Agadir

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 5 Nov 2008 10:00
 
Agadir
 
 

A photo of Agadir taken from above the lit "God save the King"  (see later) in the ruins of the old Kasbah. Fishing port to right, marina centre right, the vast beach and large town.

 
 
The word Agadir means "Fortified Granary"
The city proper has a population of 200,000 (678,596 census figures for 2004 including the agglomeration of the nearby cities of Inezgane and Ait Melloul.
The city is located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean.
 
 
   
 
 
Soon after we pulled in the boat opposite did, a Warrior 40 from Germany, (same as Beez Neez) that had tied to us, to book in, while we were had the electrician on board fixing our compass in Lagos, Portugal. Our next door neighbours were Pam and Jim on Delicado, a couple from Queensland, Australia in company of another couple who had left some 5 years ago. Friendly, sound advice, book swopping and we hope to meet again. Settled in and off to explore, Bear with Beez over his left shoulder.

Agadir is known as having the first Sardine port in the world. When I saw a stage being built on the beach I thought "Oh Oh, I'm back with the Portuguese Sardine Festivals". Agadir is also an important commercial port exporting cobalt, manganese, zinc, citrus and produce. The mild winter climate (January average midday temperature 20°C/68°F) and enormous beaches have made it a major "winter sun" destination for Northern Europeans. It is also a seaside resort for the locals and a popular place to honeymoon. Because of its large buildings, wide roads, modern hotels, and European-style cafes, Agadir is not a typical city of ‘traditional’ Morocco, but it is a modern, busy and dynamic town.

 

   

 

The fresh fish and the fish food stalls. Agadir is famous for its sea food, the catches come into the harbour, next to the marina. There are fish food stalls in excess of 120 and rather like Marrakech the stall owners come at you waggling menus. You can go around the back and find the fresh fish for sale, they had no shell fish as most goes to the hotels and restaurants. The vast supermarket Marjane's sold lobster at 440 Dirham's a kilo or £15.50 per pound. 

 

 

            

 

Cross the road from the whole beach front and there are hundreds of restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs. We had fish pasta, spag bol and a bottle of Casablancan Rose for 185 Dirham's, food 40 each or just shy of £3.00 for a huge portion and the wine £7.50.

 

         

 

The vast expanse of beach, at 5 o'clock hundreds of football games get going. Bear with 'God Save the King' behind him. Shots of the size of the beach. What are the restrictions on sunbathing "You cannot go topless but you can undo your bikini strap when laying face down" I'll remember that.  
 
Can you make your lips disappear - Pepe can - See warning signs.
Do you know what a hot shoe attachment is.
Bear does.
Hot shoe attachment makes good contact for a "mighty bick in the kalls"
Rub Bear Rub....... Rub Bear Rub 
 
                                                                                                                                                                                    
        
 
In the supermarket I was offered my own supply of supersize Huggies.
For any future requirements.
Have you ever seen anyone rammed in the Achilles Tendon with a well aimed supermarket trolley.
Bear has
Limp Bear Limp..... Limp Bear Limp.......

   

  

 

The marina is over Bear's right shoulder. I didn't have to fret when Bear snored, there was enough space around us.

 

History of Agadir

During medieval times, there was only a fishing village there, Agadir el-arba`. In 1505 the Portuguese established a trading post named Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué, under a governor. In 1541, the city came under Wattasid control and in 1572 a stronghold was built on the top of the hill overlooking the bay, the Kasbah. Agadir became prosperous for two centuries. In 1911, the arrival of a German gunboat (the Panther), officially to protect the local German community, triggered the Agadir Crisis between France and Germany which allowed France, in 1913, to occupy nearly the whole kingdom of Morocco. At 15 minutes to midnight on February 29th 1960, Agadir was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake that lasted 15 seconds, burying the city and killing an estimated 15,000. The earthquake destroyed the ancient Kasbah. On its front gate can still be read the following sentence in Dutch: "Fear God and honour thy King". On seeing the destruction in Agadir, King Muhammad V of Morocco declared: "If Destiny decided the destruction of Agadir, its rebuilding depends of our Faith and Will." Reconstruction began in 1961, two kilometers south of the earthquake epicentre.

 

            

 

 

A hotel call Kamal had this amazing little garden next to the main entrance. The free concert, Saturday 1st November on the beach with Enrique Inglesias as the headliner, which did NOT happen due to two days of torrential rain, last time I touch any Berber lake, ever since there has been all sorts of odd weather. A Bee coloured Hummer.

 

 

   

 

Herds of small fish racing to the side of Beez for a 'gentler' edition of the Blessed Kissing Fish. The lit "God Save the King" we see from the marina and Bear sitting on the wall above that same sign.

The marina itself has been somewhat disappointing, when we arrived in Rabat we knew it would be being built around us, they gave us a smashing time. Agadir is on the internet as a proud, jet-set quality marina that is "impressive" and a jewel in the Moroccan crown with a base cost of 500 million. We did not let the unfriendly reception with the Moroccan Navy put us off, but, cold showers with fittings hanging off, communal changing, doors that wouldn't close, duff electricity and flaky internet was a pain to say the least. Not to be recommended.  

 

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The marina, with Beez Neez, if you look above the asterisk, there is a square see-through roof terrace with the top edge touching a yacht, Beez is the boat above that one on the second row in.

 

All in all, glad we visited, if for no other reason to see the goats in the trees, it's still wrong you know. Off to Lanzarote tomorrow Thursday 6th November for the two day sail.