bright royal blue

Throwback to Essaouira.

Old men and giant nets, seagulls everywhere, the salty smell of the ocean and icy fish spread out across old wooden tables. Long before the tourists arrived, people were making a living here off of the sea. It seems times have not changed overhere.

Even if not in the mood to buy fish, this the harbour is an excellent place to visit. The purity, colors and smell are utterly incredible. It's a dream for photographers like us.

The entire harbour is full of the most picturesque little blue boats. Essaouira blue boats!

The bright royal blue that covers the hull of every boat and adorns the shutters of every window speaks of thousands of years of history. This color harvested from the shells found on the Purple Islands that protect Essaouira from the open sea.

essaouira

Mogador, Medina at the ocean.

After the workshop my husband Henk arrived in Marrakech. I asked the taxi driver to bring him to Gueliz, where I surprised him with a welcome dinner at restaurant +61.

The next morning we took the bus to spend some days together in Essaouira.

After a few hours we arrived at our hotel near Essaouira, totally different moroccan vibes overhere...

For Henk it was the first time in Essaouira and I loved to show him all my favorite parts of the medina.

We were lucky, because it was exceptionally quiet in the city so we could enjoy the authentic atmosphere of the medina at the ocean. It was misty, but hardly no wind. We walked for hours through the charming narrow streets.

We visited Galerie Elizir, once was a restaurant, nowadays it's vintage heaven! Four floors stuffed with an incredible amount of unique pieces. Furniture, art, lamps, posters, a museum of a collector with exceptional taste.

We had drinks and dinner on the roof terrace at Megaloft that night. Surrounded by misty clouds, seagulls, stylish waiters, colorful vintage furniture, cool music and the sounds of the city below.

Day One in Mogador was magical and relaxed. We took the typical Essaouira-blue Mercedes taxi, we drove to our hotel a few kilometers outside the city.

hello from mogador

Mogador, Medina at the ocean.

A photo report of our visit to Essaouira, where we arrived at the end of the afternoon. It was nice and quiet in the city, so I really could experience the authentic atmosphere. And no wind, which is very unusual.

We visited Galerie Elizir, a former restaurant, now transformed into a four floor vintage gallery. We strolled through the charming narrow streets in the medina and enjoyed the sunset overlooking the Atlantic at Salut Maroc.

A year ago we were allowed to take a look inside the heritage building, when the work was in full swing and I promised the craftsman not to share any pictures. Needless to say we were so curious about the result. Well, I can tell you this funky boutique hotel is a color explosion; united colors, patterns and texture! The interior is a fusion of Islamic patterns, vibrant colours and an eclectic mix of contemporary & antique. Inspiration overdose...

After a nice conversation with the chef, he insisted on having his portrait photographed by me. Ank and I shared the most delicious lemon pie that I have tasted in ages and when the sun has sunk into the ocean, we went to our favorite restaurant Mega Loft, to end this glorious day in style.