Internet speed nearly stopped the blog in it’s tracks somewhere near the Bay of Biscay but I managed to find a relatively fast net cafe here in Marrakesh.

Spent most of Monday in Essouaira (spelt differently each time but is definitely the same place) lounging around cos it rained a bit with sunny intervals (as Mr. Fish would probably put it).

Good things today where: mint tea, sitting outdoors in December, hooded spiky gowns that everyone seems to wear – you get them at Glastonbury too 😉
Bad things: ease at which you can connect up to the “real world”, which many would think I like but I’ve decided its all too easy, and will only get easier.

Had my first alcoholic drink in a fancy French/Moroccan restaurant where an expensive local Moroccan beer – Casablanca – was consumed and a glass of French wine. A Corona would’ve set me back 60 Dirham (about 4 pounds, beating London prices!). Nice fish tagine and some very un-Moroccan chèvre chaud for starters.

Essaouria is a sleeping fishing down on the west coast of Morocco. After my late night arrival the next morning I found a town of whitewashed buildings with the blue of the sky, the sea and the petit taxis everywhere. Laziness is the order of the day, spent most of the morning sat in cafes in the main square until the sun got too strong, then strolled along the incredible beach (8km long and very wide) with what appeared to be hundreds of Sunday morning matches being played (slightly different from the amateur games in local parks in the UK on Sunday mornings). More jus d’orange in a beachside cafe and then some cous-cous with 7 vegetables (ooh!). After a siesta and some strolling through the narrow alleyways where you can buy so many artifacts and knick-knacks, I settled down to watch the sunset over the port. Very nice it was too. The pace of life is great, bartering is the key. People arent in any hurry to get things done and those that do are told that rushing just brings you closer to your grave. My thoughts exactly.