Feb 6th: Essaouira

We arrived at Essaouira to find the campsite full. Fortunately there was a motor caravan parking area nearby but with no water, electrics or toilets. That’s not a problem for a couple of nights as we carry spare water, have on-board loo, battery for lights and gas for cooking. We paid a charge of £3 per night that included 24- hour security by a guardian and dog. Dunes at the back leading to the beach. So here we are, all looking pretty happy: from left to right, Derick, Helen, Paul, Jane and Trish. I'm holding the camera.

Essaouira is another lovely old walled town like El Jadida, and looks older than its 1770 completion date. It was designed by a French military architect, on the orders of the local Sultan. The photo is a typical example of the style, complete with typical tourist shop and shopkeeper.

In fact, the town is full of tourist shops but still manages to retain an authentic Moroccan feel. The atmosphere is relaxed which is maybe why the area was a focus for hippy communities back in the 60s and 70s, with famous names like Jimi Hendrix spending time there.

Morocco is a blend of old and new in no particular order. It has an excellent mobile phone network and internet connections but we are observing many tasks carried out in the traditional way, for instance the boat repair in the photo below. Derick is an ex-naval man and commented that they would have repaired boats in this way since time immemorial, slowly bending the spar to shape, nailing it in and caulking it with pitch, although he was sure that they were using a more high-tech modern sealant than pitch.