Blogs from Meknes, Meknès-Tafilalet, Morocco, Africa - page 5

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Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes December 7th 2007

Woke up early as I wanted to go to Moulay Idris and Volubilis. There are no collective taxis (i.e. a shared taxi with 7 people in it; 2 passengers in front and 4 at the back plus the driver) to Volubilis but there are to Moulay Idiris. The place to get a grand taxi to Moulay is not from the same place as the other taxi, the place is in the Meknes new city and I was looking for it all over the place but couldn't find it. Finally I met two guys who helped me out and put me into a taxi that dropped me off near the Moulay Idiris taxi stand. I went to Moulay Idiris and then took the same taxi to Volubilis. I could have walked to Volubilis but decided to take ... read more

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes December 6th 2007

Woke up early and I went to this cafe I had seen last night. The owner was nice man and spoke English. I had something called Feve its like a lentil soup. I think anything with the right amount of salt will taste nice. Checked email and thereafter checked out of the hotel and took a grand taxi to Meknes. The trip took around 1.5hours. I met this girl in the taxi who spoke English and we got chatting. She said her dream was to go to London what a shock !!!! she was studying at the Ismail university in Meknes and her home town was Ifran. Ifran also has a big university but thats for the beautiful and rich as lonely planet puts it. But she did tell me its extremely expensive. She also mentioned ... read more

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes July 2nd 2007

Getting to know the Moroccan way of life is to know the Medina, which means the old city, usually contained within high walls and a containing a souk, or market. Depending on what you are after, you can find anything from spare car parts, to an eyeglass case, to fruit and vegetables. The souk often has small, uneven, windy streets that you can easily lose yourself in. In Meknes we were escorted through the streets to see butchers displaying various parts of sheep, cow, and camel. Yes, camel. Camel burgers are pretty popular here, and some of the group even tried it out. First, you buy the meat from the butcher, then you take it to the restaurant to be cooked up in pita bread. I didn't try any, of course, but many did, and they ... read more

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes May 30th 2007

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 ... read more
view from window in Kasbah tower in Choauen
 Kasbah tower in Choauen
engraved metal plate in Kasbah museum

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes April 29th 2007

27 April Just outside Meknes, and certainly a factor in the selection of the location for Meknes, is the old Roman city of Volubilis that sits out in a wide valley. It was one of the most remote outposts of the Roman Empire and was a flourishing capitol of North Africa between 40-280 AD before being overrun by the local Berber tribes. For nearly 250 years the Romans maintained this city of 20,000 people of Romans, Greeks, Jews, Syrians and Berbers about 1000 miles away from Rome in the midst of locally hostile groups - pretty impressive for a bunch of men in dresses, short skirts and dainty leather sandals! It features almost all of the hallmarks of a major Roman city except for an ampitheater, but it is probably most famous for its stunning ... read more
A little closer
All roads lead to Rome...
...and must include triumphal arches

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes April 28th 2007

24-28 April I took the slow ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar on, thankfully, a sunny and calm day. The ferry now marks the 11th mode of travel for the trip, along with plane, train, bus, rickshaw, bicycle rickshaw, bicycle, motorcycle, kayak, motorboat and car. It was pleasantly shocking to be back in the third world, specifically Tangier, Morocco. Not so pleasant as to stay here for long, so I made my way straight for the train station and rolled on to one the three Imperial cities of Morocco - Meknes. After scrambling late on the first night to find a hotel room (stupid international agricultural forums!) I woke the next morning pleasantly surprised to find that the King of Morocco was in town to welcome me to his country! Well, he has no idea ... read more
Waiting for the king
A colorful crowd outside the main gate
Entrance to Moulay Ismail's tomb

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes August 14th 2006

In my haste to get off the last blog, I forgot to add some photos of Volubilis (best preserved Roman ruins in Morocco), and Moulay Idriss (the founder of Islam in Morocco; and the country's most important pilgrimage site, after Mecca). So here they are. We travelled there by grand taxi, which is an old Merc sedan with 2 people plus driver in the front, and 4 people in the back. They don't go until they are full or unless you pay for the whole taxi. So you could be waiting ages. This is the only means of transport in Morocco outside the train system. ... read more
Mosaics
Vomitorium
Shop sign for Pub?

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes May 7th 2006

Caught the train from Fes...I was a bit hung over from having a few drinks at a nightclub the night before. I arrived at the train station (already having purchased my ticket) and found two Aussie travelers having a caffe noir at the cafe immediately outside the station. I had 20 minutes to kill so I sat next to them and chatted. I found out they had recently been in Meknes and recommended the Touring Hotel which is right near the Meknes train station. They then mentioned they were heading back to Spain via Tangiers and thus gave me their Lonely Planet Morocco book (which was good as I was using my Lonely Planet Africa book which is not as indepth as the country-specific versions). A quick one-hour train ride and I was in Menkes. As ... read more
Arches
Vital Fluids
Bab el Masour

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes April 3rd 2006

Hopped a train to Meknes after my first day in Casa, really nice city. Got lost in the medina a few times which was a little daunting but paid a couple of kids to get me out... Hooked up with a couple of Yanks that night, one of whom worked in Morocco with the Peace Corps and could speak Arabic, very handy! Good hang with them and the following day took a trip up to Volubilis to see the Roman ruins (circa 1-2 AD), really cool... Culture shock is starting to kick in, I never did really get over it. Just when you thought you had a handle on it you would find things completely different in the next town...... read more
Medina
Tagines!
Fountain

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes September 8th 2005

Meknes was the next stop. Saw the most holiest city in Morocco...Moulay idriss. Also, saw the roman ruins at Volubolis which I thought were more impressive than those found in Italy, but what do I know, I am only 3 months old. Stayed in a really cool riad. ... read more
Meknes Main Square
More Volubolis
Meknes




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