Moulay Idris, Volubilis and Meknes

Setting off

Today, I make a daytrip to another imperial city, Meknes and the surrounding sights of Moulay Idris and Volubilis.

I started by walking downhill to the taxi station after breakfast.  I asked, in Arabic, if I could be dropped off close to the Volubilis taxi.  Wow!  The driver understood me.  Great!

The ride to Moulay Idris took about an hour.  I changed to another vehicle for Volubilis.
 

Taxi driver at the station.

 
Volubilis

Volubilis was a local settlement that grew rapidly as part of the Roman Empire from 1 AD.  As it was one of the most remote points in the south-west of the empire, it fell to local tribes and was never retaken by Rome.

After having visited Palmyra in Syria, I should have known better than to see more Roman ruins.  Volubilis simply couldn’t compare but I shouldn’t stress that.  It is all part of my Moroccan experience.

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Moulay Idris

For the ride back to Moulay Idris, the price was ridiculous.  I couldn’t really get it down and didn’t have a choice.

The town is home to the tomb of Idris I, the first major Islamic ruler of Morocco.  I had a good walkaround the old town and with the help of a boy, he took me to a spot where I got a panoramic view.
 

Shops at Moulay Idris.

Panorama of Moulay Idris.

Meknes

From Moulay Idris, I took a taxi to Meknes, another imperial city.  I walked around the old city briefly.  I was getting a bit blase.  I did a token walk and took a taxi back to Fes.  From what I read later, it doesn’t look like I missed very much in Meknes.
 

Shops at Meknes.

Lamp shop at Meknes.

 
I started raining en route back to Fes.  It was cold, wet and miserable when I arrived back. I was tired and hungry but didn’t want to venture far in the weather, opting to eat nearby.

Butcher alley near my hotel.

Cold, wet and miserable.