Morocco - part 3 of 3

Day 13

We left Zagora and continued journey along the rugged and desolate Jbel Tadrart ranges and through seas of sand and arrived to the last village before Sahara Tamegroute with 4000 people living here under harsh weather conditions, proud of their land and grateful to tourists who are interested to get to know more about Africa and Morocco! We visited a library filled with ancient scripts of science, literature and Quran. We went through an underground kasbah and saw pottery making trade and people working under rough working conditions, my heart was broken 😢

Photo Album Tamegroute

 We drove a bit longer and stopped for a lunch at the frontier town of M’Hamid. After a short break and a swim in the pool off we went in 4W4 to Sahara sweating on 47 degrees! Crazy crazy crazy hot!

 We drove for two full hours through the desert till we arrived to our camp site! I literally don’t have the words to describe this lifetime adventure and experience. Of course, I will give it a go, but photos below will do a much better job!

So, the 4W4 ride was crazy but safe, local guys drove us and took every opportunity to speed up, go up the dunes, do donuts circle rides, to chase one another, screaming all along was all I did ! So much fun with adrenaline at its highest!

 Our camp site was far better and more luxurious then what I expected. Each of us had our own cabin with a bathroom, we had a gathering area for music and dance and a dining area in the open. 

 We quickly got changed and went for a walk, it was around 7pm and camels were waiting for us. Bedouins looked amazing in their national outfits covered from head to toe and we looked similar with our own headscarf bought on the way to Sahara. 

 The whole camel experience was fantastic, fabulous, fun, so easy especially for me who always wanted to do it, but was apprehensive about it. Another one of those out of the comfort zone experiences! 

 We went on a camel ride towards the sunset - no words can describe it. Loved every minute and it felt surreal, it really did and I still pinch myself to believe it. It was extremely hot, but heat didn’t bother us, we were soaking in every minute. Absolutely stunning scenery, serene, calm, beautiful, peaceful, desert, camels, and us…

 After the camel ride and thousands of photos we had a shower and got together for a traditional Moroccan dinner under the stars.

 Having a shower in Sahara is not a pleasant experience! The shower water was so hot, burning hot even when we opened a cold water tap! I have never ever experienced such a hot shower! Had to jump out to let the water run first before I could go back, but there was no trace of a single drop of cold water at all ☹. 

 After a dinner we had the local guys lit the fire ( as if it wasn’t hot enough) and play local music under the stars. Wow that’s what I call a magical experience!

 All of us ended up sleeping outside, we dragged mattresses out of our little cabins and tried to sleep outdoors with a bit of breeze. Neb was the only one sleeping inside. His reasoning was that snakes and little scorpions were wondering in the sand during the night. None of us really slept that night but that was ok, as sunrise in Sahara totally wiped out all the exhaustions from days of heat and hiking.

 Day 14

 We woke up at 5am to enjoy a freshly fried bread with Nutella breakfast and left the camp by 5.30am to drive back in 4W4 towards the sunrise in the desert. I will forever remember the sun rising above the desert, calmness and peacefulness of the place. Everyone sat on the sand dunes speechless and mesmerised. Hopefully photos will do it justice, the words simply cannot.

 Our drive back to a civilisation was four hours long, same local drivers did their best to bring us back safely and well entertained along the way, shukran lak - شكرًا لك ( thank you)! 

 We are both so proud of ourselves, Sahara desert was a big undertaking but worthy every sweat drop and there were many!!!

 Photo Album Sahara Desert Day 13 and Day 14

 We continued our journey to the market town of Oulad Berhil by minivan and our cheerful driver Ismail. The drive was long through the desert scenery and along a route there was a reserve for the indigenous argan trees. And of course we were lucky enough to come across the famous goats climbing the argan trees and eating the nuts. That was so funny to see and surreal again?! When have you seen goats on the trees ? It only happens in Morocco!

 We arrived at our accommodation at early evening and chilled in the swimming pool, had a dinner a good night sleep! 

Photo Album Goats on the Argan trees

Day 15

In the morning we left the accommodation and continued travel towards Taroudant township where we stopped to see the silver markets, colourful Moroccan ceramics and to grab a coffe. 

We headed west towards the coastal town of Essaouira. We arrived late afternoon and had a free time to explore this Mediterranean city on the water, with palm trees promenades, white and blue buildings and had fish and chips for a dinner - a bit of a change from Tangine!

 Day 16 & 17

Our day started with a lady tour guide Rashida who took us around Essaouira beautiful city. Just when I thought we’ve seen it all, we fell in love with Essaouira. First of all we love the climate here! After living with 45 degrees for days, it was 23 degrees, I had to wear my only long sleeves T-shirt I bought with me! What a difference!

