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@Essaouira - الصويرة

The Moroccan flag consists of a red field with a green five-pointed star in the centre. The red symbolises bravery and strength, whilst the green, a key colour in Islam, represents love, joy, wisdom, peace and hope. The green star, often seen as the Seal of Solomon, represents the five pillars of Islam.

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@Moroccan architecture

They were now in the delightful coastal town of Essaouira. Karim, their guide, said that the old city still had walls and ramparts built in 1506 by the Portuguese. Until the 1960s, Essaouira was known by its Portuguese name of Mogador. The town’s new name means “little picture” in Arabic.

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@Living space

Their hotel was light and airy and the rooms very comfortable. After settling in, they explored the immediate vicinity, some pets buying postcards to send home, others splashing out on guidebooks and souvenirs.

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@Moroccan meal

They had an early luncheon; a typical Moroccan meal with tea, bread just out of the oven, cheese and fresh olives. It was delicious! Then the group got ready for a visit to a large souk in Essaouira.

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@Spice stall

Karim explained that in Morocco, a market was called a souk (or souq). Souks were found in the medinas, the old, walled sections of cities and were named after the type of goods sold or their location. Karim gave an example of Souk El Attarine, which is the perfumer's market.

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@Shuttered windows

Souks are divided into sections based on what they sell—spices, leather, metalwork, textiles, ceramics and more. Souk Haddadine is a market known for metalwork. Karim pointed out some ornate wrought ironwork on shuttered windows.

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@Textile dyes

Many colourful dyes are used in the textile trade, which is an important industry in Morocco. Some common sources of dyes include henna, madder root, saffron and indigo.

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@Stained glass windows

Karim pointed out stained glass windows atop some shuttered windows in Morocco. A glass market would be found in the souk, for the coloured glass.

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@Olive market

"I've never seen so many different types and colours of olives!" marvelled Mirabilis.
"Yes, you normally just have a few to decorate the top of a pizza, don't you?" remarked Violet.

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@African daisy

The cheerful African daisies they saw all added to the colour and atmosphere of the town as they wandered round.

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@Open air tagine food

A street food seller cooking a savoury-smelling tagine dish made them even hungrier for their luncheon!

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@Traditional restaurant

The pets went to a cosy restaurant for their lunch at midday. It had stained glass windows and typical colourful Moroccan furnishings.

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@Tagine food

They had a tagine stew with several side dishes: couscous, yogurt & mint, lemon/lime wedges and chickpea flatbreads, maakouda batata (potato cakes) and spiced chargrilled aubergine slices and muhammara (roasted red pepper dip). The pets all tucked in heartily!

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@Ornate decoration

Fortified by their meal, which they all voted to be first rate, they went back outside to resume their visit to the large souk. The pets admired the colourful houses with ornate decoration they saw along the way.

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@Moroccan snapdragons

"I'm going to see if I can get a book about African flowers," remarked BTL. "These snapdragons are stunning!"
"You should ask Karim if he can recommend a book," remarked Mirabilis. "He seems to know everything!"

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@Visit to the Souk

The pets then had a happy couple of hours exploring the busy souk in town. The mini tagines in various bright colours were a great hit! Mirabilis and Pufko each bought one to take home for use as a paperweight.

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@Visit to the Souk

Karim had coached them well in bartering techniques. "Never say you really like an item," he advised. "Appear to be indifferent—even that you dislike the item. The vendor will name a very high price, as if doing you a favour. You must shrug, and name 50% of that price."

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@Visit to the Souk

Karim continued: "He will reduce the price a little more, you increase your offer a little more. Bit by bit, you arrive at an acceptable price."
"It seems an odd way to do things," said Mirabilis. "What is a fair price?"
"If you think it's a fair price, then it is," responded Karim.

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@Visit to the Souk

The pets enjoyed their bartering experiences! They watched Mrs Rabbit haggling over a pair of bellows, which she fancied for the kitchen fire back home. Beaming, the vendor praised her warmly: "You have excellent taste, dear madam! Only for you, the price is just 400 dirham!"
"150 and no more," stated Mrs Rabbit. The vendor staggered back, clutching his heart. "Oh-h-h! I will not be able to feed all my little ones! 350!"

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@Visit to the Souk

Mrs Rabbit shrugged. "I don't know if they'd suit my kitchen so very well after all. 160."
The vendor groaned deeply and, in the manner of one helpless, put-upon male to another, gestured imploringly to Mr Rabbit to take over the bargaining. "The ladies—may Allah bless them!—just don't understand business, dear sir! You will see I can't go a single dirham below 325!"

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@Fruit Market

"Nonsense," said Mrs Rabbit firmly. "180."
The seller looked anguished. "300, and that has to be my absolute, final offer, madam! I am selling at a loss!"
Mrs Rabbit sniffed. "I saw them for sale cheaper further down. Good day to you, sir." She made as if to depart, whereupon the vendor wailed heart­rendingly and reduced the price again. Mrs Rabbit grudgingly increased her offer and they finally shook paws on 200 dirham.

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@Architecture, Essaouira

"Well done, Mrs R!" said Karim.
Mrs Rabbit was tucking the ornate bellows into her shopping bag. "That chap would do very well in Edgar's amateur dramatics group," she remarked tartly.
The pets returned to the hotel to rest from the heat of the day. In the late afternoon they met in the cafeteria for a refreshing mint tea, then Karim suggested a trip to the harbour and seaside for those who wished.

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@Essaouira Harbour

A picturesque, bustling old fishing harbour with many small bright blue wooden fishing boats awaited them. Where there are fishing nets, there are those who need to repair the holes! The pets saw several crew members stitching their nets. Locals arrived with their fish trucks. One had “Cooperative Poisson Mogador” written on the side. Karim reminded them that "Mogador" was the old name for the town, and that poisson was French for 'fish'.

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@Atlantic Ocean, Essaouira

The group sat watching the trawlers coming in to land. It was certainly a challenge to bring a large trawler into a busy port with not a lot of dock space!
Karim pointed out a series of commanding forts along the seafront that had been built by the Portuguese, French and Berbers during the different periods of occupation.

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@Sunset over Atlantic, Essaouira

They watched windsurfing, a very popular activity here. As the day drew to a close, there was a stunning sunset and they headed back to the hotel for the night.

Mirabilis has enjoyed touring Morocco, but it is time to go home. Please select another pet as visitor, so they can also enjoy this event!