Around Rabat

This weekend, I worked on exploring Rabat. I am determined to venture out into the rest of the country soon, but for now I am trying to see everything in Rabat! We started with the Kasbah des Oudayas. The fort was built a long time ago to keep the pirate city of Rabat-Sale safe from vengeful European navies. Now it houses a beautiful garden, café, and museum. We walked the garden, pictures below, and sat in the café overlooking the intersection of the Bouregreg River and the Atlantic Ocean. Sipping Moroccan mint tea and eating a coconut macaroon, I didn't feel much like a pirate, but they certainly had a good vantage point for watching incoming ships.  

After the tranquility of the Kasbah, we walked along the Rue de Consuls, the main street for tourists and shopping in Rabat. The stalls are filled with shoes in every style, rugs in every color, traditional Moroccan dresses, and Western-style leather jackets. The smell of leather permeates the market, with scents of spices wafting by. Rue de Consuls is loud with the voices of shopkeepers making conversation and shoppers debating the wares. I had to restrain myself from buying everything! I will definitely return!

On Sunday, we saw the Unfinished Mosque of Yacoub al-Mansour, started in the 12th century, but left unfinished because of the king's untimely death. Now all that remains is the columns and minaret, their potential unfulfilled. Next to the unfinished mosque is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in 1962, which holds the remains of the first Moroccan king after the French officially left Morocco. The tile work is phenomenal, with every detail carefully thought out-- even the ceiling, pictured below, is beautiful. The design is both stately and graceful, with classic Andalusian influence. Funnily enough, it was actually built by a Vietnamese architect! The two worlds collide!

In the afternoon, we ventured to Chellah, the site of Roman ruins from the first century BCE and the ruins of a 14th century Arab necropolis. The layers of ruins from such different periods of time are fascinating. The site is a gorgeous intermingling of gardens and ruins, with plenty of space for exploring. For just a 10 dirham entry fee (about a dollar), it might make a perfect spot to study on a sunny day!