MEKNES AND VOLUBILIS

We all slept like the dead in Rabat. At breakfast we all commented that we felt much more ourselves and that we were excited about what the day would bring.
What the day brought, first, was a longish drive to Meknes. Our first stop in Meknes was at one of the gates into the medina. There are typically many small entrances to a medina. However, every so often there will be a big, grand gate to impress and intimidate visitors. I’m not sure which one we stopped at, but it was quite beautiful.

Our next stop was the giant granary where Moulay Ismail stored grain for his thousands of horses and for his immediate family. Moulay Ismail was a bit of a bad-ass and liked to stockpile goods and wealth to ensure that he could outlast a prolonged assault on his kingdom.

We also stopped to admire a residence from the 17th century that now houses the Musee Dar Jamai, a museum that specializes in Moroccan arts. I loved how guys were just lounging around outside, watching the world go by. Next up was the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. Another tour group was visiting at the same time as us so it was hard to hear our guide’s description of the various rooms, fountains, and so on. Also, our visit ended up being quite brief because we were running a bit behind schedule.
Outside the mausoleum there was a man taking photos of the building. I tried several times to get out of his picture but always seemed to be in the way. I apologized numerous times and then finally scurried across the road. We learned later that he was a ”paparazzo” who takes photos of us tourists and then tries to sell the prints to you outside your hotel. The photos he took of me are pretty horrendous because I’m always on the run.

Our next stop was the Palais Al Ismailia where we saw a demonstration of “damascening”, or the art of hammering thin strands of silver into intricate patterns on metal plates, bowls, etc. It’s an art form from Damascus that somehow found its way to Meknes many centuries ago. Meknes is the only city in which that particular art form is practiced. I bought a lovely plate and some bracelets before I remembered to barter. Oh, well.

From there we drove to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. A local guide who spoke very little English and didn’t really give a shit took us on an abbreviated tour of the site. The highlights were the Capitol, the Triumphal Arch, and several large houses that would have been occupied by rich families. I also liked the Decumanus Maximus, a large and long road that leads directly to the Triumphal Arch.

The remains of Volubilis were our last tourist stop of the day. From there we drove straight to Fes and checked in to our hotel.