No Regrets!

A mini-bus picked us up for our early morning journey to Essaouira. As we crossed desert scrubland outside of Marrakesh, our driver had a hard time staying awake. He would frequently stretch and slap his face or get distracted by fiddling with his phone or reaching down for his bottle of water, causing the bus to wander across lanes and occasionally veer into oncoming traffic. Yikes.

We made it to Essaouira in one piece, turning to drive along a hazy beach covered with sunbathers and kitesurfers and seagulls. Hopping off the bus, we were greeted with a refreshing ocean breeze. It’s a cool 76° F here on the coast, 25 degrees cooler than Marrakech.

Our exploration of Essaouira began with a stroll through the chilled out, beachy medina, nestled in the remains of a Portuguese fort. There are definitely Portuguese vibes here, from the pavement to the clothing and art sold in the shops. There are cats everywhere, and the locals seem to really embrace them. They are all over the t-shirts and souvenirs.

We walked over to the fishing port and market, where a local chopping up his freshly caught fish and throwing the remains to seagulls barked at me for taking photos. Barking is a lot less threatening when you don’t understand the language.

For lunch, I turned to TripAdvisor again. We were somehow lucky enough to find a seat at the #1 rated but very tiny Restaurant Khmissa, which has only three tables. I was determined to get seafood on this day trip to the coast, so I ordered shrimp tagine, which was delicious.

Crammed in next to us at the remaining two tables was a Dutch family. Lindsay said hello to them (she’s good at that), and we proceeded to have a delightful conversation. We discussed our trips, my Dutch heritage and family history, World War II, and the philosophy of traveling with family. The man we spoke with was Freek (I think), and he was with his wife Charisse and sons Joop and Acoon. They were from Arnhem, have been traveling together for years, and they seem like a really happy, connected family.

Before leaving Essaouira, I wanted to make sure I stuck my feet into the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It was low tide, so I had to make my way across tidepools and around garbage before I could feel a few baby waves on my toes.

On the way back to Marrakesh, I wanted to stop and take that famous “goats in the tree” photo that used to be found along this route, but they don’t so that anymore due to new regulations about animal exploitation and abuse. Instead, we relaxed on the bus and listened to a catchy mix of local songs, including En secret, a French version of “No Scrubs” by TLC.

Somehow, I got a little sunburn on my face today. Now back to the hotel to relax and pack for our flight home tomorrow.