We left Monday 9/28 midday to get to Essaouria, a beach town further north. This town I had heard positive things about from both Moroccans and Americans alike, so it was nice to finally get a chance to visit. Essaouria may be even harder to get to than Marrakesh from Meknes - you have to take the train down to Marrakesh, then take a bus up to Essaouria! This city has the beach, a port where fresh fish and other seafood can be found, and a medina that's not too easy to get lost in - plus a good variety of wares at cheap prices!
On Tuesday 9/29 we were led around Essaouria by a tour guide in the morning. It was nice to learn a bit more about the history of the city and see different parts of the medina, but the guide was hard to understand because he would use very stilted Arabic before stubbornly switching back to English! Cat, Kathryn, and I then went to a small Thai restaurant for lunch that served some of the most authentic Asian food I've had in Morocco - even though they didn't have Thai iced tea, it was good enough that we went again for lunch on Thursday! We then walked around for a while in the medina and did some souvenir shopping for family and friends before a group dinner at the hotel accompanied by live music.
Wednesday 9/30 we ventured out to Sidi Kaouki - probably a 20 minute trip away - for a day at the beach. It was amazing how far the ocean was when we first got there and settled in under rentable umbrellas, and how close it was to us before we left. The day was warm but the water was pretty cold! I mostly read and watched the waves, and we had a group lunch at one of the nearby beach cafes. On the way back to Essaouria, we visited a women's argan oil cooperative and learned about the process of producing the oil as we watched some of the cooperative members work. Argan oil, as you may already know, is exclusively produced in Morocco (and therefore the pure form of the oil can be found a lot cheaper here!). Later that night, Cat and I got Nutella crepes and walked along the beach with some of the professors and staff.
We had a free day on Thursday 10/1. I visited a cafe on the beach with friends in the morning, then revisited it with Cat in the evening to watch the sun set. The main event of the day besides that a visit to one of the many spas for massages, which were way cheaper than in the States (about $25 for an hour) and very relaxing! We then snacked on awesome Nutella banana crepes before we decided to visit the rooftop bar, Taros, that the group had already frequented throughout the trip. I had been feeling sick for the past few days - probably something residual from Eid - so I finally got to eat some seafood and enjoy more live music with a great view of the city.
Friday 10/2, after beach adventures and shwarma sandwiches for lunch, we left Essaouria for Oualidia - a small sleepy beach town near El-Jadida. Upon arriving a group of us scurried towards the beach, where fresh seafood vendors awaited. We ate fresh clams and oysters with a squeeze of lemon, all for less than a dollar a piece! Then we went to the beach, which was partially bordered by rocks and coral, and watched the sun set before enjoying dinner together at the hotel.
Some people went kayaking or got taken out on boats on Saturday 10/3, but I slept in (oops) and then sat on the beach by myself for a bit to soak up my last rays of sun before the six-hour bus ride back to Meknes. I think the break was what everyone needed after a tough first few weeks of the semester - and from here on our studies will be in full swing!