Morocco: Essaouira, the light one
The power of colors: the ocher city wall
It sounds as if somebody is drumming his soul out. First soft, then louder and faster. Where does the grumbling come from? From a courtyard, but which? The drum is racing. Deserted the alley, the shops closed, during the day hang here the house walls full of rugs and blankets. Now the blows rush. And suddenly: silence. No more sound. A cat - Essaouira is the city of a thousand cats - disappears behind a wall. Above me the crescent moon lies like a bowl in the sky.
In the medina of Essaouira, they meet regularly, the Gnaoua musicians. The Gnaoua are descendants of black African slaves, their dances and songs are to keep evil spirits in check, to protect against diseases. Anyone who walks through the city in the evening and hears the drums can not get the rhythms out of their heads. At the end of the sixties Jimi Hendrix was in Essaouira. Also because of this drum music that can put in a trance.
During the day it seems light and serene, the white Atlantic City that does not crush anyone and attracts many artists. Where the light is often so bright that the houses with their blue window frames shine like mother-of-pearl. Where the wind whips the hair in the face for 260 days a year - a challenge to mass tourism: At the beaches of Essaouira, about 170 kilometers north of Agadir, no sunbathers can last long. The surfers have discovered the spot for themselves, carry their boards through the old town to the sea and roar away with the wind.
Fortress wall with fishing boats
The city wall is like a protective wall. As I walk through one of the magnificent gates, I have peace from the gusts. And yet someday wants to get out and stand on the old fortress and watch the spray fountains splash into the blue sky. The massive backdrop was one of the locations of Ridley Scott's Crusader film "Kingdom of Heaven."
The mighty fortress goes back to the Portuguese, in between pirates slipped under here. In the mid-18th century, Mogador, as the place was then called, became an important trading center, attracting many Jewish merchants. Peacefully, they lived with the Arabs in the medina. On a floor plan, which in turn is an import from Europe: The Sultan had commissioned a Frenchman with the planning of the city, the engineer designed dead straight main roads to Western pattern, unusual for an Arab city. And maybe that is one of the reasons why I always feel in Essaouira of being at the tip of Europe.
Roof terrace of the restaurant "Taros"
I do not want to go away. Not so soon. Not until I know what they're all looking for, artists, gallerists, early retirees, late risers, dropouts. The life in the sunny, manageable city has washed up at some point. Some Europeans have bought a riad, an old family palace with opulent courtyard, and prepared it as a hotel. Felicitas Christ, organic farmer from Freiburg, acquired in Essaouira a hammam, which was for sale. She restored the steam bath, built a house next to it, fought with the city council to obtain necessary permits - until she opened her small organic hotel, the "Lalla Mira", in 2004, heated with solar energy.
Trader with colored straw
Maybe the secret of Essaouira is that you can learn to wait here. Without fear, the world would go past one. I wait for the waiter in the place Moulay Hassan, between medina and sea. In the meantime, I let them stroll by, Globetrotter with Jesuslatschen and China notebook under his arm, city dwellers in the Tommy Hilfiger outfit, black veiled women, old men with brown cowls and jagged hats. Life passes like a movie, there is no end, I just have to get up someday.
When I finally make the cut and reach the heart of the medina, I enter another dimension. Turn me around with the others like in a carousel - traders, housewives, beggars, tourists. The stream takes me along, softer than in the swarming souks of Marrakech, but unstoppable.
In the medina: Kräutermann Mohamed
Essaouira is also the city of the arts and crafts. If you are looking for good art, you have to take your time. On the internet I read that Mohamed Zouzaf is Essaouira's most imitated artist. And one of the best. He has never lived anywhere but here, his ancestors are Berbers.
Mohamed Zouzaf is very friendly and very reserved. Maybe he would like to disappear behind the sculptures that are everywhere in his apartment. The sculptures and his paintings are covered with countless mysterious characters, inspired by the Berber tradition.Each picture tells a story, Zouzaf says he is a writer of the canvas. Sometimes he speaks with his works. For plates with Gnaoua music he designed covers, made festival posters. Can he live from his art? "Yes." And feed his family? The 50-year-old nods deliberately. "Even that. Inschallah." Too bad, I think I can not decipher them, these beautiful hieroglyphics. I would probably need months or years for that. And then I would have finally stuck in the white city by the sea. Like so many others.
But would that be really bad?
Travel Information Essaouira
Eat well, sleep in style: in historic riads, magnificent townhouses
phone Area code for Morocco: 00212.
Oriental design: "Madada Mogador"
hotels Many hotels are restored riads, old townhouses, often with a lovely courtyard.
Madada Mogador: A Monegasque has decorated the beautiful designer hotel with great taste and lovely details. Huge terrace, some rooms with sea view; DZ / F from 115 Euro (Tel 44475512, www.madada.com). Riad al Madina: Jimi Hendrix was here. Cat Stevens too. And Tennessee Williams. Charming, lovingly restored riad from the 19th century; DZ / F from approx. 73 euros (Tel 44475907, Fax 44476695, www.riadalmadina.com). La Maison des Artistes: original small hotel, very casual and artistically decorated, each room with its own charm, some with sea view; DZ / F from 65 Euro (Tel 44475799, Fax 44475700, www.lamaisondesartistes.com). Lalla Mira: Biohotel by Felicitas Christ, friendly rooms, visit to the Hamam next door is free; DZ / F from 62 Euro (Tel 44475046, Fax 44475850). Les Terrasses d'Essaouira: elegant, very quiet riad, in the courtyard chirping birds, library for browsing. Each room in a different shade; DZ / F from 75 Euro (2, rue Mohamed Diouri, Tel. 44475114, Fax 44475123, www.les-terrasses-essaouira.com).
Restaurant "Le 5inq"
Restaurants and cafes Taros: exquisite Moroccan cuisine. In the restaurant stylish salon atmosphere, on the beautiful terrace also a bar for the drink in the evening (Place Moulay Hassan, Tel. 44476407, www.taroscafe.com). Le 5inq: elegant restaurant in old vaults. French cuisine with Moroccan influences, very imaginative creations (7, rue Youssef El Fassi, tel. 44784726). Il Mare: colorful range of tapas, paella, wood-fired pizza to Moroccan specialties, sometimes with live music. Right by the sea, the owner is German (43, rue Yamen Scala, Tel. 444764 17). Gelateria Dolce Freddo: In the most beautiful place of Essaouira there is the best cappuccino (Place Moulay Hassan).
The big lights: on the spice market
shopping Saddiki: large selection of spices, herbs, oils. (203, Marché aux épices). Gallery La Kasbah: exquisite furniture, carpets, pottery. Objects are shipped worldwide (4, rue de Tetouan, tel. 44475605). Maison Berbère: beautiful carpets and blankets at reasonable prices (6, rue de Marrakech, tel. 44472497).
flat-rate Atlas activ tours puts together individual packages, including travel, accommodation and, if desired, guided city tour (Liebenhofen 42, 88287 Grünkraut, Tel. 0751/769340, Fax 7693414, www.atlas-activ-tours.de).
info Moroccan National Tourist Office, Graf-Adolf-Straße 59, 40210 Dusseldorf, Tel. 0211/37055152, Fax 374048 (will send you brochures free of charge). On the Internet: www.essaouiranet.com (lots of information on history, hotels, restaurants, weather).
