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It was late afternoon when we rolled into Meknes. After a quick lap of the historic centre with its mausoleum, palace, and ancient granaries, we were dropped in the medina.
The sun was beating down, so Dale and I sought refuge in the shade of the souks. Behind the open square ran a maze of alleyways crammed with shops selling everything from decorative tagine dishes, to herbal remedies, to running shoes made in china. There were beautiful Moroccan lamps and carved wooden furniture, pastries piled high on counter tops, a rainbow of different spices, and around the corner a butcher's shop ( which squeamishly we avoided).
Most shop owners left us alone to window shop in peace. Those that did try offering us their wares did not persist once we smiled and shook our heads. Frustratingly, there is simply no room in our bags for the pottery, shoes, lamps and fabrics that tempted me. Sigh!
Back in the busy square we soaked up the atmosphere. A group of snake charmers were putting on a performance surrounded by school children chattering excitedly in French. At the end of the routine one of the snake charmers picked up a snake and began moving among the crowd draping it around the necks of gleeful children, who then posed for photos as their mother's dutifully added some coins to the performers' growing pile.
There were others in the square trying to gather coins who presented a sadder sight. Toothless elderly men and women holding out their hands to passers by, and a young girl with twisted limbs who had been left sitting next to her wheelchair in the sun by someone desperate enough to use this poor unfortunate to gather a sum of money which back home in New Zealand would be parking change. I am learning that Morocco is a country of contrast - coasts and mountains, vivid colours and dusty neutrals, French and Berber, wealth and poverty, religion and vice.
That evening we had our first alcohol since arriving in the country. Since good Muslims don't drink, alcohol is not served at many establishments. Those that do have beer or wine on the menu are often catering for tourists rather than locals. However, Morocco does actually produce its own wine - again the French influence shows itself. We sampled a half bottle of a Moroccan red wine and were very pleasantly surprised. The restaurant we ate at also served white wine, rose, and beer, all made in Morocco.
The following morning after another breakfast of bread and croissants (seriously, Morocco is a celiac's nightmare!) we set off to the ancient ruins of Volubilis, en route to the hilltop town of Chefchaouen.
Volubilis was founded by the Romans around 40AD. Although a lot of the ruins were damaged in a large earthquake in the 1700s, there is enough preserved that you can get an idea of what life might have been like there 2000 years ago. We saw the remnants of the temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva - including the altar for animal sacrifice - the forum and basilica, public toilets, a triumphal arch, private houses with the remnants of mosaics and underfloor heating system, and a carved phallus pointing the way to an ancient brothel.
Like Pompeii, some of the city remains covered by earth and it is likely that there are more buildings and artworks as yet undiscovered. For example, no amphitheatre has been found - which would be expected for a town of this size.
The views of the surrounding countryside were, as Dale commented, surprisingly Tuscan. No wonder the Romans felt at home here. In this area of Morocco there are a lot of olive trees, wheat and barley. Northern Morocco is a lot greener than the dry south, and Animals are still used a lot to help with farm labour. We have seen a lot of donkeys!
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