Essaouira

Big crowd of people are waiting for the arriving bus. When its stops they are getting ready by the bus's luggage rack like ants around the breadcrumbs, to grab the opportunity to offer their services to the visitors and earn a few dirhams by carrying their suitcases. They are describing their offer in Arabic and French in a loud voice with wild gesture. Some of them are trying to show the best hotels in town, others have cars what they use as a taxi. It is not easy to "escape" from them. Travellers coming from a different culture are looking suspiciously at these people. Only very few of the newcomers are accepting the offer. Their luggage would be loaded to a small carriage or simply carried by hand, and delivered to its owner's accommodation. Others are quickly getting into taxis or just simply start walking towards the Medina getting rid of the men. In the meantime another bus arrives and the crowd rush there to find their next targets. The great city wall, which encircles the old town of Essaouira, is only a few hundred meters away. This town is told to be the windiest in Morocco, a real paradise for surfers.

Reaching the wall, one of the large city gates welcomes the visitors. Entering the ancient town as far as the eye can see colourful handcraft, local sweet selling shops and bargaining people filling the streets. Everything looks so different then the houses and the quite roads outside the walls, where the life seems to be slowed down; here the streets are bustling with life. Vendors are trying to sell their goods tirelessly. Some of the shop owners are standing in front of their tiny shop, trying to make the bystanders to buy something. Buying in Morocco is not easy as the prices are many times not standard, usually bargaining plays an important role in purchasing. Those who are not used to this can find it difficult to get a good deal.

On the narrowing streets tiny shops and stands are selling leather goods, silver jewelleries, which are popular choices of souvenirs. Mazes of small jewellery shops are zigzagging between the wider streets. Little further on children are sitting on small stools polishing finely crafted beautifully inlaid boxes. The air is filled with the smell of the mixture of seawater and of the oil coming from the workshops. The waves are crashing into the rocks just under the city wall, making a rumbling noise.

Hundreds of blue fishing boats are rocking on the rippling water in the harbour. Some of the boats are in landing stage waiting to be repaired. A big and new structure is tower above the others and proudly looking down to its admirers. Clouds of circling seagulls are swooping down to grab bits and pieces from the fishermen's daily catch. Many men are working to process the fish to get them freshly to the restaurants.

Leaving the harbour and the old town behind, the number of hotels are growing by the coastal road. People are lying on sun beds, and at the end of the beach there is a group of camels waiting for their riders. Sitting on a camel's back is an unforgettable and sometimes painful experience. The camel's caretaker, who is wearing a long, blue cloak, walking barefoot in front of the animal holding its lead. The man is sinking into his thoughts than suddenly points to a pile of rocks in the water. It used to be a castle, but the force of the ocean is taking it apart.

The city is alive till late night, visitors walking on the dark streets looking for restaurants, some of the souvenir shops are still open offering crafts and postcards. But the next day starts early for many of the locals, when the minarets calling them for the morning pray.

Learn more about this author, Nike Werstroh.
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