September 9, 2002 –
Rabat – Meknès
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After a last picture of the colorful hall of the
hotel, really kitsch with a night watchman not yet awakened. I walk to the train station to catch the train for
Meknes at 8:15. The train is a good way to enjoy the view on the landscape.
After staying close to the coast we turn to the inside of the country leaving
flat landscapes for more undulating ones. We finally arrive in Meknes just
before 11am. The train station is located in the new city (ville nouvelle)
but the medina is easy accessible just by walking. I find a cheap room in one
of the cheapest hotel there. Ther is no bathroom in it but the hammam is located
just next to the hotel so it will be an opportunity to go there. The
receptionist is very nice with me and shows me one of the rooms that will
cost me 30 DH. I start the visit of the city with Bab El Mansour,
one of the numerous doors of Meknes. A little further I visit Koubat As
Soufara, silos which were transformed in an underground prison. The
proportions are huge and I wouldn’t be a prisoner there, it is very humid and
almost completely dark. From Koubat As Soufara, I just walk to the nearest
door, bab Er Rih, to visit Moulay Ismael mausoleum, one of the rare Muslim
monuments that infidels can visit in Morocco. The mausoleum has a great
architecture with beautiful colors, blue, green, yellow and white that are
the four colors of the imperial cities of Fes, Meknes, Marrakech and Rabat.
We can go inside but the prayer room with Moulay Ismael tomb is closed to us. Then I walk along the wall of the Royal city. The
walls should be 20m high and they bring a nice shadow on the street. I am on
my way to Heri Es Souani, a huge storeroom for wheat grains built by Moulay
Ismael with thick walls (4m) that enable to preserve a constant temperature
inside the storeroom in order to avoid moisture. The first part of the
complex is well illuminated and in some rooms (don’t forget to bring a
flashlight!!) you can see wells to cool the atmosphere. The second part of
the complex was a huge stable for horses, more than 10 000 horses can be put
there!!! Today the vegetation rules the place but the alleys are very photogenic
and the columns are impressive. I go back toward the medina and I begin to wander in
the souks, there is a lot of people there. Then, after a sandwich taken in a little restaurant
near Bab El mansour, I return to my hotel room where I fall instantly asleep,
I will wake up again at 11pm just to fall asleep another time. I was so
tired. Main expenses of the day: Train Rabat – Meknes: 55.50 DH Hôtel de Paris: 30 DH Koubat As Soufara entrance: 10 DH Heri es Souani entrance: 10 DH Drinks (water, soft drinks, tea…) + evening meal: 20
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Other travels (Syria,
Jordan, Egypt, USA...) (Hotels, Transportation
timetables…) D1 :
Luxembourg – Paris – Casablanca D4 :
Meknes – Volubilis – Meknes D9 :
Tinehrir – Ouarzazate – Marrakesh D13 :
Refuge – 4167m –Tizi Ouanoums D14 :
Tizi Ouanoums – Amsouzert D16 :
Azib Likemt – Tacheddirt D17 :
Tacheddirt – Imlil – Marrakesh D19 :
Essaouira – El Jadida – Tangier D22 :
Chefchaouen – Casablanca D23 :
Casablanca – Paris – Luxembourg |
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Last update : december
2002
Contact : pindavid@hotmail.com