a museum or two (Dar Souiri Cultural Center, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Museum), but mostly it’s pleasures are walking in the streets or on the windy ramparts below which the Atlantic waves pound, chatting with people, marveling at the carpets, fabrics, and other artisanal crafts for sale. Essaouira is the place in Morocco to buy items made with Thuya wood.

I truly loved wandering around the city, whether it be the tourist quarter or residential quarters. It has all the aspects I enjoy in a city –– a vibrant market, narrow streets, hanging laundry, the occasional quirky sign, and (of course) ramparts with canons!

As is the case everywhere, people make the place. We met and spoke with musicians, candy sellers, fabric artists, and rug merchants. And, of course, we saw children in the streets playing soccer. Make sure you read the note below about getting permission to take portraits of people.

Meals

Our time in Essaouira was short; we had time for two dinners, two breakfasts, and one lunch. We chose to eat dinners at the riad; they were flavorful, filling, and served in the most romantic, mostly candlelit room. Meals started with composed salads and loaves of crispy, warm khobz, the local bread (khobz recipe coming soon!). Main courses during our stay included tagines of beef and cardoon, fish and seafood, and lamb with prunes and almonds, and — on Friday, because Friday is “couscous day” — a couscous with the traditional seven vegetables. Each meal was enjoyed along with Moroccan wines, either red, white, or rosé). Desserts were often simple, but excellent.

The breakfasts were included with the room and were quite wonderful. They were served on the rooftop (the gale force winds at night were but gentle zephyrs in the morning) and included fresh-squeezed orange juice, house-made yoghurt, beignets, crêpes, toast, rolls, eggs to order (scrambled, fried, or omelet), and a choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. A hearty and delicious way to start the day.

The staff at Riad Villa Maroc is gracious and very helpful; one of the cuisinières, Hayate (above), took the time to give me a quick lesson on how to make couscous. She also teaches cooking classes that can be arranged through the hotel. If you are there, definitely take advantage of her talents and her warm, friendly personality.

For our one lunch in Essaouira, our little group ate at Restaurant Adwak. It has a narrow, cozy interior — very pleasant and welcoming. The food was excellent and I can highly recommend their Harira (also known as “the traditional Moroccan soup”). Others in our party had the couscous with seven vegetables and lamb tagines.

A Day Trip

Just 16 miles west of Essaouira (about a 25-minute drive) heading towards Marrakech, is Domaine du Val d’Argan, a beautiful vineyard that features Rhône grape varietals and great wines. Owner and vintner Charles Mélia grew up in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a wine-producing family. In 1994, Mélia moved to Morocco and started his own winery and has plans to open a brewery soon. His wife Zina manages the farm and raises sheep, chickens, and vegetables. Together, they run a B&B and host luncheons in their garden. Naturally, one can have a wine tasting, but having it paired with Zina’s delicious Moroccan fare is a real plus.

On the way to or from the winery, plan to stop at one of the many argan oil coops. Most have women demonstrating how the oil is extracted, as well as the nut butter. And, of course, products are for sale. We stopped at the Ounagha Cooperative, but there are many from which to choose.

Things to note (this I will repeat with each of several posts about our trip to Morocco):

• Many Moroccans do not speak English. French is the country’s third official language (after Arabic and Berber). French is widely spoken, and a wonderful way to communicate.
• Do your best to learn a few words in Moroccan Arabic. It’s not difficult, and it makes a big difference to locals. A few that I learned: shukran (thank you), baraka Allah ufik (a very special thank you if someone has gone over and above), salaam (a shortening of salaam aleikum – a greeting), labas (an informal greeting you might use with children that you meet). I found myself holding my right hand on my heart when I thanked people, which is what they did when thanking us.
• Remember that taking pictures of people (musicians, vendors in the souk, etc.) without their permission is frowned upon. If you want to take someone’s photograph, you must ask them. Don’t be surprised or offended if they say no, or if they say yes and request or expect a tip in return. Sneaking a photo of someone can become unpleasant if you are discovered. If you purchase something from an artisan or market vendor, in most cases they are happy to have their photo taken, but still ask.
• Unlike Europe, tipping for everything is a convention in Morocco. Generally, for a meal at a nice restaurant, 10% is a reasonable tip.
• There are a good number of banks with ATMs in the Medina.
• Historic buildings, including guest houses and hotels in converted riads, do not have elevators, and even the grandest have twisting staircases.
• The Qur’an is interpreted as forbidding consumption of alcohol; in some Islamic countries alcohol is illegal. In Morocco wine (and sometimes liquor too) are available in many hotels and guest houses that cater to international visitors.
• While the water in Morocco has improved significantly, for those whose systems are not used to it, it’s still best to use bottled water even when brushing your teeth.
• If you go on your own, I highly recommend asking your riad or hotel for a guide to take you around, especially on your first day in any city.
• A few of the photos are Mark’s – grateful that he took several I missed!