Essouara- Argan Oil and Hammams
We got back to Marrakech around noon and have had a relaxing day before we try to pack for our trek tomorro. But the real excitement was in Essouara. We all hoped in a grand taxi and headed for the argan fields in the desert! Our driver absolutely adored blasting his tape of eighties classics and country music so by the end of the hour journey we knew lyrics of songs we didn't even know existed, but he was also an excelent guide and pointed out goats in trees!!!! Apparently there's nothing to eat in the desert (who knew :-)) so the goats have to climb into the argan trees to feast, i must say it is an astounding site to see animals that seem to lack the necassary coordination literally standing twenty feet off the ground on a small branch. After the goats excitement we made our way to 'Cooperative Elamal d'huile Argan' which is a women's co-op that won the slow food award in 2001 and 2003! We tried some of the oil on xobs and some of the argan butter (like almond butter) and both were absolutely delicious. On the way back we also stopped at another argan coop where we actually watched one woman use the iron grinder and squish the cracked nuts into a gloopy looking oil. We also ate some delicious argan butter their and were served excelent mint tea while we were treated to an assortment of argan oil products scented in various ways. We left with very soft skin and very pink lips from a green lipstick that makes the pigment in your lips turn pink!
After our oil feast in the morning and a quick bit of yummy gelatto we headed to a local neighborhood hammam. We had the whole traditional moroccan experience. we bought our little stools, thick brown soap and our 'keiss' to literally scrub layers of skin off of our bodies. It was amazing, the keiss are like really rough lufas, or more flexible pumice stones you use on your whole body. You could literally see the layers of dead, gray skin being rubbed off and when we left we all felt pounds lighter, as if we had actually scrubbed weight off our bodies.
Tomorrow we pack for our treking adventure when we try to summit the highest peak in morocco! I can't wait!