Morocco - Part 8 Essaouira

The final leg of the road trip took us up and over the final mountain pass, through the sprawling suburbs of Marrakech and on the wonderful seaside town of Essaouira. Coming over the coastal ridge after several hours of hot and dusty driving made the first glimpse of the pure turquoise sea even more exciting, a little like being a child ahead and seeing the first little snapshot of the beach ahead. Ending our travels at Essaouira was the best decision we ever made, the whole town is geared up for relaxing, last minute shopping and soaking up the incredible beauty of north Africa's coast.

We stayed at the Dar Maya the most incredible boutique hotel with a wonderfully friendly owner and two cheeky little puppies. The Dar Maya has only been open for several months and so remains a hidden gem in the back streets of town and it just happens to have a spectacular roof top terrace and pool with views of the ocean. 

Marrakech is known as the red city and to me Essaouira should be known as the blue town, because what could be more fitting for a seaside town other then brightly painted windows, walls and doors in the happiest shade of cobalt blue! I may have gotten a little carried away taking pictures of pretty little alleys and wonderfully wide heavy doors. 

We spent a blissful couple of days wandering the narrow maze of streets, doing some last minute shopping (much cheaper than Marrakech), eating some deliciously fresh fish and guarding the ramparts checking for pirates. The strong stone walls of the Medina form ramparts looking out over the wonderfully dramatic crashing waves and are even dotted with some good old-fashionned cannons. 

Essaouira is very much an up and coming trendy town, Jimmy Hendrix used to come and party and I can completely understand why! Just a quick stroll down to the port and you can find stand after stand of fresh fish stalls, complete with friendly fisherman who will fry you up a lobster. The boats line up displaying their wares and make a perfect photo opportunity. In my opinion Essaouira represents the perfect blend of old Morocco with a modern buzz. 

Leaving such a pretty place was very tricky and I had to tear myself away form the gorgeous sunsets and the cute little kitties from the shop opposite the hotel. 

I will be back, everyone should visit Morocco, such a cool place, with a new surprise around every corner! 

Mood- Next stop, Singapore! 

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Morocco - Part 7 Imlil

Our next leg of the journey took us up twisty mountain passes into the High Atlas mountains where we were treated to breathtaking views overlooking steep valleys and sun-kisses mountain tops.

These goats are incredible and climb trees! Their dung is used to make argan oil which is found everywhere in Morocco and can be eaten or used to make your hair super-duper shiny! 

Rules of the road and safety should be obeyed at all times! Watching these little jokers was like watching a cartoon, every time the truck faced a sharp corner they all swayed to the side, clinging on to avoid falling out over the cliff face! Who needs seat belts anyways? 

We knew we were heading to a simple little guesthouse just outside the village of Imlil and our instructions were to follow the road until the road came to an end. Well, I can tell you that the Moroccan definition of a road is drastically different to our definition of a road, as when we decided that bumpy, thin tracks had come to an impassable point, we found out that actually we still had a way to go to reaching our destination. We made it and as the donkeys carried our bags down what can only be describes as a small cliff face, I have to admit I was a little daunted as to where we were going to be staying. By this point of the trip we were tired, hungry, dusty and unashamedly in need of a little R and R.

We arrived, however, at a little piece of heaven. Nestled high up in the mountains, perched on a cliff-edge was every child's fantasy treehouse, with level upon level of wooden huts creating a network of dreamy rooms. As if this couldn't get any better there were hammocks, seats, hidden balconies and tucked away corners for exploring. I cannot explain how much of a contrast the guesthouse (the Douar Samra) was to what we imagined a basic lodge in the mountains would look like. There was no electricity which only made this little retreat more special and comfy, woven blankets were provided so you could wrap up warm in the evening's chill. I got a little bit carried away with photo taking, but this place is special, it deserves documenting!

I mean look at that terrace! Can you imagine a better place to enjoy a sunset with a glass of wine? 

Whilst staying in the mountains we were able to do a bit more trekking, all day ventures for the adventurous amongst us and trips to the village for those in need of a gentle stroll. Although, this gentle stroll did involve an hour's hike back up the cliff afterwards. I also took the opportunity to have my hands painted with henna by a wonderful village lady who didn't speak a word of English or French. We managed to communicate with a serious of hand gestures and lots of smiles as she pronounced "beauty" "beauty" repeatedly as she viewed her finished artwork.

The pigment goes on orange and after an hour or two turns into a beautiful rich brown. 

I was very reluctant to leave this little corner of paradise and head towards the coast and I can safely say  that I will be back!

Mood - Peaceful

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Reminiscing

I was lucky enough to be invited recently up to the beautiful Skinners Hall in London to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Judd school, my old school. Despite having attended several other schools, the Judd is the school that I feel most attached too. My two years there were filled with good memories, wet rugby matches, fierce friends and all round fun. It was wonderful to attend drinks with some old friends, to see some familiar faces and to meet others who are also unfailingly attached to the school. 

The Skinners Hall is an incredible location, filled with unique portraits and little tucked away corners, the perfect setting for a game of hide and seek! I have heard that you can book it for your wedding.....here's hoping! 

Please excuse the quality of the photos, they are snapped with my phone. Also, how wonderful is St Paul's Cathedral looking? 

Thank you TS for organising!

Mood - the oldies are the besties! 

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