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| Morocco's Flag |
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| Mosque in Agadir |
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| Beach.... |
Agadir lies at the southwest end of Morocco, at the base of
the Atlas Mountain range, and occupies a perfect location on the Atlantic
coast, with miles and endless miles of sandy beaches reaching north and south
from the city.
Agadir was practically destroyed in 1960 by a devastating
earthquake, which killed 15,000 people and flattened the old Kasbah. The
magnitude of the disaster was such that excavation of victims was an impossible
task, and the entire area of destruction was declared a cemetery, and the city
was rebuilt by order of King Mohammed V, two miles to the south of the former
site.
Agadir has more than 300 sunny days per year, which makes it
a highly desired tourist destination for northern Europeans, who would like to
flee from winter cold and rain.
East of the beach lies the city proper, with a number of
mosques, markets, and busy streets and sidewalk Moroccan cafes, which seem to
be frequented only by males drinking strong sweetened peppermint tea – no alcohol
in this part of town.
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| Typical Male Donwtown Garb |
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| Moroccan Woman and Baby |
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| Moroccan Family out for a Stroll |
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| Mdern day sophistication edging out the historic jellabas and veils |
Many women wear a veil in this town, although many younger
females opt for western clothes, and some compromise mixing trendy clothes with
veiled hair. However, no bare flesh in sight.
I bought a hand crafted jellaba (kaftan with hood) in a
street side shop where tailors made them to measure. I found one, that fit,
meaning not too long to drag on the floor….they make perfect clothing when
‘pottering’ around the house.
Once headed for the beach and a long string of resorts,
including Club Med, Sofitel, Best Western and a host of others, things change.
Hardly anybody wears ‘conservative clothing; most tourists shed all but the
bare essentials when taking up one of the hundreds of ‘private’ beach chairs
along endlessly stretching beach and even the locals take the occasional dip in
the Atlantic surf.
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| Beach Segment reserved for restaurant guests |
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| Mix and Match on the Promenade |
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| Un peut de Chic Francais... |
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| Water Vendor in historic clothing |
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| Taking a Dip in the Surf |
The promenade along the sea shore is a chain of sea side
restaurants, some claiming their own
section of beach where they provide chairs, shade and refreshments.
Refreshments along beach side include wine and beer, but restaurants in the
city appear to adhere to the Koran’s prohibition of alcoholic indulgences.
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| Spices of the Orient |
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| All but Lost Art - carving by local artist |
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| Moroccan girl with one of the ship's entertainers - photo op. |
Food, as well as clientele is international. However, being
in Morocco, a local dish seemed appropriate to me. I skipped the prominently
spread out MacDonalds and Pizza Hut terraces, and chose Le Nil Bleu, decorated
with Nefertitis and Pharaos, but with almost every seat occupied – always a
good omen! A well-seasoned tasty couscous served in a
traditional ceramic covered dish, accompanied by a glass of French wine, made for a deliciously
decadent lunch with a view of the pounding Atlantic Ocean only a couple of
hundred yards away across the hard packed sand beach. Yes, beaches are not only
incredibly long, but incredibly wide and flat. Swells break way out to sea and
then slowly roll in unbroken wavelets onto the shore.
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| Marrakech and Casablanca - not too far away |
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| STOP in any language looks similar.... |
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| Fishing vessels in Agadir Port |
Although I wore my ‘conservative’ headscarf in the city
itself, by the time I made it to the sea, that was no longer a necessary
passport to anonymous freedom – down there, almost anything goes, with German tourists
usually leading the charge in showing as much flesh as possible even when
sitting in a restaurant. Well, here it does seem to offend neither the local
population nor the visiting crowd.
A typical peppermint tea, served Moroccan style with loads
of cane sugar gave the meal and my stay a fitting finale before heading back to
the ship. Heading west into the Atlantic and distancing ourselves from Agadir,
made me realize how extensive the Atlas Mountains are beyond the city. They
rose high through a dusky haze, probably caused by influences of Saharan winds
and sand.
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| The Feared Berber Attack - now only on tourist paintings and on tourist shows... |
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| Heading out to catch some fish during late afternoon.... |
