|
|
Trio of cities shows beauty of Morocco's coastal kingdom
Trio of cities shows beauty of Morocco's coastal kingdom
Winston Churchill adored its year-round, near-perfect weather (sunny and dry). As did later Brits of a different bent -- the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. In fact, all kinds of Westerners have been flooding southern Morocco for decades. They mostly come for the same reasons: it's exotic, hospitable and affordable, a dream escape from dreary northern winters (and often dreary wet summers).
Whether you lose yourself in its sprawling covered market or dodge the street sellers and donkeys who crowd its Medina (old town), the ancient oasis of Marrakesh (population: 1.6 million) is always a sensual treat. Its hub, chaotic Djemaa el-Fna, is a giant square that is beyond surreal -- packed with dancing monkeys, money-changers and medicine men, not to mention snake charmers and meandering musicians. Throw in a blur of motorcycles and cars, an army of hustlers and sellers of everything from blankets to fresh orange juice and you've got a bad case of sensory overload.
Too frenetic? A short drive away is the blue-and-white port town of Essaouira (population: 70,000). Behind its giant seawalls -- where Orson Welles filmed Othello -- you can wander aimlessly along romantic alleys while absorbing the mystic energies that drew Jimi Hendrix (whose image still adorns many cafe walls) and an army of hippies back in the day.
Today, they still come, followed by scores of tourists fleeing the anarchy of Marrakesh. Here, they relax in rooftop cafes, contemplate the waves and listen to Berber trance music while tucking into a perfect plate of couscous. Too laid-back? The party town of Agadir is just down the road with its kilometres of beaches, bars and resorts.
Some describe Marrakesh, Essaouira and Agadir as the Trifecta of Travel. So what's not to like? Maybe a feeling that you'll need another vacation to recover once this one is over.
My days in Essaouira are a haze. Every morning after 5 a.m., the sky would be covered with dive-bombing, shrieking sea-gulls on feeding sprees. Minutes later, a chorus of crowing roosters would kick in, followed by an ear-splitting call to morning prayers from the nearby mosque. This is not a town for late risers.
But going to bed early is not an option. I am addicted to Gnawa music and need my late-night fix -- every night. Essaouira is the home of this unique Berber blues built on repetitive beats that create a trancelike mood in listeners and inspire musicians to whirl in varying states of ecstasy. Who would give that up for a good night's sleep?
But music overload and sleep deprivation can either drive you crazy -- or farther south to Agadir for some rest 'n' recreation. Instead of crowded alleyways and markets, there is a crescent-shaped beach with hotels, bars and restaurants.
Agadir is a place to escape the street hustlers and beggars that can make Morocco such an ordeal for foreign visitors, especially women. Your biggest decision of the day is whether you lounge around the sand or try your hand at surfing or windsurfing.
Agadir is one of North Africa's top spots for winds and waves. If you feel the need to nurture your inner surfer, check out the surf camp in nearby Taghazout. This could be the vacation when you finally learn how to "hang 10."
Feeling revitalized? Time to plunge back into Marrakesh and Essaouira.
My fondest memories of Essaouira are the hours spent ambling along the Skala seawalls to shop for woodcarvings made from sweet-smelling thuya wood. It is a guilty pleasure since the trees are in danger of extinction and the trade encourages illegal logging. But the lovingly hand-carved boxes and gorgeous inlaid tables are hard to resist.
Another favourite purchase is a bottle of argan oil, dubbed "the new olive oil of the hip." Its sweet, nutty flavour is all the rage, bringing meals and salads to life everywhere. |
|
發表於 2010-11-19 19:39
| 