Rabat is the capital of Morocco so home to many embassies and other elegant buildings many of which were built by the French during colonial times. First stop was the Chellah, a former Phoenician and then Roman site and finally an Islamic complex now in ruins - a fascinating combination of civilizations in one site. An elegant minaret is now topped by a stork's nest part of a large colony who have taken over the ruins (see photos below).
We then moved on to visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, who was the grandfather of the present King. The king's father Hassan II is also interred there. Beautiful marble building with traditionally dressed guards. The carved
plaster and tile work is stunning. We could look down into the tomb from a gallery.
Then off to Meknes, approximately 90 minutes by car. Big modern highways link all the big cities. Endless groves of olive trees, long undulating foothills, road side stalls selling small mountains of pomegranates are some of the sights as we drive along. At Meknes we visited the mausoleum of Morocco's greatest ruler, Sultan Moulay Ismail who died in 1727. The tomb hall is a lavish showcase of Moroccan craftsmanship. We could take pictures but non-Muslims are not allowed to approach the tomb itself.
Then on to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The Romans built this city around 40AD and at its height approx 20,000 people lived here. The highlight is the incredibly well preserved mosaic floors of several homes,all still in place. The sun is brutally strong however, so one does not linger and even the guides slather themselves in sunscreen before leading the tourists up there.
After about 3 hours of driving today, we arrive at Fes. We are staying at the Riad Fes, which is simply stunning. I will post pics on the next blog.
Before we sign off, some impressions of Moroccan food. I love Moroccan food and cook it quite frequently at home but I couldn't believe the intensity of the flavours here. It must be the spices, and very likely has much to do with the skill too, but all the salads and tagines have been so delicious. The Moroccans themselves have been so friendly and welcoming since we've arrived, I can't say enough about them.
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Location:Fes
You must smuggle some spices home with you!
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