 We’ve learnt that it is always around 20 degrees here, with a gentle breeze it’s so refreshing. In winter months it comes down to 17 degrees and in summer it goes up to 28, never more. A perfect place if you ask me, and a very popular tourist destination for local people and foreign visitors.

 Essaouira is a historic coastal city located in the western part of Morocco, along the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a rich history that dates back several centuries. Here's a brief overview of its history:

 The region where Essaouira now stands has been inhabited since ancient times. Phoenicians, Romans, and Berber tribes were among the early settlers.

 In the 16th century, the Portuguese established a fortress on the site of present-day Essaouira, which they called "Mogador." The fortress served as a trading post and stronghold for the Portuguese in the region.

 In the late 16th century, the Moroccan Saadian dynasty managed to drive out the Portuguese and took control of Mogador, renaming it Essaouira, which means "the beautifully design" in Arabic. The city's strategic location made it an important trading port, attracting merchants from Europe, Africa, and beyond.

 During the 18th century, under the Alaouite Sultan Mohammed III, Essaouira experienced significant growth and development. The sultan fortified the city with impressive ramparts, making it a prominent trading hub and a vital link between Morocco and the rest of the world.

 Sultan Mohamed III used the city’s location to build a new port with fiscal advantages for Jews because they were great traders. Since its early days this has been a cosmopolitan city. 

 City was designed by a French designer, remembering that Morocco was under French protectorate from 1912 to 1956. 

 Anti French feeling is prominent when you get to talk to locals who feel comfortable to share their views. It goes back to the Second World War when French promised independence if Morocco joined the Alliance forces. Morocco delivered their side of the bargain but French betrayed them and ruled for another 12 years till 1956.

 Essaouira has a notable Jewish history, with a significant Jewish population throughout the years. The city was home to a thriving Jewish community, and its mellah (Jewish quarter) was an essential part of the city's social and economic fabric. 

We visited a former Jews quarter and learnt that Jews who left Essaouira went to France, Israel and Canada. Israel had to pay $50 USA for each Jew that left and they had to keep the Moroccan citizenship. Jews from Morocco who live in Israel have dual citizenship and are proud citizens of both countries.

 In the 19th century, Essaouira became a hotspot for European powers seeking to expand their influence in North Africa. The city saw the arrival of French and British consulates and became a center of European diplomacy.

 With the advent of modern port facilities and changing trade routes, Essaouira's importance as a trading port declined in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city fell into a period of relative obscurity.

 In recognition of its well-preserved historic architecture and unique blend of cultures, Essaouira was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

 In recent decades, Essaouira has experienced a renaissance as a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors with its beautiful beaches, vibrant medina (old town), bustling souks (markets), and annual cultural events like the Gnawa Music Festival.

 Today, Essaouira remains a captivating city that reflects its diverse history through its architecture, traditions, and unique cultural heritage. 

 You’ll remember me saying how I didn’t like bargaining with sellers. Well, today we had the best experience ever! We tend to buy two coffee cups wherever we go. We love our coffee and drinking from a souvenir cup revives memories and triggers conversations. We stopped by a ceramic store and hesitated to engage. The young man read our body language well, invited us in and left us to wonder around. He made us a royal Moroccan tea, sat down with us to talk about his family, business and proud respectful Berber - Amazigh culture. He shared with us that Marrakech is a place where sellers are more aggressive which puts people off, but in Essaouira sellers are predominantly Berber and are different- they want tourists to enjoy the experience, to remember Morocco in a good light and spread the news around. They are very respectful. We bought our two coffee cups, we paid the price he asked for and loved the young family man, so so so kind and generous. 

 I have to share one more story from this visit. Rashida our tour guide lady was phenomenal and you could tell she was a highly educated and intelligent person. 

 Rashida said that Morocco has never been a melting pot but rather a mosaic of ethnicities. I was intrigued by that statement, so I asked her to explain the difference and I was blown away with her simple yet profound explanation. 

As an example, America is a melting pot where everyone is expected to fit in, for example you must speak English to live there. 

Morocco is a mosaic of ethnicity where  everyone is different, authentic and unique and the country encourages it to be that way, there is no expectation to fit in, it’s about being yourself, it’s about the concept of plurality! I love this and will take it forward with me. 

 Food, movie industry and handicraft are the main income sources for the region. 

 We visited the port and saw so many fishing boats all painted in blue colour, it’s the must!  Why - no one really knows, but a couple of theories are - Portuguese influences, or Jews who outnumbered Muslims in the 16th century painted them blue for hygiene reasons because flies don’t like blue colour pigment?!

 Essaouira is the 5th sardine port of Morocco. Foreign fleet do not fish here, but fish is getting depleted, it is a global problem but world has double standards - Spanish do the same as Chinese and Japanese but no one talks about it ! 

