We left Marrakesh on a second class bus heading towards El Jadida. We decided to try to use every kind of transportation while in Morocco, but this is definitely not one we would ever choose to use again. It was only a few dollars cheaper than a grand taxi or the train, and not at all worth it. First, the bus was very slow, packed with people, and took a circuitous route. It was also an old bus that hadn't been cleaned in ages. It was gross. But the worst part was the cute little boy sitting behind us who got sick half way through and vomited all over the floor. I guess it could happen anywhere... but nonetheless, we strongly advise against the second class busses. If you can, try to avoid them.
El Jadida itself is a lovely city. It's not too large, 150,000 inhabitants, but big and busy enough that it has everything you need. It's located on the coast and has a port. The town of Sidi Bouzid, just a few kilometers away, is more of a vacation beach destination. El Jadida was controlled by the Portuguese for over 200 years and was the last town they left when they left Morocco in 1769. The main tourist attraction is the UNESCO site of the old fortified part of the city within the Portuguese walls, and the church and cistern that lie within. While only a few hours would probably be enough to see all the landmarks, we ended up spending four days getting to know the city. While there weren't many restaurants and hotels, or tourists in general, we managed to find a few coffee shops that occasionally served women (most tea and coffee places are frequented predominantly by men) and a few nice places to eat. And like most Moroccan cities, there was also a street vendor who sold us cooked fava beans every evening (though they flavor them with cumin and spices, and overcook them just a bit, in my opinion).
The people of El Jadida were very nice and welcoming; we had many pleasant interactions. For example, at a veggie shop near our hotel the shop keepers tried to teach us the different vegetable names in Arabic (all I remember is that fava beans are called ful, unfortunately), and then ended up giving us an onion and a tomato (for our tuna fish salad) for free. We tried to pay, but he wouldn't take payment. I suspect he and his friend had been curiously observing our comings and goings over the course of our trip and were glad we stopped in. We bid them a warm farewell the next morning on our way out of town; it was a little sad to leave.
Walled city from the north:
Mosque that resembles a lighthouse:
Portuguese Church of the Assumption (recently renovated after the roof caved in, though no longer used for worship):
Inside the walls:
Fishing port and beach:
Cistern:
I really liked the view from the city walls in El Jadida. It felt to me like the perfect place for a photo shoot - so Caryl put on his jilaba, I put on a dress, and we decided to take some silly photos. Here are just a few :)
Some soda after a day of hard work:
And finally, what the city looks like under a blanket of morning fog:
And a romantic walk on the beach:
I really like Caryl's jilaba. He says it's very warm and comfortable. Locals get a kick out if seeing him in it as well. During our four days here, once a local man driving by saw us walking in "normal" clothes and pulled over to ask Caryl where was his jilaba. I guess he liked it, too.
El Jadida itself is a lovely city. It's not too large, 150,000 inhabitants, but big and busy enough that it has everything you need. It's located on the coast and has a port. The town of Sidi Bouzid, just a few kilometers away, is more of a vacation beach destination. El Jadida was controlled by the Portuguese for over 200 years and was the last town they left when they left Morocco in 1769. The main tourist attraction is the UNESCO site of the old fortified part of the city within the Portuguese walls, and the church and cistern that lie within. While only a few hours would probably be enough to see all the landmarks, we ended up spending four days getting to know the city. While there weren't many restaurants and hotels, or tourists in general, we managed to find a few coffee shops that occasionally served women (most tea and coffee places are frequented predominantly by men) and a few nice places to eat. And like most Moroccan cities, there was also a street vendor who sold us cooked fava beans every evening (though they flavor them with cumin and spices, and overcook them just a bit, in my opinion).
The people of El Jadida were very nice and welcoming; we had many pleasant interactions. For example, at a veggie shop near our hotel the shop keepers tried to teach us the different vegetable names in Arabic (all I remember is that fava beans are called ful, unfortunately), and then ended up giving us an onion and a tomato (for our tuna fish salad) for free. We tried to pay, but he wouldn't take payment. I suspect he and his friend had been curiously observing our comings and goings over the course of our trip and were glad we stopped in. We bid them a warm farewell the next morning on our way out of town; it was a little sad to leave.
Walled city from the north:
Mosque that resembles a lighthouse:
Portuguese Church of the Assumption (recently renovated after the roof caved in, though no longer used for worship):
Inside the walls:
Fishing port and beach:
Cistern:
I really liked the view from the city walls in El Jadida. It felt to me like the perfect place for a photo shoot - so Caryl put on his jilaba, I put on a dress, and we decided to take some silly photos. Here are just a few :)
Some soda after a day of hard work:
And finally, what the city looks like under a blanket of morning fog:
And a romantic walk on the beach:
I really like Caryl's jilaba. He says it's very warm and comfortable. Locals get a kick out if seeing him in it as well. During our four days here, once a local man driving by saw us walking in "normal" clothes and pulled over to ask Caryl where was his jilaba. I guess he liked it, too.
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