Wednesday and the Chellah Ruins

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I am catching up on my travel blog and writing both Tuesday and Wednesday in one sitting so I apologize if I overlap! As I said on my previous blog I have been suffering with some stomach problems so I did not go to placement this morning. I skipped lunch & breakfast and hoped for the best with an outing to the Chellah ruins this afternoon.

What are the Chellah ruins? Here is a little stock background info:

Abandoned, crumbling and overgrown, the ancient Roman city of Sala Colonia and the Merenid necropolis of Chellah is an amazing site! The Phoenicians were the first to settle but the town really grew when the Romans took control in about 40 AD. The city was abandoned by the Romans in 1154 in favor of the new city Sale, but in the 14th century the Merenid sultan Abou al-Hassan Ali built a necropolis on top of the Roman site and surrounded it with towers and the defensive wall that still stand today.

It was a really beautiful place overgrown with wildflowers and fruit trees...limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, grape, bananas and I'm sure more I didn't recognize. There is a path that leads through the ruins of the entrance...Arc de Triomphe, past the Jupiter Temple and to the forum. There is another road that goes to the octagonal pool of the Nymp, part of the Roman system of water distribution.

A bit less crumbling are the remains of the Muslim civilization from the 13th century. A still beautiful minaret coming from the Qur’an school. It now has a huge stork nest on top. As a matter of fact the storks have almost taken over the ruins.

Near the minaret and mosque is the tomb of the sultan Abou al-Hassan Ali and his wife. A small medersa is nearby where the remains of pillars, student cells are located. You can also still see very well the mihrab which is how Muslims now which direction points towards Mecca.

We also visited the murky waters of a walled pool fed by an ancient spring. It attracts women who believe that feeding boiled eggs to the eels brings fertility and an easy childbirth. I did feed the eels but let’s hope no superhuman fertility comes home with me. LOL!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the ruins. I totally love that stuff! Woody, I am giving you warning now I soooooo want to go to Italy and see more Roman ruins, Pompeii, etc.

I have posted a few pix's...there are more on my Facebook page.

Beslama...tomorrow I go back to Orphanage.

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Comments

[Alexandra]

first of all Kenny either misses you or says hi to the kitties because he jumped into my bed and laid down and was staring at the screen. Those bananas look REALLY good. You should have picked some and brought it home for us!!! The fertility thing.... I think that another kid in the house would be AWESOME!!!! Those Chellah ruins look really cool and I agree we should go to Italy some time to see some more. I guess bye for now and I look foward to reading your next blog!!! I love and miss you mommy :) **Alexandra**

[Woody]

I am so glad you were able to venture out today. Wow we think something from the 17 or 1800 is old, that is amazing. I know one day we will be going to Italy, hopefully sooner than later. Hope you have aggod day tomorrow in placement. Love Woody