Thursday 18 - Met our fellow travellers and guide (Tahar Baba)
last night & headed out for a Moroccan meal (lamb & veg Tagine for me).
This morning caught train to Rabat, the country’s capital with 1.4 mil people.
A much neater and cleaner city with a really nice feel. Visited the Medina,
another colourful market with great products, colours and aromas. Then to the
Kasbah des Oudaias an amazing maze of narrow streets and alleys with
interesting doorways (an old fort and now home to many) & with views of the
beaches. Next stop Hassan II Tower and the “over the top” Mausoleum of Mohammed
V. Then back to the station and a 2 hour journey to Meknes.
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| Tahar - our guide pouring mint tea |
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| Meknes Kasbah (sorry picture sideways) |
Friday 19 – started with a self-guided walk to see the major
attractions of Meknes. Got badly lost & a little frustrated before getting
inside the Medina walls (old city).After entering we followed an amazing road
running between 2 massive stone walls & guarded by security personnel (as close
to the King’s Meknes palace). Saw some fantastic gates and buildings with
elaborate and ornate mosaic work. Visited the underground prison – 7 hectares
of dark corridors and pillars with only light from very small skylights. Then
through another massive gate to a fantastic museum in a former home including
whisky making room and a harem room. Lunch of camel burger in the smallest
restaurant I’ve been to – yum. Then on to the ancient roman ruins at Volubillis
– incredibly well preserved mosaics but mostly destroyed by earthquake. Then to
Fes. A magnificent Pastilla (pastry covered dish of pigeon or chicken covered
with icing sugar) for dinner.
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| Volubillis |
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| Our camel burger chef on his side?? |
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| Sheik's harem |
Saturday 20 – today’s tour of Fes led by Mahommed a
wonderful little guy who kept us entertained all day. More fantastic gates
followed by a trip to the nearby old fort to view the city from above. Then a
day of craft and artisans – first the pottery co-operative – amazing craft
work, then to the old Medina to see the making of beautiful carpets, weaving of
fabrics, tannery, dyeing works etc – all contained within the narrow alleyways
& lanes of the Medina. We were nearly knocked over by a donkey carrying
skins in a ‘traffic jam’ with another donkey. The Medina is surrounded by a 32
km fortified wall and has some 9,400 streets or laneways crowded with people,
carts, stalls, donkeys and endless cats. Food & wares of every imaginable
colour, size and kind available. Just mind blowing. Behind the often jaded
exteriors were some amazing homes, mosques, courtyards etc.
Back to the hotel for a pre-dinner stroll along the Fes’
Champs Elise along with the rest of the Fes population. A beautiful spot and a
lovely family atmosphere. Cyrnoss (bread roll filled with cheese, egg, olives
and deep fried mashed potato in chili and tomato sauce) from a street
vendor for dinner followed by nous nous
coffee - delicious.
We'll pass on the soup thanks! Nice outfits!
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