Authentic ambience

IT WAS time, I figured, to revisit my favourite North African country, so Mum and I set off for a one-week trip.

Although a lot of time had passed since our last visit, Morocco still retains another-world ambience in many ways.

Three hours after leaving Dublin we were in Agadir. It’s one of the most modern cities in the country, as it was rebuilt after a devastating 1960 earthquake that killed 15,000 people and left most of the remaining 50,000 population homeless. Agadir is a good staging post if you wish to explore further afield and see some of the ‘real’ Morocco; for beach lovers, however, it’s perfect: fine expanses of uncrowded sands extend an impressive distance towards the sea.

Our hotel was a convenient 10-minute walk from downtown. Immediately after checking in we set out to explore.

As we meandered along the boardwalk, surfers, football players, Moroccan families and the few tourists brave enough to enter (and even more quickly leave) the unseasonably cold water.

Nouvelle Talborjt, a 15-minute taxi ride from the city centre, was a good discovery as the area is filled with budget hotels and restaurants.

We departed Agadir for Taroudant and headed east the next day. Years before, we’d cycled around a section of the pretty city’s medieval rose-coloured ramparts in spring-time; weather-wise, that’s the perfect time to meander.

Time hasn’t changed things very much: calaches and horse-drawn vehicles still transport residents to and fro for the price of a taxi.

The ancient town is filled with old shops, meandering streets and two squares — one of which, once again, became our hangout for coffee and cake breaks. The city’s artisan souk, or market, is one of the most hassle-free in the country. Best buys include hand-woven rugs, carpets and ethnic and modern gold and silver jewellery.

I sought out the Taroudant Hotel, a veritable institution reminiscent of a bygone era. Old mementoes and faded glory permeated this central hotel, and it was interesting to revisit the hotel where we’d stayed previously.

This time, however, we were residing in the Palais Salam. This 19th century former palace, secluded yet located just inside the Kasbah, has beautiful stream-filled gardens, a traditional Moroccan restaurant, and accommodation that offers great views from its terracotta-coloured terraces. My private terrace was a great place to chill out after a busy day of sightseeing, glass of wine in hand, before dining in our restaurant of choice.

Two very enjoyable days later, and it was time to head North to Essaouira via Agadir.

This 18th-century enclosed town is Morocco’s most popular resort with tourists and locals. Walk around the medieval-looking battlements and ramparts and explore the white-washed, blue shuttered old houses and the very busy harbour. Prince Moulay El Hassan’s pedestrianised main square is a good starting point for visiting some of the many art galleries, high quality handicraft shops and the spice and jewellery markets.

I purchased a lovely 18-carat gold chain for just €70. The beautiful woodwork made from thuya. This local mahogany-like knotted hardwood is magically transformed into boxes, chess sets and traditional furniture for a fraction of the prices found elsewhere in the country.

Our week’s vacation was too soon coming to an end. We dined on fresher-than-fresh barbecued fish in one of the many popular stalls near the harbour before taking a taxi back to Agadir for one last night before heading home.

Some tips:

Morocco is noted for the following:

Bargaining: like it or not, it’s part of a culture where traditionally prices haven’t been fixed. Prepare to bargain long and hard — or bring lots of money.

Friendliness: enjoy positive encounters everywhere you wander. Children and adults will approach you, easily engage in conversation and welcome you to their country. School students particularly want to practise their English.

Adventure: hop on a local bus and prepare for the ride.

Day excursion to Marrakech: it’s possible to visit this most famous of locations from Agadir on a (very long) day excursion, but it deserves more time. Picturesquely framed against a mountainous backdrop, the city is renowned for the Djemaa El Fna square. Acrobats, snake charmers, astrologers, medicine sellers, musicians, story tellers and colourfully-dressed Berber water vendors converge night and day. As daylight fades, the massive square is transformed into a thronging mass of humanity.

Dining out: Moroccans traditionally eat at home. Restaurants serve traditional staples like harira, a bean-based soup, barbecued brochette meats and tagine, a subtly spiced lamb, chicken or vegetable stew slowly cooked in an earthenware pot over a charcoal fire. I loved tagine’s rich, slow cooked, succulent flavours.

Climate: the best time to visit Morocco is in spring or autumn, before summer’s searing heat and winter’s freezing weather. This is especially true in the mountainous south.

Guide book: the Rough Guide to Morocco. I was extremely impressed with this, one of the best I’ve found for invaluable, practical information.