Greencaviar Travel

I could not just talk about the fortified town without mentioning the scenery on the way to Essaouira. I thought I already saw Morocco’s uniquely diverse landscape on the road to Erfoud, but I saw another enchanting landscape of surreal beauty on the road to Essaouira.  Most astonishing sights in the bizarre were the tree-climbing goats or the Argan trees decorated by live goats. Even though they almost looked as if staged for tourists, there was a historical and scientific foundation for the story. No grass for grazing grew on the rocky plains, except for Argran trees, which are unique to that part of Morocco. Therefore, the goats climbed the trees for the Argan fruits for food. Recent years have shown the growth in numbers of the Argan trees due to the popularity and commercial value of the Argan oil. O ur guide mentioned that roughly over one million trees are grown in the area. Cooperatives were formed to protect the interest of the local people (Berbers...

I’m not really a history buff or interested in visiting a military architecture, but our travel guide mentioning the fact that the fortified town of Essaouira was once called Mogador and known for a long time as the Port of Timbuktu piqued my curiosity.  I imagined a remote place, untouched by time. Indeed, Essaouira has retained its old world charm, but as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also widely visited by tourists.  The Fortified Town We first visited the port, which became one of the major Atlantic commercial centers between Africa and Europe in the 18th century. Although it is still a busy fishing and trade center today, it has retained its small village charm with small old boats all painted in blue and a few big fishing boats made of wood.  We then visited inside the well-preserved mid-18th-century fortified seaport. The streets were so narrow, so we walked alongside the fortified walls on one side and the medina on the other side until we reach...