We left our Riad after breakfast traveling though rolling hills filled mostly with olive trees. Morocco is the 4th or 5th largest producer of olive oil in the world. Not only is it prominent in cooking but also it is normally eaten with bread for breakfast. When we made our usual bathroom stop before reaching Volubilis, Abdou was able to get bread and olive oil from one of the workers at the rest stop. It was light and tasty.
We reached Volubilis to see an enormous (104 acre) old Roman city that existed from 40-300 AD. Our guide gave us many facts about what is known from the site. Important houses had a fountain, basin, garden and columns. The entrance was through 2 guarded doors with an offset so that it was not possible to see inside. There were no windows or openings on the outside walls. All light came from an open central courtyard.
Since the city was abandoned and never resettled, much of it is intact. Some parts were destroyed by time, an earthquake or removal to nearby Meknes. It is possible to see the layout of many very large houses. Fining rooms are defined by the mosaic floor layout with space on 3 sides for couches and the mosaic pictures not oriented towards any one spot. Bedrooms had mosaics that faced the sleeping area.
A large open square was used for meetings and market places or the basilica with its covered interior could be used in bad weather. The temple stood nearby.
The were several gates for entry to the city and a triumphal gate at the end of a carriage road. Our guide talked about the history of Rome and its spread to Africa. Volubilis was a good site for crops with plenty of water. The hills surrounding it supplied limestone for building. It was on a plateau that gave the inhabitants visibility of invaders. It was the southernmost border of the Roman empire. Apparently Fes became important soon after Volubilis was abandoned so the city degraded in weather and time but it was not replaced.
We departed from Volubilis to have lunch in nearby Meknes which was also a capital city from 1672-1727. Some of the marble columns from Volubilis were taken to Meknes for the royal palace.
Our lunch spot was in the modern section of Meknes. We started with small puffs of pita bread that were served with 2 different eggplant dips and olive tapenade. We then had chicken kebabs and roasted vegetables. We finished with a very light dessert “jawhara” that is phyllo dough with whipped cream, rose water and honey.
We had a short ride into the old town where we began our walk into the Medina. Since it is Friday, all shops are closed because everyone goes to the mosque at noon for prayers and then spends the afternoon sharing a meal of couscous. The street walls were beautifully decorated. We visited the museum of music. It had many different instruments that are typically used in Morocco. But the most interesting part was the walls and ceilings of the rooms. They were richly decorated like our Riad with mosaics, carved plaster and painted cedar ceilings. As we left the museum, we crossed a large square just outside the Royal palace walls. There were a few monkeys, an ostrich and pony cart all available for photos or a cart ride.
We returned to Fes to get ready for our family hosted dinner. We were split into 3 groups to visit with a family. We were told we could ask questions about their lives and family. They might speak reasonable English.
Our family picked us up in a taxi for the short ride to their home. Actually Abdou, our host…not our guide Abdou, is a taxi driver. So he had a fellow driver take us while rode his motorbike. He and his wife live in a new section of Fes that is quite modern. His wife works in what sounds like forensic evidence in the police department. They both spoke good English and we had lots to say to one another. Their 2 young sons aged 4 1/2 and 6 popped in briefly before running back outside to play.
Dinner began with sweets that are typically eaten to break the daily Ramadan fast although Ramadan isn’t for another month. Then we had a delicious vegetable soup with 2 types of pita bread. The main meal was tiny lamb meatballs in tomato sauce, an eggplant, pepper, onion tomato cooked mix and bread. Dessert was tangerines which are amazingly sweet.
The taxi driver friend brought us back to the Riad. It was another great day.
Tomorrow we visit the streets on the Medina in Fes. No more food!!
The Adventures of Anne 