 Fishermen give between 2-3% of their daily catch to women who wait in the port every morning with a bucket. These women wear a vail to protect their privacy, and to fight a prejudice that says every soldier and a sailor has a woman in a port, intimidating that women in the ports are “cheap ladies”. These women get fresh fish to feed underprivileged community members, so they get fresh fish and not leftovers. Don’t you like this community spirit, I do!

 In 1984 slavery was officially abolished in Morocco but double standards exist today and its an ongoing battle. 

 Entrance into the port built by Mohamed III in the 18th century has three ethnicities symbol engraved in the walls - Berber, Jews and Muslims. He was a visionary man who wanted everyone to live together peacefully. 

 Here we go again, we seem to have lost something that our predecessors fought for, co-life. It seems the civilisation today prides itself on singularity instead of plurality- just watch the news for a week and you’ll get what I am writing about! 

 Game of Throne was filmed here too, it was Astapor City - click here ( https://exploreessaouira.com/game-of-thrones-essaouira/)

We visited the fortress built in the 18th century to protect Morocco from different European invades. 

 I found it interesting to know that French wanted to expand the French influence and French type of life, while Spanish were way more interested in using Morocco’s natural resources for their benefit and left Morocco with Sahara desert filled with land mines, so sobering. 

 Diplomatic relations with France are currently pretty bad, especially since Morocco decided to teach English instead of French at schools, starting from September 2023! It’s a brave move by the central government and welcomed by its people. 

 Photo Album Essaouira

 Day 18

 We left Essaouira around lunch time, took a public bus back to Marrakech and had the final farewell dinner with our Intrepid Tour friends. 

 Intrepid Tours was the great choice, we offered a few suggestions for the future, but overall we were very happy and felt very well looked after all along, definitely happy to recommend them and would use them again without hesitation! 

 In the morning we left for the next destination, more on that in the next blog! 

To wrap it up:

 Morocco is the country of contrasts, yet very proud and more progressive African country.

 Morocco’s history is rich and diverse, spanning thousands of years. The region’s earliest inhabitants were Berber tribes. Over time, Phoenicians, Romans, and Vandals influenced the area. In the 7th century, Arab conquerors introduced Islam, and Morocco became part of various Islamic empires.

 The country saw the rise of the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties in the 11th and 12th centuries.  These dynasties expanded their rule across North Africa and Spain. Later, the Marinid and Saadi dynasties ruled the region, establishing Morocco as an influential power in the 16th century.

 In the 19th century, Morocco experienced European colonial pressures, with France and Spain establishing their influence. In 1956, Morocco gained independence from France, and King Mohammed V became its monarch. His son, King Hassan II, followed him and ruled for several decades, facing political challenges.

 Today, Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with King Mohammed VI as the reigning monarch. The country is known for its unique blend of Berber, Arab, and European influences, making it a fascinating destination with a vibrant history and culture.

 Moroccan people are so kind, welcoming and grateful, and above all they do not like to show off. When they go grocery shopping they buy meat first and put it at the bottom of a bag, fruit and veggies in a middle and long mint leaves at the top. That way whoever sees a grocery bag doesn’t know if they have meat or not, some can afford it, others can’t, mint leaves are cheap and everyone uses them daily for their famous Moroccan Tea. The same approach applies for how they dress, build houses and live life in general, humble hard working smart people who on average speak at least three languages.

 Each time we engaged in a conversation we got asked where we are from. We would say from Croatia but we live in New Zealand. The response was always the same - oh Croatia - Modrić! Luka Modrić! Everybody knows Modrić and loves him so much! It was so cool to talk to them about the football, and the last FIFA cup when Croatia played Morocco for the third place. As soon as Modrić retires Morocco will beat Croatia, everyone has told us that!

We fell in love with Algerian singer songwriter Amine Mohamed Djemal, the lead singer of the band Babylone and their popular song Zina! Our lovely bus driver Ismail played this song and sang along with a big smile and hands in the air! We got to learn the lyrics and here is a link with English translation - enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_oVlImkXA

And check this one out - Ahmed Alshaiba - he taught himself to play the oud, a lutelike stringed instrument, and made a splash on social media with his cover versions of pop songs. Amazing!!! He had over 140 millions views on YouTube. Unfortunately, the young artist died last year in a car accident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5OfNIQtK3U&list=RDEMOHMSiQsB9piQu9Z47zeaEA&start_radio=1

The End

 This phenomenal and enlightening trip has come to its end, I am so happy we spent this much time exploring Morocco, from the North to the South, from the big cities to the Atlas Mountains and Sahara desert, to the coastal cities of Tangier and Essaouira. 

 The people of Morocco deserve every happiness in this world, they are so hard working, so multitalented, smart, multilingual, craftsmanship is in their blood and they are so happy with so little. 

 I wish them all the very best in their journey to prosperity, I thank them for the warm hospitality, and I know for certain Nebojsa and I will help them in our own way.