Another wonderful day in the land of a thousand delights. Walked with Jeff to see the sunrise over the cemetery in Rabat, and the lighthouse nearby. Very dramatic cloud formations, waves crashing against the dark rocks, a spectacular sunrise and a complete rainbow, “if you like that sort of thing” Charlie would say. OMG. Walked around the Kasbah just to enjoy its big open space.
Had breakfast in the courtyard of the Riad Dar Lazlohra, an elegant Moroccan fare with a yummy(!) avocado smoothie, light & dark pancakes, oranges sliced in half dusted with cinammon, assorted breads, marmalades and coffee on the prettiest dishware you ever saw.
Mustapha took us to The Chellah or Shalla, a fortified Muslim ancient archeological site, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was spectacular! It might have been a Phoenician trading emporium in the first millennium BC. Later it became the site of Sala Colonia, an ancient Roman colony. In the late 13th century it was used as a necropolis for the Marinid dynasty. By the 15th Century, it declined, having been damaged by earthquakes and looting. Many layers of history and cultures all tangled together in one place. Really fascinating place.
Interestingly, the area is also home to a good number of wood storks, with giant nests atop many of the ancient ruins. The Muslims consider them sacred and the Moroccans consider them symbols of good luck & fertility. There are many other kinds of birds in the gardens adjacent to the ruins, a lone pea-hen among them. I heard so many different kinds of bird songs, it was amazing.
On our way to Chefchaouen, we visited Volubllis, a Roman archaeological site near Meknes. It’s another UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its ruins, including a triumphal arch, capitol, and well-preserved mosaics. On par with Pompeii, only less well-funded. This place is very much worth seeing and very much worth preserving.
Chefchaouen, the blue city on the side of a mountain, is a lot like Collodi. You are either walking uphill or downhill. Today I walked 14,903 steps and climbed 22 flights of stairs. Mustafa told us the name of Chefchaouen comes from the Berber word for horns(?) not sure I get the connection, will have to google later. The city was once a Jewish settlement, and is painted blue to distinguish it from Muslim communities which are green. There are not many Jews left here anymore but the townspeople continue to paint their homes blue. We stayed in the Taj Chefchaouen, a hotel with a spectacular view of the city below and the sunrise.
Tomorrow we pick up Kylie and Cade at the Tangier airport.
I’m tired so I will say good night. Later, I will write about a sweet encounter I had with 2 of the women who work at Chellah.
Friday November 21, 2025
Yesterday morning, at Chellah, I had to use the restroom, a small building down the hill from the entrance. There were two Muslim women, one cleaning, the other sitting just outside the door. When I came out, I gave them a small tip as is customary here. Sukran (thank you), we smiled, hand over heart and I went on my way. I returned about an hour later, and when I came out of the stall, gave them another tip. They started to refuse it, motioning that I had aleady paid. I said yes yes, they must accept it. They smiled, laughed, Sukran Sukran. I said Sukran with my hand over my heart gesturing back to them. They said something in Arabic as I left, smiled and waved goodbye. So sweet. I think women should rule the world.
Moroccans do not fit any stereotypes of how the rest of the world sees them. They identify not as Arabs but as Berber, from the Amazih. Need to get more info about their ancestry. They are very nice, friendly, willing to help, grateful, smile easily and love to laugh.
Shortly before I wrote this, I received a perplexing group text from the grandkids discussing.... hair loss. Forgive me, I still think women should rule the world.
Some funny signs:
No Smocking
Penat butter
creaps (for crepes)