Morocco - Overseas Adventure Travel tour
April 5-25, 2022
Part Two - Main trip on Morocco tour
Page Five - Rabat and Fez
Rabat is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city
with an urban population of approximately 580,000 and a metropolitan population
of over 1.2 million. It is is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the
river Bou Regreg.
Fez or Fes is a city in northern inland Morocco. It is the third largest city in Morocco,
with a population of 1.15 million. It's located to the northwest of the Atlas
Mountains. The city consists of two old medina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid,
and the much larger modern urban Ville Nouvelle area founded during the
French colonial era.
The front of the Royal Palace in Rabat, the primary & official residence
of the King.
Its official name is El Mechouar Essaid Palace, which means
'The Venue of Happiness Palace. There are extensive gardens and grounds
surrounding the palace.
Gate of the Dar al-Makhzen (Royal Palace). The palace was begun by
the Alawi sultans in the late 18th century.
As well as living space for the king and the royal family,
there is accommodation for the Moroccan Royal Guard.
A small mosque sits at one end of the mechouar (seen in the background). The
mechouar is a
large parade ground
that is used for large public assemblies.
The Royal Palace sits at the other
end of the mechouar.
The main gate of Chellah completed in 1339.
The Chellah is a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis
and ancient archeological site in Rabat that is today
a UNESCO World Heritage site.
At the entrance to Chellah, a Gnawan musician was performing
traditional dance and music wearing traditional clothing.
Gnawa music is a body of Moroccan and West African Islamic
religious songs and rhythms.
Hassan Tower is the minaret of an incomplete mosque in Rabat. It was
commissioned by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the third Caliph of the Almohad
Caliphate, near the end of the 12th century. The tower was intended to be the
largest minaret in the world, and the mosque, if completed, would have been
the largest in the western Muslim world. When al-Mansur died in 1199,
construction on the mosque stopped.
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V contains the tombs of the Moroccan
king Mohammed V and his two sons, late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah.
Part of the wall of the Kasbah of the Udayas. It is located on a hill at the
mouth of the Bou Regreg river and adjacent to the old medina of Rabat.
The Kasbah is a popular tourist attraction with scenic views of the waterfront
of Rabat, the Bou Regreg River and the Atlantic Ocean. It is mostly occupied
as a residential neighborhood, known for its distinct blue and white walls.
View of Rabat from the Kasbah of the Udayas
The entire tour group after 4 more joined the pre-trip group
in Rabat. Standing near the Atlantic Ocean in the Kasbah.
Left to right: Our local Rabat guide, Sara from California, Mike from
Florida, Carolyn from California, Bonnie from Florida, Jim from
Florida, Donna from Florida, Becky from California, Pat (me), Ruth
(from Washington), Pat from Colorado (also from Denver)
Parliament Building in Rabat
Mohammed V Avenue in Rabat
View of the river and The Grand Theater of Rabat on the right.
It is a large performing arts center under construction. The building was designed by
Zaha Hadid, a British-Iraqi female architect. The building is among the last
projects designed by Zaha Hadid before her passing in 2016. The construction of
the theater is part of a wider national initiative by King Mohammed VI to
promote the arts and cultural development.
On the way to our next stop, Fez, we stopped at the market in El Khemisset,
loaded
with local vendors, people, livestock, typical of local markets.
In El Khemisset
Some of the lush countryside we saw on the way to Fez from Rabat
At our beautiful riad in Fez where we stayed, Riad Salam Fez.
A riad is a traditional Moroccan house, located within an ancient medina
(walled city), which is designed around a central courtyard and/or garden.
Riads have been converted to guesthouses. In most riads, the courtyard is left open
to the sky. The floor and walls are tiled with traditional zeliej. Zeliej are small,
colored tiles, which are hand-cut and fitted together to form an intricate
geometric pattern or design. The elaborate, white plasterwork is formed by
hand as it is mounted on the walls. We stayed in several riads during the trip.
Another section of the riad
Large dining room at our riad. Our group ate meals by ourselves in a much
smaller
room on the main floor.
Courtyard area
Beautiful light hanging outside my room
Door to my room
Even the doors are spectacular.
My room. Each room is decorated differently.
At a place where we watched the ancient art of ceramics from clay to
creation. We saw the steps involved in making pottery and ceramic tile
products.
Some of their many products for sale
The Royal Palace of Fez, built in the 13th century, yet another residence
for the King
Walking in the medina of Fez, typical side street.
We also walked through market areas (souks)
like we saw in every other town.
Al-Attarine Madrassa (Madrasa is Arabic for any type of educational institution).
It was built by the Marinid sultan Uthman II Abu Said in 1323-5. It is considered
one of the highest achievements of Marinid architecture
due to its rich and harmonious decoration and its efficient use of limited space.
Today it's open as a historic site.
View of tannery that we visited. View from its top level.
There are three tanneries in the city. The tanneries are packed with
round stone wells filled with dye or white liquids for softening the hides.
The leather goods produced in the tanneries are exported around the world.
A donkey waiting patiently near shops in the medina
Returning to our riad after a day of sightseeing, we saw school children
walking home from school. These girls stopped to talk (Issmail translated).
The rooftop of our riad had beautiful flowers and a large sitting area. I went
up there a couple of times to relax and enjoy the views. Part of Fez in the
background.
Another view of Fez from the rooftop of our riad
The group was split into 2 groups of 5 to go to 2 different homes for a
home-hosted dinner in Fez. Here's a photo of the family I visited. They
had 3 girls and one boy. Every family we visited and other individuals
who spoke to us had received the COVID vaccine.
Link to Page Six - Volubilis, Meknes, Sahara Desert
Pat's Home Page