Rabat to Fez
We spent several hours in Rabat visiting the key tourist sites before heading on to Fez. Our tour guide previously was a professor of history and spoke very good English. The first stop was at the kasbah of the Udayas. A kasbah is a fortified place and the Udayas were a tribe which occupied a site on the Bou Regreg River opposite Sale which are both now precincts of Rabat. This kasbah dates back to the 12th Century. The grounds are beautiful and the old mosque is now the home of many storks most of which migrate to Morocco from Europe for the winter.
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| An Entrance to the Kasbah of the Udayas |
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| Kasbah of the Udayas - Atlantic Ocean in Distance |
Our second stop was at Chellah another fortified position dating back to the 13th Century; however, numerous previous fortifications occupied this site. The Phoenicians called this place Sala and developed a trading center here. When the Romans defeated the Carthaginians, they change the name to Sala Colonnia. The current fortress was built by the Marinids, a Berber tribe.
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| Entrance to Chellah |
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| Storks at Chellah |
We moved in time from the past to the present when we stopped at the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V the grandfather of the current king. This mausoleum contains the bodies of Mohammed V and his sons, King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. Mohammed V was the first king of Morocco since the country gained its independence from France and Spain. This former Sultan of Morocco took the title of king in 1957. Mounted Royal Guards stand at the entrance to the mausoleum grounds. Dismounted guards are at the mausoleum entrance and surrounding the king's crypt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_Mohammed_V
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| Mausoleum of King Mohammed V |
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| Mounted Royal Guard at Entrance to the Grounds - Mausoleum of King Mohammed V |
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| Mausoleum of King Mohammed V - Entrance |
Our bus made a short stop at one of the two royal palaces as we left Rabat. The flag above the gate. indicated the king was present. Members from the military and civil law enforcement agencies stood guard at the gates. We were soon departing Rabat with its many Moroccan national flags flying throughout the city which indicated the Royal Family was living in the city. The flags are removed when the king moves to one of the other royal palaces in Morocco. The king's wife is from Fez which also has a royal palace and when the king is in Fez, the national flag is flown at the royal palace and throughout the city to signify his presence there.
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| Royal Palace Entrance |
We stopped at Volubilis to tour the ancient Roman ruins on the way to Fez. This site was occupied by numerous peoples to include the Phoenicians, Corinthians, Romans and Berbers. Under the Romans, this city served as a military outpost on the southwestern border of the Roman Empire in North Africa. It was a major source of olive oil and grains which were exported to other parts of the empire. Lions for the arena spectacles were also captured and sent to Rome from this city. The ancient city ruins sit on high ground overlooking the vast Khoumane River valley. Archaeologists have uncovered numerous well preserved mosaics and partially restored some of the ruins. Our local guide was very informative and spoke fluent English. It was a highlight of the day and good follow on to our tours in Rome. This stop impressed upon us the size of the Roman Empire at his high point.
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| Ruins of the Vobelius Forum |
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| Roman Mosaic Floor |
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| Lounging in a Former Roman Bath |
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