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Gare
Dan at the train station in Tanger After a couple of days in Tanger to orient ourselves and figure out a game plan, my buddy Dan and I set out by train to Meknes. We arrived at the gare or station in about three hour's time and following the directions of the Lonely Planet, made our way to the aptly named Hotel Majestic. We were greeted by the affable desk clerk and shown upstairs through a dimly lit hallway that boasted an intricate Escheresque tiled floor to our room, which was large and roomy with a balcony that would serve quite nicely for drying laundry. There was also a great common room or tea salon, dripping with brass lanterns, intricately patterned cushions and mirrors on the first floor. We unpacked as quickly as we could and set out first to find something to eat, and secondly, to explore Meknes.
We found a charcuterie or butcher shop that doubled as a restaurant that had a couple of families seated at the tables on the sidewalk. Taking that a good sign, we sat down to look at the menu. After some discussion both amongst ourselves and with the waiter, (I had two years of high school and one year of
Reflections
Granieries and stables at Agdal Basin, Meknes college French to my credit and it did come in handy, as Morocco was a French "protectorate" in the early 20th century for some 30 years until the second world war)we opted for the mixed brochette or grilled meats with salad and french fries. The sausages on the brochette were a bit gamey, but the pices of lamb and beef and chicken were excellent, with just the right amount of char on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside. We ate greedily, making little sandwiches with the hunks of baguette provided, washing it down with lukewarm Coke.
Sated, we set out for the medina, walking down a wide boulevard and across a dry riverbed that was fully cultivated with plots of vegetables and fruit trees, then up the hill along a high crenelated wall of gold colored mud and brick. We wandered about the grounds of the Imperial Palace, seeing the parade grounds and the mosque and medersa or Muslim college, with their green-tiled roofs. We also found a soccer stadium and decided that we would come to the game after we visited Volubilis, the ruined Roman city north and west of Meknes tomorrow.
We got up early
Vendors
Olive vendor in the covered market, Meknes' medina and after finding the bus station only to be told that there were no busses to Volubilis or Moulday Idriss, the village closest to the ruins, we hired a gran taxi for 200 dirham round trip and were off.
Volubilis was a fascinating city whose main commerce had been the production of olive oil in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.C.E. and there were massive stone oil presses in many of the homes. Most impressive were the numerous floor mosaics that were in situ and showing everything from the Labors of Hercules to the story of Diana and Acheron. It was obvious from the monumental arch, the remains of the forum and the basilica, and the main gateway into the city that this was an impressive settlement in its day.
Equally impressive was the massive stork's nest that sat atop one of the columns of the basilica, with its two residents clacking their bills in a display that was audible from across the city ruins.
After a couple of hours' worth of exploring the ruins, we made our way back to the car and then back to Meknes. We had a hurried meal and then made our way
Volubilis
The forum and basilica at Volubilis, a 2nd and 3rd century Roman town north of Meknes to the stadium to see the soccer game. When we arrived there were a hundred or so soldiers and gendarmes around and in the stadium, but upon entering, we saw that the stadium wasonly a quarter full at best. We sat down and began to watch the game, and after about 15 minutes or so, a young man sat down next to me on the stone bleacher and struck up a conversation. It turned out that the empty seats were due to the fact that the home team was doing poorly, and while the number of law enforcement officers was hardly needed at this game, according to our new friend Anass, when the stadium was full and one of their arch rivals was playing, such as Casablanca, most of the soldiers and gendarmes would be needed to maintain order. We stood with Anass and cheered his team on to victory, learning a couple of the chants and songs and bouncing up and down with them. All in all, it was great fun and when the game was over, Anass invited us to see his father's printing shop, and then to a tea salon filled with Egyptians, where we watched a
salon
Tea salon at the Majestic rerun of the Final game of the Africa Cup between Egypt and Cameroon. Even though it was a rerun, the Egyptian fans were just as enthusiastic as if it had been the original broadcast, jeering at the officials when they made a bad call, and cheering the goals made by the Egyptian team.
During the game, Dan and I had a great discussion with Anass wherein he explained the marriage he wanted but could not afford and his anxiety that his girlfriend would find someone else to marry if he didn't come up with the necessary funds soon. We talked also about how mainstream Muslims-in Anass's opinion-resented Americans for having military bases in Saudi Arabia, yet if asked, most would still want to move to the United States for the economic opportunities offered there. In short, we pretty much solved all the problems of the world in our conversations over those two hours.
After the game was over and we parted ways, Dan and I went to the McDonald's to have our 'Pulp Fiction" moment and ordered Royals with cheese, fries and a coke. It was very Uma-esque!
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