Agadir, Morocco

Agadir, population 900,000, is a major Algerian port on the Atlantic Ocean. It appears fairly modern because most of it was destroyed in a major earthquake in 1960 and had to be rebuilt. Its economy is based on tourism and fishing (especially sardines).

We visited a women's cooperative that produces argon oil and prickly pear cactus oil, both of which are touted to cure just about everything. They should, at $150 a liter. We also spent time in a fairly extensive souk (market). It used to be in tents but now is housed in a permanent building like many of our farmer's markets. Then on to the kasbah or ancient fort which was partially destroyed in the 1960 earthquake.Read more