Two days ago Marrakech and beyond was caught in a searing heat wave. The hot and dry Sahara wind even reached into the Valley of Ourika where the faintest breeze felt like a heat fan. Somewhere half way between Marrakech and Essaouira the thermometer in our Landcruiser indicated 49ºC. With the car windows tightly shut and the air conditioner moderately blowing cool air into the car it was just about bearable.
The road and surrounding plains seemed abandoned by all living souls except for a handful of unfortunate donkeys that were left behind in scorched pastures. Faint rays of sun bursting through the cloudy sky, the air dust laden and hazy, small tornados toying with sand and dust across the barren landscape and the unavoidable simmering heat. As the car drove us through this desolated scenery the world outside seemed surreal and uninhabitable.
Closer to the coast the argan trees stood green and tall amidst the dryness, apparently indifferent to the heat inferno that had descended on this part of the world while the fickle branches of this peculiar tree offered welcome shades to the small herds of goats that graze in the area.
Upon arrival in Essaouira, the city of wind, the temperature had dropped to 28ºC. The Atlantic wind that permanently blows land inwards not only honours the town’s nickname but provides it with coolness even when the rest of Morocco lies under the burden of blistering heat.
City of Wind
The road and surrounding plains seemed abandoned by all living souls except for a handful of unfortunate donkeys that were left behind in scorched pastures. Faint rays of sun bursting through the cloudy sky, the air dust laden and hazy, small tornados toying with sand and dust across the barren landscape and the unavoidable simmering heat. As the car drove us through this desolated scenery the world outside seemed surreal and uninhabitable.
Closer to the coast the argan trees stood green and tall amidst the dryness, apparently indifferent to the heat inferno that had descended on this part of the world while the fickle branches of this peculiar tree offered welcome shades to the small herds of goats that graze in the area.
Upon arrival in Essaouira, the city of wind, the temperature had dropped to 28ºC. The Atlantic wind that permanently blows land inwards not only honours the town’s nickname but provides it with coolness even when the rest of Morocco lies under the burden of blistering heat.
City of Wind
Nice post! i like it , so interesting...Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!. It's clear, and so interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe were in Essaouiera June 26th, and the heatwave was in Marrakech then! It was 47 degrees when we left. I wonder if it's been that hot there for weeks, and I wonder if that is normal. I suspect not!
ReplyDelete