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What can I say about Choauen? I'd have to say that I like the place and the laid back vibe. All the hash slingers can get annoying at times especially when they follow you around for awile and then magically show up again when you least expect them. I stayed in the medina at Pension Souika and had a decent room for 40 dirhams a night. The place was mostly tile so you could hear every little sound as it reverberated off the floors and walls. I spent three full days or so in Choauen and most of the time it was overcast until the afternoon when it would clear up and the sun would burn it's way through. The medina is built mostly on the side of a hill and it was a decent workout just hiking the stairs between the different levels. The weather never really gave me a good oppurtunity (until the day I left) to get to the summit of the Jebel el Kalaa and have a clear view out over the valley so I never went any farther than about halfway up. If I had more time and money I would've liked to have done
some of the treks around that area of the Rif as they seem like something to see. I checked out the Kasbah and the squares in the medina along with some of the ville nouville and got some decent pictures. After a few days of seeing me around some of the hash dealers were talking to me like we'd been best buddies for years so I decided to hit the road and got a bus for Meknes. When I walked to the bus station the afternoon before I left there was only one window open and it was one for the second class non-CTM companies. I can't say which company because even after sitting in that rickety mother for five hours I still don't know which one it was. One disadvantage of a non-CTM bus is the lack of air conditioning which I don't usually have a problem with as long as I can crack a window. This time, however, I sitting in front of a guy who appearently had something against fresh air as every time I'd slide the small upper window (the big windows didn't open) open a little further he'd wait a minute or two then reach
over my head and close it so it was just barely open. It was a battle of wills and I refused to even change seats after some opened up when people got off along the way. I'd have to call it a draw as it continued for a couple hours until I fell asleep and when I woke up he was gone only to be replaced by a guy who was somewhat a mystery. He said he worked in Barcelona and showed some card and a large wad of cash to prove it. I never really asked; in fact I didn't say much to him at all but he decided I be interested in all his exploits in Barcelona and beyond. What followed was a half hour of his crazy gestures. Including vigorus humping motions and other hand gestures intended, I suppose, to make me feel as though I were there, in the moment. Other than that it was a noneventful five hour ride and I got to Meknes around 8pm.
I got a room at the hostel near the Mohammed VI mosque and walked around a bit to get the feel of the place. Today I got
up early enough to get a collectif (aka old grey Benz) to Moulay Idriss for 10D and walked the four K or so to the Roman ruins at Volubilis. The admission was 30D (not 20 LP wrong or out of date again, nah couldn't be) and no student discount not that I expected one but it can't hurt to try. I walked around for about two hours I took some pictures in color and some in black and white. The main things to see are the mosaics (some in much better shape than others) and the ruins of the Forum and the Arc de Triumph. Walking around you can kind of imagine what it may have looked like during the glory days of the Empire and it definently would've been impressive. What remains today is mostly low rock walls, whats left of the sunken rooms they used, and blocks and pieces of pillars strouen about. Finding all the mosaics took some walking around and as they are all roped off it was a bit of a challenge to get a good picture of the better preserved ones. After seeing the ruins I started walking back to Moulay Driss to take
the collectif back to Meknes when I kind Moroccan guy and his Fionse stopped (I didn't have my hand out or anything) and gave me a lift all the way back to Meknes.
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FAB PICTURES
Hi there, just wanted to say well done you've captured the beauty in the pictures. Keep up the good work xx