Journey to the Coast of Morocco – Episode 793

September 6, 2023

176

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Hear about journey to the Atlantic coast of Morocco from Casablanca, through Essaouira, to Agadir because the Beginner Traveler talks to Amanda Ponzio-Mouttaki from marocmama.com about this nation she calls dwelling.

Amanda says, “I believe that Morocco is a kind of locations that’s on individuals’s dream checklist. It’s someplace that appears actually inaccessible when in actuality, it’s simply as simple as attending to Europe. ”

“It’s a rustic of contrasts. You’re gonna get to expertise all the pieces. It may be as regular as you need it to be like. I stay in Marrakech, and I can go and do no matter I might do in any metropolis around the globe, or it may very well be as distinctive as doing one thing wild that you simply by no means considered, like sleeping below the celebrities within the Sahara Desert.”

“We’ve got each single local weather zone we’ve got cities, nation, mountains, snow, ocean lakes, actually all the pieces possible truly exists in Morocco.”

Amanda first got here to Morocco in 2003, the place she met the person she would later marry. They moved again to Morocco in 2012 in order that their youngsters may be taught Arabic and French. What has been deliberate to be a one-year journey has develop into indefinite. They began operating meals excursions in Marrakesh and have expanded that to different Moroccan excursions.

Amanda lays out an itinerary on the west coast of Morocco. She begins us in Casablanca, which has the most effective worldwide connections. She warns us that town is nothing like town within the Bogart film of the identical title, however she does suggest just a few websites to see.

The Hassan II Mosque is among the largest mosques within the Islamic world. It’s a lovely piece of workmanship that was solely constructed on the finish of the twentieth century. It was constructed by contributions from on a regular basis Moroccans. It’s one of many solely mosques within the nation that non-Muslims can enter. It additionally has a hammam, which is a conventional Moroccan bathhouse.

She recommends the Quartier Habous, which is a neighborhood that was constructed by the French in a quasi-Orientalist model. They constructed it how they thought Morocco would look. She recommends looking within the small outlets and stopping at a selected native bakery.

From there, we head south on the coast to El Jadida, which has a big fortress constructed by the Portuguese and an uncommon and hauntingly stunning outdated cistern that lay hidden for hundreds of years.

All alongside the best way, Amanda, who’s a foodie, factors out her favourite eating places and locations to remain. Oualidia is understood for its oysters however can also be fashionable with birdwatchers who benefit from the range of migrating birds who come by Morocco.

Safi has one other Portuguese fortress and is a middle for colourful Moroccan pottery.

Essaouira is Amanda’s favourite metropolis on the coast. This 18th-century fortified city has a lovely small medina which is a UNESCO World Heritage website. Discover the port with its brilliant blue small fishing boats and stone partitions. Keep in a conventional Moroccan riad or within the extra fashionable city by the seaside.

Pattern the native argan oil or head out into the countryside, the place you’ll be able to see goats climb timber to eat the argan nuts.

South of Essaouira, you could find fashionable surf cities like Tamraght and Taghazout. Tamraght has the nickname Banana Village as a result of it has a microclimate that produces tropical fruit equivalent to bananas.

Agadir is a extra fashionable metropolis the place you could find all-inclusive resorts. From right here, you’ll be able to head inland on the toll street, which can return you to Casablanca.

The Atlantic coast of Morocco is price a go to. It affords a laid-back and welcoming introduction to this fascinating nation. Though beware that you simply, like Amanda, could discover this nation onerous to go away.

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