Leaving Marrakesh

So today we are driving to Essaouria. I've enjoyed staying in this riad. The beds are clean and reasonably comfortable, the shower was hot and our room opened out on to the central patio area where there's a small, clean, unheated pool. There's an orange tree outside the door too and last night an old white cat came and sat on my lap for hours. She was friendly and not manky like so many Moroccan cats.

Breakfast has been OK, with bread and jam and pancakes and coffee and fresh orange juice. Friendly people here but hardly any english and "mon francais c'est tres mal."

It's good to visit Morrocco at this time of year as it is fairly cool and there aren't lots of annoying mosquitos. There are lots of birds, big fat sparrows or finches - I'm not sure - although I have watched them through the binoculars...I wish I had a birdbook here! Yesterday I spied a fat kestrel flying above us in the Atlas mountains. I'd like to have seen a leopard but obviously they are very shy and also very rare. In some of the shops in the souks there are animal skins hanging up which is rather depressing (as were the chained monkeys in Al Jeema Fna Square). We might go and get a coffee there now before we head out to the coast - I'm as yet un decided but hey....I better go pack!