The KBAT's Sabbat(ical): Paradise Lost

Bonjour,

So on our last full day in Asilah, our whole group set out by foot to Paradise Beach. The Lonely Planet guidebook says that this is one beach that completely lives up to its name and is found only 3 km south of town. It sounded like it was going to be a lovely walk.

Or not.

At first, it seemed nice enough as we left the medina late in the morning.

There was some pretty coastline.

Some cute baby sheep.

A colorful sheep herder.

But as time wore on, and the mid-day sun began to beat down on us, none of the wide, arcing turns along the coastline produced a remotely plausible beach, much less anything fit to be called Paradise Beach.

Then after about 1 1/2 hours of walking, we discovered that we had brought only one small bottle of tap water (something that Karla, Gary and Grace, at least, couldn't drink). Of course, we had just assumed that after a short, breezy walk, we'd be at Paradise Beach, where there would be food and water at a charming little restaurant (pretty standard at good beaches in Morocco).

No such luck. We did, however, find this nifty, abandoned(?) construction site.

And with no other shade available, Gary and Karla made do with the treads of a stalled bulldozer to change Grace's diaper. Desperate times....

Ultimately, after walking way more than 3 km (5 km? 6 km? 7 km?) south of town, we gave up and turned back.

In retrospect, maybe the Lonely Planet writers accidentally left off a "1" and really meant to say that the beach was 13 km south of town. Although after consulting another travel book, it turns out the beaches are north of town, and there's no mention whatsoever of any alleged "Paradise Beach." Hmm.

Since it was Bob's idea to spend the day at the elusive Paradise Beach, he took some abuse on the way home, especially from his unhappy son (who has really mastered a walk that says "I am the most-dejected boy ever").

Here are Gary and Grace being good sports (since falling asleep constitutes being a good sport when you are six months old).

In any case, our spirits lifted upon returning to town and ordering big bottles of coke and water and some pizzas.

Bob, having been denied his fresh fish on the beach, got his fresh fish in town instead.