To Fez via Khemmishet, Meknes and Volubilis (9.30.07)

Our first stop after setting out at 7:45 am was along the road among cork trees. They apparently extrude cork in 7 year increments and it was very interesting to see the marks on the trees where it had been harvested.

Our lunch stop was in Knesset and our first tour stop was in Meknes, Morocco's 3rd Imperial city. It was founded it the 10th century AD but came into its own in 1672 when a cruel but brilliant king, Moulay Ismail, made it his capital. Aziz explained that he was particularly bloodthirsty, preferring to perform his own executions and never trusting the Berbers with whom he was surrounded. During his reign he managed to control foreign raiders, pirates, and local revolts through his notorious Black Guard and had Louis the 14th of France shaking in his boots so much that Louis sent him several clocks to stay in his good graces. The fortified walls surrounding Meknes are at least 25 feet high and 5 feet thick and the Sultan reportedly kept 12000 hourse and an impressive army at the ready. We tood a tour thought the granary and stables and were able to appreciate his foresight in planning for a possible siege. He had huge rooms to store grain, a system to store and distribute water, and underground water systems to cool and store perishables despite the heat.

We visited a small mosque with impressive tilework that countained his Mausoleum. After photos outside with an old man dressed in traditional water seller costuming, we walked down the hill and got a lecture/demonstration from a shopkeeper on a special type of metal work with silver threads that is characteristic to the area. It would have been more enjoyable if the shop staff hadn't been quite as pushy. As a result of this shop, I learned the phrase "Gheer kanshouf" (only looking) and am going to learn "go away!" We took a pre-lunch stroll through the medina and ogled the 2-foot piles of olives, spices, lemons, and other colorful wares.

After lunch another hour of driving brought us to the Roman city of Volubis from which we had seen artifacts in the Rabat archeological museum. Originaly settled by Cartigian traders in the third century BC, it was annexed by the Romans as a trading outpost in AD 40. This site is an UNESCO World Heritage site and is the best preserved archeological site in Morocco. We were met by the "Dean" or the local guides, Mohammed, who led us through the site for over two hours in the heat of the afternoon. It is believed that over 20,000 people once lived there. The engineering ingenuity was one of the most fascinating aspects with gravity powered sewer and fresh water systems and with the use of natural hot water springs for bath and steam rooms.

I still have to zrite more about arriving in Fez in the afternoon and a music and dance show that Mom and I went to in the afternoon, but that will have to come later when I try to get caught up! We are going at a breakneck pace!