As we make our way downstairs to breakfast, we find a heavy gray sky and rain. Kate and I are alone as we sit but soon are joined by Len and Patsy. As we dine on baguettes and pastry, Len opens a tube of Vegimite. I ask him about the Vegimite and he says it's good, Patsy disagrees as Len offers me some, suggesting I spread it thinly on a baguette. It's a different taste but I did enjoy it. Soon the rest of the group has joined us for breakfast and everyone is excited about the upcoming day despite the dire weather. Following breakfast, we're out on the street in our all too familiar petite-taxi dance en route to the Meknes Royal Granery and Stables. Once Kate and I load into our petite-taxi we find the most elaborately decorated vehicle yet. Ball tassels dance from the ceiling, fake fur covers the dash both front and back, and colorful icons are placed seemingly everywhere else inside this vehicle. The damp rain and fur covered defrost vents invite a veil of fog over all the windows, including the windshield, leaving little visible outside the taxi save for indiscernible blobs. Fortunately our driver knew the way blind and we were soon joining the rest of our group outside the ancient granery of Mouley Ismial. We walked through the halls and rooms of the granary, whose thick walls keep a constant temperature and humidity within the structure. We eventually made our way out to the adjoining stables and then out to the boulevard circumnavigating the current Royal Palace.
Walking the rain, we had the road to ourselves as we followed the Royal Palace's wall on our trek to Meknes' souk. Once at the plaza we step into a tent to dry off and warm up with glasses of coffee and tea as the merchants set up shop in the surrounding plaza. Several of us make our way across the plaza to explore the butcher and sweets souk. Strolling past the butchers, we find many eager cats standing by anticipating scraps of meat tossed their way by generous butcher's hands. Abruptly exiting the meat market we are walking past table after table of bee covered, honey sweetened confections. We soon forget how uncomfortably close to the butcher's wares the sweets are located as the confectioners offer samples of their specialties as well as "special prices". We all purchase samplers and share among our group the honey-sweet confections. When we all reconvene in the plaza, Mohamed tells us we will explore the souk and visit his friend for camel burgers.
The rainy, dark mid-day sky reflects to the very dark narrow sidewalks of the souk. Hearing the noonday call to prayer, we are passed by many worshippers abruptly making their way to the mosques. We quickly pass many stalls of merchants hawking their goods but none of us oblige, trying to keep up with Mohamed and the rest of the group as we navigate the dark narrow streets. We pass an endless dance of pedestrians, scooters, goat and carts and everywhere are hordes of cats. Soon we arrive at Mohamed's friend's shop and after showing us his shop and the blast oven he uses to cook, we are escorted upstairs to his residence. We sit back and relax in a small, tile covered room sitting on padded benches surrounding a central table, enjoying pleasant conversation as we await the burgers. One by one the seasoned camel meat filled pocket bread sandwiches make their way to our table, eventually finding eager hands and mouths. The meat is similar to lean beef and only Natasha, the lone vegetarian of our group is without a burger but is given a vegetarian alternative. I'm not sure I want to know what the vegetarian camel meat alternative is, but Natasha seemed to somewhat enjoy it. Following lunch, we're back on the busy streets and making our way back to the Palace's plaza. We admire the Palace gates and the slowly clearing sky as we await our van and driver, who is stuck in traffic. Soon we're loading into a passenger van and meeting our driver Abdul, learning Abdul speaks almost as little English as we speak Arabic. The van is immaculate, comfortable and has ample room for us and our luggage as we head for our next destination.
We make our way out of the city and into the country, offering views of rolling hills dotted by cedar and olive trees, as well as the occasional large yucca. Soon we arrive at Volubilus, the western most Roman settlement. As we arrive the rain is trying to return and we find a light drizzle and a steady, heavy wind. We also find a stubborn, thick and sticky clay awaiting our arrival, our feet gaining a heavy coating of the muck as we make our way to the ancient ruins. Pelted by the wind driven rain we make our way toward the Tangier Gate at the northern most end of the ruins before following the main avenue to the Triumphal Arch. We pass many ancient homes with columns and arched entryways but no roof and almost no walls remain, however many colorful mosaic floors are dotted throughout the ruins, all telling different stories. As we near the Arch at the crossroads the sky begins to clear but the wind is contently battering us. Turning to the southeast we explore the baths and Basilica as well as the Capitol. We then make our way back to Abdul and we try, mostly in vain, to clean the stubborn clay from our hiking boots before climbing into Abdul's pristine van.
Our drive consumes the remaining daylight before we arrive in Fez. We greet the grand city by stomping muddied shoes through water puddles in the street outside our hotel, the Olympic. Another re-occurring play is the room lottery at the new hotel; we carry our luggage to the lobby and wait in anticipation, Mohamed then arrives with sets of keys and divvies out our rooms, the singles in the group find out if they'll be paired up or get a room to themselves, the couples find if they get king, queen or Lucy & Ricky paired double beds. Once in our room we take note that we'll be in Fez for two days and we quickly start doing laundry in the bathroom sink, hanging our clothes around the room before reconvening with the group in the lobby. Opting for an easy dinner, we walk through a damp night to a modest restaurant only a few blocks away and sit down for pizza. We not only enjoy each other's company but the proprietor comes to our table and entertains us using his fluency in seven languages and his views on his country. We doggedly return to our hotel in a light drizzle, make our way to our rooms and find rest for the busy day tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment