OK guys… so I literally had just about finished writing this post and then the entire thing just disappeared on me. And there are no undo’s or 'go back' options on the Wix blog dashboard, so I lost THE ENTIRE THING. I am telling you, this was about an hours worth of writing. I am shook. Anyways, I have to recreate the entire thing, so here goes nothing.
Welcome to February! Sorry it’s been a minute since my last post on Morocco, I honestly don’t understand how it’s already the eleventh of February. Always being on the go makes time fly, that’s for sure. I wanted to make sure I didn’t get too far away from my recent trip to Morocco though, because I still have so many things to share with you all about my time there. I saw so many things, and I truly hope this helps to inspire a trip for you all. Morocco has so much to offer, much more than what I thought I was in for, and should be a bucket list location for all! Plus it was my third continent, which is something to celebrate.
After we left Casablanca (the second location in my Location Edition 03 – check it out!) we continued on to Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. Rabat has so many authentic Moroccan feels to it I absolutely adored it and had no expectation for it whatsoever. The gardens alone in Rabat throughout the neighborhoods are in themselves a worthy visit, not to mention the mausoleums, mosques and the kasbah. The Mausoleum of Mohammed the Fifth was my favorite part of Rabat. This guarded building was absolutely stunning on the inside with high ceilings and ornate carvings – a very worthy resting place if you’d ask me. The best part of the mausoleum experience though was the prayer which, according to our lovely guide, occurs each day, throughout the day. Prayers in Arabic are read by Muslims in an almost sing-songy voice, which makes it sound absolutely divine. I was corrected after referring to it as singing, as they are indeed prayers which are read in a poetic and methodical way, but not songs. Moving on, you leave the Mausoleum on the other side into a courtyard. Leaving to the courtyard is an area where a mosque was meant to be built but abandoned before completion, so the area is instead littered with pillars of varying sizes. We had loads of fun with these pillars for photo-ops, with the huge Hassan Tower in the background.
The Hassan Tower is a landmark in its own right as it’s the tallest building in Rabat. We stopped here to take some photos with the ever-present massive doorways and pillars, before continuing on to the Kasbah of the Udayas. The Kasbah of the Udayas is an iconic kasbah in Morocco, with people from all over the world coming to photograph the blue and white alleys (and a few movie productions as well). The kasbah was stunning, but we were warned that it could be dangerous for those travelling solo, so be warned not to walk about without a sense of direction and a guide. Enjoy it for its simplicity and beauty though, because there aren't many places quite like it. Coming out on the other side of the Kasbah is an gorgeous expanse of beach where we watched surfers and took some 'family photos' before heading back to our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel des Ouidaias which is one of the oldest hotels in the area, and it was very close to the kasbah. From our room we had a view of the ocean, the kasbah and, as a bonus to me, a cemetery. The rooms were really neat and for the aesthetic alone, it was my favorite hotel of the trip.
We only spent one night in Rabat before we headed for Fes the following day, with a notable stop along the way at Volubilis. I had written about Fes in my original Location Edition 04 post, but now that I am writing it a second time (ugh) I am thinking I will save Fes for my next post. Especially because it was my favorite city of the trip, and deserves a spotlight. But to highlight our road stop on route to Fes, on we go.
Volubilis can be found along the route to Fes. I had never heard of Volubilis, but as it turns out, this was the southwestern-most stronghold of the Roman empire during its rein. It was in a beautiful agricultural area, and clearly had some affluent residents back in its prime. Today it is a ruin, complete with tour guides and some museum facilities to take in the historical information accompanying the area. The beauty of the area surrounding the ruins is the best part of the whole experience, and since it is on the way to Fes from Rabat (and Casablanca, if you're making it a longer trip) it shouldn’t be missed. Who wouldn’t want to see the extent of the Roman empire?
From Volubilis we continued on to Fes, which was THE MOST AMAZING AND UNDERRATED PLACE EVER, but as I stated before I will be saving that for my next post. I have a new appreciation for hard work and cultural differences after my visit to Fes, and I very much look forward to sharing my experience there with you soon. Until then سلام (salam).
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Photo Guide:
Photo 1: Hassan Tower, Rabat
Photo 2: Rabat, view from Hotel des Ouidaias roof
Photo 3: Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat
Photo 4: Outside the Mausoleum of Mohammed the Fifth, Rabat
Photo 5: Volubilis, Morocco