Roman Ruins and The Blues

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Meknes

The farmers south of Meknes make good use of the rocks that are everywhere. We saw long narrow rows of rocks - about fifty feet long by three feet wide by two feet high - topped with straw and covered with bright yellow tarps. I pulled over to take a look. The air was pungent with onions. At first I thought they were growing onions in straw but then I realized they were storing them in straw.

The closer we got to Meknes the more agricultural it became. Grapes, olives and green stuff I couldn't identify.

We stayed at the Majestic in Meknes, a 1930's Art Deco hotel with Escher-like black and white tiled floors. We were all a-twitter because we'd read that restaurants in Meknes sold wine. Alas, the place that sold wine was so awful we couldn't stay and fled to the regular rotisserie-chicken- and-eau-gazeuse kind of place. The city overwhelmed us and we left the next day.

We stopped to visit Volubilis, the Roman Empire's most remote outpost abandoned by the them about 280 AD. The location is spectacular - rolling green hills with a view of the twin hills of Moulay Idriss, named for Morocco's most revered saint.

We spent a couple of hours poking around the ruins and watching the beautiful blue sky turn dark grey. We ate lunch in  Ouazzane and saw the sky open and the rain pour down in sheets.  

Chefchaoun, the blue city or Morocco's most beautiful city!

Our first night was at the Rif Hotel or more aptly named the Riffraff Hotel. Dismal! But very colourful!

Supper was inedible. The first time in my life I've taken one bite and said "I can't eat this!" It was bitter fish. But they had beer which was a first. The server seemed genuinely sad that I couldn't eat the fish.

We've moved to Dar Gabriel, very aptly timed because today is the feast of Saint Gabriel, I think. It's cold though and I'm wearing many layers of clothes as I write this.  Ian went out awhile ago to take photos.