By Paul Bryers

• Day Itinerary: Drive from Essaouira – Safi – Qualidia – El Jadida
• Accommodation: Riad Soleil d’Orient, El Jadida
• Driver/Guide: Said^
• Meals: Crystal Palace Cafe, Qualidia; Riad Soleil d’Orient, El Jardida

Drive to El Jadida:

Following an early breakfast at the Riad (good), which once again offered stunning morning ocean views including fishermen on the rocks,……

…..Said and I headed North up the mostly coast road to El Jadida.

It was a rural country road with some potholes – not as bad as Glasgow though. Beautiful views out to the Ocean and small coastal villages that cater to locals and tourists.

The coastal areas were surprisingly green.

Wind turbines were prevalent in the hills. There was talk of Morocco providing electricity to the UK, which seems to have little overall electric power strategy, but I’m not aware of the current status.

We passed a selection of mammals – camels, goats, cows, sheep and of course dogs (not Dylan), cats and people.

First stop for coffee and a restroom break was Safi. It’s a big industrial town (phosphate production*) and on the Ocean – huge amount of building going on – new roads and industrial facilities. Little to offer a tourist as far as I can tell but always good to see the grittier side of a country. Typically, I tend to go to these places and am the only tourist 😃. There is a castle but it’s crumbling into the sea…Had a coffee beside a car park, enjoyed the goings on and witnessed a big verbal spar between the cafe guy and a local.

• Morocco holds about 75% of the world’s phosphate reserves and is a leading global producer, using its resources primarily for fertilizer production and increasingly for other products like batteries.

Stopped for lunch at Qualidia. This is a small town with some large resorts at the beach and some cheap hotels in the main town.

I seemingly could not eat at the resorts so had to make do with the town. I chose the Crystal Palace Cafe. No English spoken, so I dragged out my school French and asked for the WC but got taken to a bedroom – so either they didn’t want me in the cafe WC or, as my French Teacher at Inverness Royal Academy, General Grant, said, my French is appalling. I suspect the latter.

This is the Oyster Capital of Morocco but I got away with having them a couple of nights ago and I don’t want to push my luck. So, Pizza Fruit De Mar it was. It was delicious.

If you do this leg of the trip and are not interested in the more gritty side of Morocco, I would suggest that you go straight from Essaouira to El Jadida with just restroom breaks.

Driver/Guide:

Said did a great job once again – especially avoiding the larger pot holes.

Accommodation:

The Riad Soleil d’Orient is in the Medina. It’s very nice and quiet inside the Riad. Folks running it are lovely.

Room is good, overlooking the inner courtyard – you can’t always have the Atlantic Ocean crashing outside your bedroom window.

After 6 hrs in the car I decided to have dinner in the Riad. Interesting move ….

I elected for the couscous and I think I got one for at least two! So big.

It was delicious though..

I also meant to order a large glass of red but ordered a 75 ml bottle instead.

Never mind – it was lovely….

I’m definitely loosing it as I approach 60 years old.

Ok, so oft to bed – It’s Casablanca for 1 night tomorrow before we swing East…

It’s nice to have the call to prayer as you slip between the covers…..mebbies tomorrow…although around 5 am may be a tad early..

^ Supplied via Luxury Tours Morocco