I knew as soon as I arrived that I would love it here. My second last stop. A stay at the coast. Beach days were coming. I had heard about the music scene. And the laid-back ambiance attracted me.

The place: Essaouira.

Yet despite spending far too much time on the beach and suffering from heat/sun stroke like never before, I loved this place!

A laid-back medina perfect for shopping.  I actually purchased five pairs of shoes.  (And then wore my pointy-toed slippers to my government job upon return to Ottawa much to the horror of some colleagues.  A true sign that I just didn’t fit in!)

Fun afternoons spent listening to Gnaoua music and expanding my music collection.

And a port for wandering around before feasting on seafood.

Oh and little cafes serving yummy coffee and fresh-pressed orange juice.

But I secretly longed to get to Marrakech, the city I just had a good vibe about.