Day 164 - From Marrakech to Essaouira and Our Accidental Early Mother’s Day
We all had a bit of a sleep in this morning after yesterday’s super early start. Even though we got to bed early, everyone was clearly still catching up. There was also a bit of confusion because somehow we thought it was Mother’s Day. Last night, I’d secretly got the kids’ craft stuff out and told them if they woke up before Kia and I, they had one job, quietly head to the lounge and make Mother’s Day cards for Mum.
Sure enough, the kids were up early making cards and little Lego creations for Kia. I rolled out first, saw what they were doing, then quickly ran back in and told Kia not to come out yet. She almost ruined it by trying to sneak out for a shower, but we managed to hold her off long enough for the kids to finish. We then did our little Mother’s Day surprise with cards, Lego gifts, and all. Since we were heading to Essaouira that day and knew we’d be stopping at an argan oil place along the way, we also decided we’d get Kia something there as part of her gift.
By around 9am, we needed breakfast, but with checkout at 11 and transport arriving then too, time was ticking. We planned to just head back to the same breakfast place we’d used the last couple of days, but it was closed. Instead, we found a little bakery style place next door with msemen, so we thought, why not? We accidentally overcommitted and ordered two each, not realising just how filling they actually are. I somehow managed to finish mine, but everyone else was absolutely defeated. We also had a bit of a communication breakdown when ordering coffee and somehow ended up with warm milk, instant coffee sachets, and sugar instead of actual coffees. Not ideal, but I drank it because I wasn’t about to waste it. The kids had tea, Kia barely touched the milk situation, and somehow the whole breakfast only cost us 60 dirham, about $9 AUD for all four of us. Hard to complain too much.
On the walk back, Kia still needed a real coffee, so while she and the kids headed upstairs to finish packing, I sprinted around the corner to grab proper coffees from a nearby café. Thankfully, this one delivered, and Kia was much happier.
Then came the realisation. I called my Mum to wish her a happy Mother’s Day only to find out Mother’s Day is actually next Sunday. So yeah, we accidentally celebrated a week early. On the bright side, Kia now gets two Mother’s Days.
We somehow got ourselves packed and downstairs by about 10:50, expecting a small SUV for our transfer to Essaouira. Instead, a Mercedes van rolled up, which was a very welcome surprise. Plenty of room, much more comfortable, and a far better setup for the three hour drive.
The drive itself was actually really nice, but passing through smaller rural towns between Marrakech and Essaouira was eye opening. A lot of the towns looked far poorer and more run down than I’d expected. Lots of old cars, clutter, unfinished looking buildings, and just a much rougher feel than Marrakech’s tourist heavy areas. Kia said it was pretty much what she expected, but for me it was definitely a bit surprising.
About halfway through, we stopped at a big roadside service station, which turned out to be one of the strangest and most random stops yet. Out the back was this huge grassy area with little sitting tents, plus what honestly felt like a mini zoo. There were ostriches, goats, sheep, ducks, guinea fowl, turkeys, aviaries, and these little squirrel looking creatures running around. It was bizarre but also kind of awesome for a roadside stop. Kia and I grabbed proper coffees, which were much needed by then, while the kids talked us into soda water. Big mistake. Two cans cost us 70 dirham, about $10.50 AUD, which felt absolutely ridiculous. Safe to say that won’t be happening again.
Back on the road, about another hour later, we stopped at an argan oil farm. This was actually a really cool experience. They showed us the full process, from cracking open the argan nuts to grinding them into paste, extracting oil, and then turning the by products into cooking oils, beauty products, creams, lip balms, and even nut butters. Kia and the kids got involved grinding some of the seeds by hand, which was fun, and we got to sample all sorts of products. Unsurprisingly, Kia was in heaven, and we definitely spent a fair bit there, but it genuinely felt like good quality handmade products and a nice way to support the local women making them.
After that, it was one final stretch in the van, and about 45 minutes later, we finally arrived in Essaouira and got dropped at our accommodation. First impressions, this place is awesome. We got ourselves inside, headed up to the second floor, and were all immediately pretty impressed. There’s an office, the kids have their own bedroom, we’ve got a kitchen, lounge, our own bedroom, and obviously a bathroom. It’s a really nice space, a great size, and honestly feels like somewhere we’re going to be very comfortable living for the next two weeks.
Once we’d dropped all our bags, settled in a little, and the kids had unpacked their essentials, we decided to head straight back out and explore. We’re only one street back from the beach, so we cruised along the waterfront, taking it all in. There were nice restaurants, surf shops, kite surf shops, and plenty going on. We walked all the way up toward the old Medina, did a bit of a lap through a small section, and started getting a feel for the place.
Essaouira instantly feels very different to Marrakech. It still has that Moroccan energy, but it feels more open, coastal, relaxed, and touristy in a very beach town kind of way. Being a Sunday afternoon definitely added to the atmosphere too. The beach was packed with people, surfers, kite surfers, families, tourists, and locals all out enjoying the good weather. There were street performers, heaps of people around, and just a really cool vibe overall.
After wandering for a while, we looped back to a few dinner spots we’d noticed earlier and found ourselves a nice place to eat. The kids went for burgers, while Kia and I both had chicken shawarmas again with chips. Really good, but I think I’m learning that the garlic sauce here might be a bit much for me long term. Delicious, but not exactly belly friendly, so I might need to start mixing it up a bit.
After dinner, we took the long way home and kept walking further along the beach past our accommodation. One of the coolest things here is how the beach seems divided into different zones, swimming areas, camel and horse rides, quad bikes, surfing, kite surfing, and it just stretches for ages. There’s so much going on, and it feels like one of those places where there’ll be plenty for us to explore over the next couple of weeks.
Eventually, we made it back to the apartment, got everyone showered, and into bed reasonably early. After a big few days, it felt pretty good to finally settle in somewhere new. Tomorrow is our first full day in Essaouira, and we’re all pretty keen to see what this place has to offer.