Chi's Travel Log - Essaouira, Morocco 16-02-2009

Portraits of some people I met on tour

adventure@chi11.co.uk

20090216 - Week12 - Essaouira, Morocco

20090216 Mon - Essaouira Camp Site - meditated and arose light breakfast then cleared up after last night, had a ride into town and round the harbor which was bustling with activity, parked the bikes up then had a walk round the medina, this city seems to specialize in wooden boxes and some fabulous wood inlaid tables highly French polished, we also had a look around the factory and watched the craftsmen at work. Walked on the walls overlooking the sea shore lots of pics taken and chilled a coffee bar and watched the world go by, off on the bikes again looking round found a shop to do Richards washing and I bought a load of veg for my next cooking experience. On the way back to camp we stopped to view the camels and horses on the beech selling rides to the tourists. Made some pasta for Beverly and I Bev brought a bottle of red which we soon finished off, I got another one on the go and invited Yan and Mio from Amsterdam to join us for wine and cake, saved some cake for Mark the biker from Luxemburg who joined us for a few rounds of beers then we were joined by an Italian and a French women, we got a camp fire going and then I brought out a bottle of agwagente which we polished off, most of us started having shots however I think I managed to consume about half of it later falling asleep sat in a chair next to the fire, not last man standing but last man sitting, eventually I got myself up and staggered to bed ensuring I had put everything back in the van first, then fell into bed fully dressed.

20090217 Tue - Meditated and arose at 7 felt a bit queasy this morning had a coffee and a yogurt to settle my tummy then chatted with Beverly who had left his bottle opening stuff on my table so I returned it as I new he was leaving this morning, also chatted with Yan & Mio and Mark before having a cold shower which brought me round a bit, then made a cheese spread sandwich with Moroccan Bread, I was eating the butty slowly having a walk around the camp and got chatting to Olga and Bert from the Netherlands, we talked about many interesting things, Fruit images, George Oulier, Reiki, Meditation, Skin, Morocco, Jewelry reading, physical and mental feats. Later I had a ride into Essaouira to find the supermarket however two police stopped me for riding with no helmet and were wanting equivalent to £100 fortunately I managed to talk may way out of it but it was touch and go for a while, I then drove back to the camp and got my helmet on then went into the medina for a wander round, made a purchase of argon oil and then got into an argument with a couple of young shop sellers who were badgering me to buy something I didn't want. Took a few nice pics and had lunch at a cafe in the medina it was quite busy in the town lots of Moroccans and quite a few tourists and travelers. As I was having my coffee after lunch Mark came walking past, so I beckoned him to join me for a coffee, then we moved on to a bar chatting over a few beers, back to camp before sundown. I made some food then started cleaning round from the previous day took me about 2 hours then wrote up my notes for another hour by this time it was 10pm so I joined a group of Italians round the bonfire and joined them in eating some strawberries soaked in red wine, very nice, stayed an hour then worked another hour pottering about and writing a few more notes before retiring about midnight.

20090218 Wed - meditated and arose about 7:30 got a few French sticks just delivered to the camp still warm had breakfast then rung mum at about 9am.

Already filled the phone with 1000 pics so had to move some to new folders to allow the phone to take more pics. had a run into the town to find the internet cafe, sent my weekly update, must do it quicker next week, bought 10 litres of drinking water then joined Richard and Paul for a coffee in the beech bar adjacent to the camel rides, after coffee I returned to the shop for Richard some water as well. Had lunch back at the camp about 2pm then wrote a few more notes, chilled out for a bit then made a large pan of beef & veg chili a few beers with Mark and a bowl of chili each, listened to a bit of music before retiring at 10pm.

20090219 Thu meditated and arose at 8 made breakfast to eat on the road then paid for the site got some fresh bread and set up ready to roll to Agadir at 9. It was a nice drive down stopped for breakfast as usual and arrived about 1pm at camping Atlantic on the coast. Booked in and had a run round on the bikes very nice pool and restaurant their, met up with Max & Phil for a G&T then later had pepper steak and chips followed by chocolate mouse in the restaurant with a few beers it was lovely, got back to the van and chilled out viewing some of the pics before retiring about 10pm.

20090220 Fri - Agadir Atlantic Camping - meditated and rose at 7:30 bright and early coffee showered and shaved before 8 then had a walk about bumped into Pete & Fiona, Tom & Pam and Derek & Mary, chatted to them for a while met Ian then had my second snack of the morning, and a walk round the site, also spoke to Max & Phil. Walked back to the van and got the bike out to take a few pics on the beech and one of the burnt out Winnebago on the sea shore, only happed a couple of weeks ago burnt to the ground in 7 mins all the others vans scattered from round it. Chatted to Steff and Anne who informed me fuel was either 5 or 10 miles down the road, because I was on fumes I decided to risk it getting to the first village with no petrol station I asked a few locals until I found one who understood and took me down the back streets to someone's house who sold me a couple on 1.5litre bottle, that more or less filled it. Thank goodness for that I had visions of me pushing the bike back part way back if I failed getting some fuel. Next into the cyber cafe with my laptop and got on the internet put a back up of my log on their with a few pics but still updating the pics on their. Paul bought a large sea bass for our dinner which he barbequed for us we baked potatoes, finished with bananas with brandy butter and strawberries and cream, closing with Moroccan Macaroons and a nice cognac. Did a bit more with my notes and on the web site before retiring at 10pm.

20090221 Sat - Agadir Atlantic Camping - N W meditated arose at 8 nice warm shower and shave had breakfast and a stroll round the camp site for an hour met Dave and Jean from UK they trade mats from here in the UK, he jenned me up on prices, I also chatted to Phil and Max. Later I re-organized the garage and motorbike fixing, filled my water tanks and a quick van check over. It was that hot about 1pm I decided to do a bit on my web site in the shade for a couple of hours. At 5pm the site had organized a Moroccan show all the chairs and stage was set up, we went down for a mosey and took a few pics for an hour then got stuck into my chili for dinner, went down well and still lots left. About 7:30 Phil & Max arrived with a bottle of wine so we all sat round Paul's place and had red wine, beer, cider and finished off with some of my 12 year old whisky a good crack and a nice steady night retired about 10pm.

20090222 Sun - Agadir Atlantic Camping -meditated and arose 8 warmish shower and shave breakfast and walk about met Bob & Shirley, Frank & Kath who were travelling in a Toyota land cruiser a with a caravan. About Noon went to Agadir on the Moto with Paul had a run down by the beech then a look round the souk bought some veg called at banana beech camp on the sea shore 30 Dirams a night not bad a lovely location but very basic, had a coffee their and chatted to a guy called Terry. Got back about 5 and got talking to Bob & Linda and Mike & Annette. Ended up spending the evening with them over a few bottles of red wine retired about midnight.

adventure@chi11.co.uk