Meknes Morocco

I woke up decided on heading out of Fes and making my way to Meknes, a smaller town about 40 km away.  A few factors weighing on my decision – first of all, Fes has bit tough.  Most likely this is because I am new to traveling this time around and it will take some time, but also because it is a giant, insane place very intent on business.  It was amazing to look at, donkeys carrying piles of animal skins, boxes of fruit and vegetables, boxes of electronics, boxes of scarves and clothes and everything under the sun.  Every alleyway lead to something, often a deadend, but more often another labyrinthine set of stalls and shops and what I assume were doors to houses.  It was noisy and quiet by turns, but always busy.  It was tough to capture all of that in photos, but it was what it looked like in the pictures – tight and crowded and unlike anything I had seen.  It is supposedly the most intact medieval Arab city – artisans working next to the shops that sell their goods.  It was a thing to behold and, having beheld it, I feel ready to move on.  

A factor holding me back, encouraging me to stay in Fea another day, involves my diet and belly.  I embarked on this trip most nervous about getting sick, having had a few experiences where food poisoning and the like have laid me flat in a matter of hours.  I expect to bump against that at least once or twice on this trip.  

Luckily, last night’s gastronomical adventure was only a scare.  Here’s what happened - I eat a lot of protein.  I’ve started every day with 4 eggs for almost 6 years (I also have high cholesterol but that’s another story).  Living in Stockholm I had access to a kitchen and would cook my eggs fried style nice and tasty every morning.  Staying in a hotel/hostel this is a bit trickier (kitchen? oil? pans?).  The stalls here often sell eggs, so I bought some and asked the hotel proprietor if he would be so kind as to boil them (at Corinne’a suggestion – great idea, kill the germies and have cooked eggs nice and simple).  So yesterday I had him boil eggs hobo style in the morning and I enjoyed them for breakfast and lunch (I have today’s eggs with me as well).  Last night I woke up at about 1 with a terrible stomach ache – feeling pretty lousy and nauseous.  So I thank my stars I am in a room with a bathroom and put on a shirt and pants to settle in to the tile flooring for a while.  Being up for a minute helped; I didn’t get sick, but I did have rotten egg belly, and was up for a long time with rotten egg burps, which I think are as close as a person can come to farting from their mouth.  It was pretty gross.  But I’ll take it over being sick.  

Ultimately the biggest factor was that I had started to feel comfortable, just barely, in Fes, and felt more nervous about moving on than staying.  That seemed like a good deciding factor and one I hope to keep.  I am currently waiting for the 1050 train, 40 minutes away.  More later. 

5PM.  I walked around Meknes, twice I think, this afternoon.  I was searching for the granaries of sultan someone or other and was not disappointed, though finding and getting to them was a chore, and it was on my walk back that I passed the same fountain three separate times (one before a long circle, one a short circle (which included a lovely visit to what I think was a mosque), and once on the true road home.  After arriving in Meknes at about noon, it was mostly a walking day.  But I did make a few observations that I hope are blog-worthy.  

Moroccans continue to be incredibly friendly, unless of course they are trying to sell you something.  I asked for directions countless time and was always given directions, patiently, in French.  Often the person walked with me a bit to help me on my way.  

There are cats here like dogs in El Salvador – they are EVERYWHERE.  And they all give me hungry, leonine looks.  Not so maybe dogs.  

I have come across a number of British and US ex-pats who have settled here – often running Ryads (B&Bs essentially) or working in trade or something.  I have to admit I’ve been tempted.  Corinne? 

While lots of what I’ve seen has been old and dirty, the insides of houses (of which I have only seen in passing) are immaculate.  Everything is tiles, curtains, terraces and courtyards.  Also like El Salvador, the door hides what is behind it, and often it is lovely back there.  

Several times a day (5!) I can hear the call to prayer from several mosques.  It sounds kind of like a tornado siren from a bull-horn.  I can make out Allah Akbar, but that’s about it.  They are long, drawn –out tones that slowly rise in pitch until they drop back down and start again.  It isn’t exactly a comforting sound, but it is becoming familiar and a reminder that these cities are not exactly secular.  

Meknes itself is all walls and gates.  Seriously, the guide book said 25 miles of walls.  The city is only about 2 miles in diameter.  I took a few pictures of the walls and gates to give a sense of it – but it is mammoth.  The granary I trekked out to see was also huge – the book said it could store 20 years worth of grain.  I think the guy who built all of this was a bit of a megalomaniac.  But it was impressive to see.  And old as hell – built in the 1670s.  It was designed to stay cool with 12 foot walls, a water system beneath it (my footsteps did not fall on stable stone floors!), and cedar trees above it (a green roof!  In 1670!). 

Meknes has been pleasantly slower than Fes, though it is kind of lonely (as was Fes until I started walking up to people who looked like me).  I’ve not seen many solo or dual travelers in either city – though in both a number of tour buses.  I followed one group this afternoon into that mosque.  I might try to find the youth hostel tomorrow to see if I can meet some folks to walk around with.  The sun is going down, it is about 530, I’m going to grab a bite and find a cyber café to send this from.  Ta for now! 

Motobacane

Some gate somewhere

Me plus Gate

the longest road ever, between two giant walls

Granary!

Shot into the water part of the granary

This might be a kasbah?  It was pretty anyway

A wall, with remnants of stalls and shops

Foutain, gate, this was extremely common

Maybe Mosque, the tour was in French

The third time I saw it.  Hello old friend.