Souks, sea and surf: Riding giants in Morocco

The Atlantic coast of Morocco is becoming known as a world-class surfing destination.

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Catching the waves in Morocco

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Morocco becoming known as a surfer's paradise
• Town of Essaouira used to do a big trade in fish - now it's famous for its surfing
• Many fishermen have traded in their nets to set up surf schools

Every week, Inside Africa takes its viewers on a journey across Africa, exploring the true diversity and depth of different cultures, countries and regions. Follow host Errol Barnett on Twitter andFacebook. For many tourists, Morocco is best known for its historic cities, rugged landscape and sumptuous cuisine. But for surfers, it's fast becoming known for the crashing waves that pound its Atlantic coastline.

For decades, fish has been big business in Essaouira, the charming, former Portuguese settlement on the west coast of Morocco. As stocks have depleted, however, the locals have started to shift their focus to more lucrative industries. While the seas no longer possess the riches they once did, for many inhabitants, they still represent a lifeline -- only now the biggest catch is the tourists riding the waves.

Scrap metal find turns out to be $33 million Faberge golden egg

The 8.2-centimeter (3.2-inch) Faberge egg is on an elaborate gold stand supported by lion paw feet. Three sapphires suspend golden garlands around it, and a diamond acts as an opening mechanism.

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Lost Faberge egg discovered

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A man bought a golden egg at a jumble sale for $14,000, planning to sell it for scrap
• However, he overestimated the worth of the materials and was left financially stretched
• An Internet search eventually led to an article on a missing Faberge Imperial Egg
• An expert confirmed the egg's identity, and the financial millstone turned into a windfall

A $14,000 jumble sale find turned into millions of dollars for a man who'd been thwarted in his attempts to turn a quick profit by selling the tiny ornament to scrap metal dealers.

The man, who hails from the Midwest but wishes to remain anonymous, had been left financially stretched after he apparently overestimated what the tiny golden egg would be worth once melted down. He'd been hoping to make $500.

In a fit of desperation one night last year, he typed "egg" and the name engraved on the clock it contained -- "Vacheron Constantin" -- into Google.

Get happy in the world's happiest countries

Denmark is the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report 2013. For an obviously happy place, head toTivoli Gardens, one of the world's oldest amusement parks.

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The world's 10 happiest countries

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• March 20 is the United Nations-designated International Day of Happiness
• Try visiting some of the happiest countries to catch a bit of their spirit
• The Danish spirit of 'hygge" may take over your visit

 Is there pixie dust mixed into the food and drink of the happiest places on Earth? Or is it something in the crisp clear air of many of the world's happiest nations?

When the United Nations declared March 20 the International Day of Happiness, it recognized the relevance of "happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world." This officially designated happy date is marking its second year.

Bet you can't watch this without smiling

The happiest of countries -- many of which are in Scandinavia according the latest World Happiness Report -- have a robust combination of higher life expectancy, gross domestic product per capita, social support, generosity, freedom to make life choices and lower perceptions of corruption. By analyzing happiness data, officials hope to improve the world's social, economic and environmental well-being.

Seoul unveils $451 million 'spaceship' landmark

Known for her futuristic, spaceship-like work, "starchitect" Zaha Hadid is behind the design of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul's newest landmark.

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Greetings, earthlings

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• Zaha Hadid designed new $451 million Seoul landmark
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza will be open 24 hours in trendy shopping district
• Seoul Fashion Week is the DDP's first major event
• In honor of grand opening, admission to all DDP exhibitions are free in March

In yet another display of the city's commitment to 24-hour culture, Seoul is unveiling its biggest nighttime attraction yet in the neon-studded, wildly trendy shopping district of Dongdaemun.

Designed by Iraqi-British Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid, and completed at a cost of $451 million, the new Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) opens to the public March 21.

Commissioned by the Seoul metropolitan government, the plaza features futuristic, spaceship-like curves characteristic of Hadid's previous work -- she's also the woman behind the radical design of the national stadium set for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

DDP will host concerts, conventions and other major events throughout the year.

Flight 370: Whole world listens for slowly fading pings

A member of the Royal Australian Air Force looks down at the Norwegian merchant ship Hoegh St. Petersburg, which is taking take part in the search for possible debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on Friday, March 21. The Malaysia Airlines jet disappeared during a March 8 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Surveillance planes are looking for two objects spotted by satellite imagery in the remote and treacherous waters of the southern Indian Ocean more than 1,400 miles from Australia's west coast of Australia.

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The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Two data recorders are fitted with beacons
• Battery life is about a month
• Pings generally detected up to 2 nautical miles

 Somewhere in the vast Indian Ocean, a tiny aluminum cylinder may be emitting a steady ping.

The ping itself is unremarkable, says Anish Patel, president of beacon manufacturer Dukane Seacom Inc. Patel snaps his fingers to match the pinger's rate -- one snap per second. In fact, it is inaudible to human ears.

But the whole world is listening. And the ping is taking on the cadence of a slowly failing clock.

Friday marks the 14th day of the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, and near the halfway mark in the pinger's minimum battery life. When the battery dies, possibly around April 6, the job of finding the flight data and cockpit voice recorders will get significantly harder. And so will the job of solving the mystery of Flight 370.