Our journey from Casablanca started with a train ride to Rabat where we were given a map and we were free to wander. After walking through the Medina we visited the Kasbah of the Oudayas, a city within a city. About 2000 people live within its walls. Some of the ramparts are 1000 years old while the original fortress was built in the 12th century. In times past the city was at risk from pirates and invading forces so walls were needed to keep the people safe. It was very pretty inside the Kasbah as the walls were painted with the top half white and bottom half blue. Winding cobbled streets lead us past doorways decorated with pot plants.
View of the Kasbah from the river
The next day we had a guided tour of the Meknes. One of the places we visited was the Heri es Souani Granary, a huge clay building with internal walls 3 metres thick. The granary was built to store enough food so the place could withstand a 10 year siege. Below is a small part of the granary.
Next to it was a stable that once housed over 12000 horses. The roof of this collapsed in 1755 after an earthquake but from the walls you get an impression of its size - photo below
For lunch we taken to a place we the locals go to grab a quick bite to eat. Eight of us crowded around 3 sides of a table to have camel burgers. The meat was spiced with cumin, sweet paprika and pepper and was as tasty as beef. The man who was there when we arrived quickly finished his lunch and left, I don't think our arrival was appreciated.
On our way to our destination of Fes we visited the Roman ruins of Volubilis. This was a large city but sadly most of the ruins fell down in the 1755 earthquake. Today only a small portion the ruins have been resurrected but it was still impressive with pillars and partial walls. Where grand houses once stood 2000 years ago there were many mosaic floors, these were still colourful.
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