This morning the call to prayer, a cockerel and a braying donkey all competed to see which was the most effective alarm clock. The combination of all three could certainly not be ignored and there didn’t seem to be a snooze button!
Fuelled by a tasty breakfast, we made straight for the Roman settlement of Volubilis, arriving just after 9am. This was an inspired bit of planning by Lahcen as we had the place entirely to ourselves and were able to take our time exploring the site and quizzing our knowledgeable local guide, Abdul. Those Romans definitely knew how to pick the best spots and it was very satisfying to be in amongst the ruins as the sun came up and the surrounding countryside came to life. That includes the stork which had made its nest atop Volubilis’ tallest pillar!
From Volubilis, it was back to Meknès for a couple of hours free time. I can’t say I was blown away by the city itself but I did enjoy the last little wander we took through the winding streets of the medina to our host’s home for lunch. I turned down the kind offer of a camel burger and joined the vegetarians for lentils, spicy potatoes and some ratatouille-style stew - a wise choice as my meal was very tasty and I ate every last mouthful.
After lunch, we made our way back to the train station where we grabbed a quick coffee before boarding the train to Fez. I squeezed myself into a compartment with a couple of other group members and a lovely Moroccan family - sign language goes a long way in such situations but I’m starting to wish my French was better, especially given that my Arabic is non-existent!
We’re now spending a couple of hours resting in the hotel before heading out for a special dinner. I might even have to change my clothes for this one!
More tomorrow after our day-long tour of Fez.
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