Imperial CIties - Meknes, Morocco

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Bab el-Mansour in Meknes

One of the three Imperial Cities, Meknes lies inland between Rabat and Fes, south of the Rif Mountains.  A horrible bus ride from Rabat awaited us when we arrived at the bus station.  After being rushed to the bus because "it's leaving now", the bus jostled around the station for almost another 2 hours before leaving and people were lined in the aisles on plastic chairs.  Big storms were ahead, and apparently the bus was a bit leaky, as everybody on the window seats got wet from all the dripping water, and through the vents.  Thankfully it was only a couple of hours drive.
We arrived in yet more rain, and first had to try to figure out where we were.  It seems like a lot of bus stations have moved since the Lonely Planet was written that we are using.  Meknes seemed more expensive than previous towns, but we managed to find a little gem of a hotel, if it wasn't for the yelling of the hotel owner and his young helper.  A little weird.
A super tasty chocolate covered croissant filled with chocolate filling awaited our exit from the hotel, as it was the adjacent shop.  There were many more of these delicious treats eaten, and the shop ladies laughed every time we came in.
Starving, and looking for food is not a good thing in the medina.  Everyone wants to get you into their restaurants, and are almost fighting with each other.  In the end we wanted no part of it, and walked the medina streets looking for street food.  This place really felt like a maze, and it was very disorienting.  Eventually we found a place and gobbled back some rotisserie chicken.  A little further down the road, and in the dark, we came across a couple of backpackers looking intently at the book.  They definitely needed some help, so we guided them back through the souqs, to our hotel and they were very grateful.  Felt like I now had a grip on the navigating of the tiny streets.

Triumphal Arch at Volubilis

The next day, we decided on a day trip out to ruins of Volubilis - a Unesco Heritage site.  Getting there was half the fun, and we took a collective taxi with 4 others crammed in to the town of Moulay Idriss 33km away.  From here, another collective only 4km to the ruins.  After paying and entering, the rains hit.  We were totally exposed and the rain was coming down sideways at times with the strong winds.  And the winds were really cold!!!   Am I really in Morocco???   There was only a little wall of the ruins for shelter, and we huddled under there for some time before braving a lesser rain to tour around. 
The ruins themselves are quite impressive.  There are still some buildings somewhat visible like the Basilica and the Capitol, and also a huge Triumphal Arch at the end of the main road.  The most impressive part of the ruins were the numerous mosaic floors still in pretty good shape, but exposed to the elements.  There were some excellent designs and pictures still very visible in the floors.
Back to Moulay Idriss to 'escape' the rain, but after a lunch under cover, we searched for the mausoleum and panoramic overlook, only to be hit with more torrential rain, that turned the roads into rivers, and some nice young girls offered me a spot under their umbrella.  Still more rain dampened our walk home in Meknes, so we retired early to try to warm up and dry out.
The next day, we arose to sunshine, so we hit the roof terrace for breakfast views over the city. 

Food Storage Crypts under Meknes

Another chocolate croissant and a walk in towards the palace.  Passing throughout the main gate Bab el-Mansour, we first found an interesting crypt that used to be a food storage area.  It had great archways underground and quite high ceilings.  On to the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, who was the greatest ruler of Morocco.  His mausoleum had great detail, and the surrounding rooms were very impressive.  As a non-muslim, we are not allowed to enter the main building, but could look from afar.  Outside the mausoleum, we met a really nice girl from Finland called Maaret.  We ended up spending the rest of the day with her, walking around the city. 
The three of us walked around the massive, long walls around the palace but are not able to enter because the king still uses the place - some nerve!!!  Our goal was the Heri es-Souani - the stables of Moulay Ismail - that apparently stabled about 12000 horses.  An impressive number for sure, and the building was of the same magnitude, and quite a good engineering design with underground water channels used to cool the rooms.  The first couple of rows of rooms had been restored, but out back there were rows and rows in ruins, only archways, but no roofs.

Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

We finished the day navigating the souqs, seeing sights from mattress stuffing shops, crumpet like pancakes, interesting musical instruments, goats heads, and many kids playing soccer as usual.  A great little side market had very creative cones of olives, and pyramids of spices with different spice coloured designs, and sweets galore all decoratively laid out.  Out in the main square Place El-Hedim, there were some interesting berber salesmen selling ostrich eggs, heads and legs.  Also, some snake charmers and fire eaters!!  On to another of the Imperial cities, Fes, in the morning.   *Stub