Stopping by the Goats on a Rainy Evening

So after one night in crazy Marrakech, Mohammed 1 & 2 picked us up for the ride to Essouira.  I was glad to get out of crazy, frenetic, RED Marrakech.  Seriously--I hate the color red, especially that orangey red.  Such an angry color!  And that's the color of Marrakech--sort of dusty, orangey red. And I'm not particularly keen on having to dodge motorcycles and donkey carts and snake charmers and monkey tamers.  So I was pleased to be going to Essouria, which I heard wasn't red.

The ride to Essouria is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours of uneventful and fairly good roads.  Mohammed 1 mentioned that we would stop at an Argan Oil Woman's Cooperative.  I just happened to remember seeing a photo of some goats up in a tree, eating argan nuts and said, "Hey, Mohammed--where do those goats up in the trees live?"  I thought it was maybe in another part of the country.  He said, "About 5 minutes up the road--do you want to stop?"  Do I?!!

Whose goats these are, I think I know.  His house is in the village, though.

Some enterprising goatherd must have found a few of his goats up in the trees, and as people began stopping to take a look, he began charging them money.  And he does come around to collect!  I noticed he had built little platforms in the trees for his goats, and when it began to rain he climbed up in the tree and began whisking the goats down to shelter.  I guess you have to watch out for your investment!  Argan nuts must not be very filling, though, as those were some of the skinniest goats I'd ever seen.

The Argan Cooperative had both hair and body products, as well as argan-nut butter and argan cooking oil for purchase.  It was all organic and tasted pretty good.  And I like to support women who are supporting themselves, so I looked around for something to buy.  The women grinding the argan products certainly had some of the softest hands I've ever seen, so I decided some argan hand lotion might be just the ticket.  The prices were in Euros and weren't cheap--I think it was about $14 Euros for some hand cream, but it is a very labor-intensive process and if my hands wind up looking like those ladies', score!

Next up...Essouira...lovely city by the sea.