Essaouira, Morocco

Tongue tied? Pronounce 'oui' like the French and you're all set. It's not a coincidence either since Essaouira was designed by the French architect Théodore Cornut. For once it's wasn't because of colonialism. He was forced to do it as a prisoner for the Sultan of Morocco in the 18th century. Hey, at least he wasn't stuck frying cronuts all day long. (Don't act like you didn't have to read his last name twice!)

The name itself, Essaouira, means "The Beautifully Designed". Unlike the honeycomb alleyways of Fez or Marrakech, you can't get lost in Essaouira due to its grid layout. The tourist is spared that suffocating existential question, How the #*%& did I get so lost?? Amazingly enough, Mr. Cornut wasn't bitter. It's so easy here.

Easy to relax, easy to shop (no hagglers or disgruntled merchants à la Marrakech), easy to watch history (it sure didn't smell like a commercial fishing port), and it's easy to see what drew the hippies in the 60's and 70's and continues to do so today (e.g. me). In truth, we didn't come here for peace and love (but was it welcomed after Marrakech), we came because of a small list known as the UNESCO World Heritage List. (How I curse the day my friend introduced this list to me, but if I have to name one person who taught me how to travel well, it's the said friend.) UNESCO inscribed Essaouira in 2001 on its account of having "an exceptional example...of contemporary European military architecture in a North African context". In other words, one love. No surprise then that the city also hold's the title as Morocco's Woodstock for their Gnaoua Festival of World Music.

In a previous life, Essaouira was known as Mogador, meaning "The Wall". A reference to the fortress built by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. Some may say it was built to block the strong sea winds, they may be right. When you speak you can taste the salt in the air, it's Morocco's Windy City. Or the more melodious, La Cité des Alizés. I'd like to add another title to Essaouira's growing list of names, "Stay Here Instead of Marrakech". Both of us wish we had, a day trip wasn't enough.

Length of Stay

One day

Docking Index

      

Seven anchors, my love for hippie beach towns/islands is well documented. But my love for the hippie beach towns/islands in the winter has yet to be determined.