Camping Calme

Well what a difference 15 kilometres makes. Our two nights at the Essaouira site were the worst that we have experienced. Think mucky and double it. The wind lifted the dirt into the van , accompanied by the flies from the filth.The rain from the storm turned to mud on the windows and mangy cats slept in the bins.
So calm  and cleanliness were required without much driving.

Believing all that we had seen on You Tube, we ventured inland to,yes wait for it, Camping Calme. Here amongst the Argon trees , dripping with nuts, we have found a paradise for camping-car travellers.
There is shade beneath the olive and eucalyptus trees, also several hectares of places to park with electric and fresh water close by. We have had hot showers, stripped the beds and met folk from previous sites, at which we have stayed, so plenty of chat , story swapping and catch up , has taken place
There are no flies because everywhere is clean and the breeze has kept us cool as the temperature, away from the sea, has reached the low thirties.
We have sat out all day and as darkness fell at about eight o'clock, we have come inside the van to settle for the evening. The sliding door on the van is still open wide and our improvised mosquito net keeps those invidious insects at bay.
The night air is full of sounds. Crickets, barking dogs, braying donkeys, children still out playing and Moroccan drums from a near-by village.
Tomorrow, a meal at the on site restaurant is planned and at some point in the day, a swim in the magnificent pool.

  Thought we would save that little gem until the end! So for a few days we are in camping heaven.

The windy city

The seething mass of humanity that is Casablanca, is now behind us, as we continue the drive south  towards Agadir. It was impossible not to revisit Essaouria, with the brilliant, whiteness of the lime- washed walls and the sight of women enveloped in voluminous "baiks".

On the side of the town facing the sea, huge ramparts gave protection from naval attack and both the Spanish and Portuguese cannons remain in the crenellations.

By the way, Windy City is not Chicago, but here at  Essaouira where the Trade Winds prevail most of the year along this stretch of the Atlantic coast. It is an amazing fishing port, holiday resort and surfers' paradise, with a forceful wind that cuts through the palms, lifts the sand and disables the seagulls in flight. But the sun filled squares and narrow shopping streets of the medina, make it a pleasure to revisit.
Unfortunately the campsite is half the size it was, as local developers have bought the land and the construction of holiday apartments is well under way. Nevertheless it is our home for a couple of nights.
As we sauntered into town, along an incomplete promenade, typically Moroccan, the camels on the beach out numbered the people kite and wind surfing!!
At the port, the air was filled with gulls because the fishermen had returned with the morning's catch and were gutting and cleaning the fish. Entrails were flung into a box and the local cats fought over the scraps.

We sat and had coffee and watched the world pass by,which included a troupe of young acrobats and three elderly troubadours playing strangely shaped instruments, from which they produced wonderful, ethnic music
Here are a few innovative ways that the local folk use to make life easier. The pavement on a street corner, unlike a shop, costs no rent money and the crabs are fresh from the fishing boat in the harbour across the road.

Fresh bread is delivered to the small shops by a guy riding a put-put bike, with which he easily negotiates the narrow, crowded streets. And who needs a Tesco trolley when an old plastic fish crate can be pulled along using a length of rope found on the quayside!

 

Casablanca in a taxi

So off we went in search of Rick's Café and Sam the piano player. As we roared down the by pass on the edge of the new medina...city centre.. we caught a glimpse of Bogart's film location.



But below is what we really came to see. The second largest mosque in the world, after Mecca. It is dedicated to the memory of King Hassan the Second. Two thirds of it sits over the sea but that area was barred to we tourists! Apparently the 656 foot tower flashes 2 laser beams towards Mecca that can be seen for over 30k. Very impressive despite only being completed in 1993.

Casablanca is a huge, sprawling city of over 3.5 million inhabitants, all of whom seemed to be out and driving today! We were reminded that we must NEVER find ourselves in amongst them in the camper van. Inner city driving is best left to the locals.

King Mohamed 6 has a significant piece of prime land on which is built yet another of his palaces. We were told by our Grand Taxi driver Rashid (pic to follow) that he has one in each major city. We think he was in residence as there was such an abundance of Police Royale and guards in evidence.

Before returning home (the 5 hour taxi trip cost us 400 dirhams or about £38), we were dropped off at a lovely little restaurant for lunch. The smells were so evocative and the décor typically and colourfully Moroccan.

We couldn't resist 'snapping' a few shots of things that are so alien to us back home..the heavily-laden donkies and the amazingly versatile motorbikes amongst them. However, time was up, so we viewed the Art Deco buildings as we whizzed past in the car and  marvelled at a fleeting glimpse of a flower market which filled a side street.


 

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, a man with a bike was removing the dead palm leaves!

So...till next time, its goodbye from us and its goodbye from him...Rashid, Grand Taxi driver extraordinaire that is!



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Bye Moulay and hello Ocean Blue

Time to get on the road after our extended stay at Moulay.It wasn't a long drive today but the landscape was flat and devoted to agriculture. Morocco is big on potatoes and bananas at this time of year, oh and baby donkeys.
We are camped up for the day at a site by the sea on the outskirts of Cassablanca and there is plenty of cloud helping to keep us a little cooler.. For several days the tyres have had to have their sun covers on to protect the rubber as the temperatures have soared into the mid thirties!

The view from the roof of the restaurant down to the small beach in front of the entrance to the site

Glorious hibiscus flowers surround our pitch.

A short walk brings us to some rugged , volcanic outcrops with the breakers thundering into the caves beneath.

Tomorrow ,we are off to explore Cassablanca in a taxi, organised by the site owner. It's probably his brother, and all a part of the family business. He will take us to all the famous sights and return us to the van five hours later. Watch this space for  more on the excursion