My campsite is half-way between Casablanca and Rabat, so it was a great place to base myself while I visited Rabat and Fes.
RABAT – Rabat is a large city, and I really didn’t know what to expect, but with its large boulevards and modern buildings, it’s a truly impressive city. I visited the mausoleum of King Mohammed V which is on the site of an old Mosque. The mosque was never completed and has all but gone except for the walls, pillars and a large tower called the Hassan Tower, which has been there since 1199. It took ten years to build the King Mohammad V’s mausoleum and the sheer amount of artistry in the marble, the woodwork, the carvings and the tiling is just beyond words. I’ve never seen anything so incredibly intricate and so beautiful.
To the north of the Rabat city centre are the old fortifications which contains a small medina with lots of small alleyways and many, many shops. And next to the medina are the Andalusian gardens, which are a legacy left from Spanish influence. The trees and plants are beautiful and it was such a peaceful and tranquil place to spend some time admiring the gardens. What was really nice about Rabat was the chilled-out atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
FES – I also visited Fes, which is another wonderful place to visit. Fes is three cities in one: the new city with its bright modern buildings, the Jewish city and the Muslim city. There are no Jews left in that part of the city now, but their legacy remains through the architecture they left behind. Within the old fortifications of Fes lies the Muslim city and its medina containing hundreds of narrow winding streets and alleyways. After going to the top of a nearby hill to see the medina, you really get a feel for the size and complexity of the maze-like streets.
Visiting the medina and the leatherworks, I was surprised to be told that the leatherworks has been here for over 900 years and they use the same process now as they’ve always done, taking many weeks to process the cow, camel and goat leather. And they do this naturally and manually, not using chemicals or machines. They also have a large shop attached to the leatherworks and I did fall in love with a goatskin motorbike jacket – and was millimetres away from buying it as it fitted perfectly and it was so supple. Maybe next time.
