Cold and wet in Rabat

Trip Start Feb 07, 2009
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Trip End Mar 19, 2009


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Flag of Morocco  ,
Monday, March 2, 2009

We woke just before 7 and got dressed, packed our bags and headed down to check out and have breakfast. The other 2 young guys Michael and AJ were there as well as Abdul, and he helped us get a taxi over to Hassan II Mosque, built from 1987 - 1993. It is a massive and beautiful mosque with an enormous courtyard and the largest minaret  (tower) 200m in the world. We had plenty of time to walk around the outside and take photos before buying tickets to start a tour at 9am. The inside is just magnificent, so huge and with the most beautiful tiles and carvings. The roof even opens on special occasions. The tour was very informative - we went downstairs to the washrooms and hammam, and the guide explained the washing process. When the tour finished we got a taxi (took a while to find one, then explain where we wanted to go and negotiate the same price as we'd paid on the trip there).

Arrived back at the hotel to meet the others and take a short bus trip to the train station where we caught a train (came right on time at 11am) for an hour long trip to Rabat At the Mosque
At the Mosque
 . We then had to walk to a nearby hotel  (Mike was cursing my large bag) where we left our bags and had an orientation walk through the markets (stopped for lunch and mint tea), a beautiful garden and a cafe overlooking the river and the Atlantic Ocean. We then had free time before meeting back at the hotel at 4:30. Mike and I wandered through the markets, went to the bank (small accident with a $100 note) and met the others at a cafe for mint tea again.

Made our way back to the hotel, collected our luggage, then walked back to the station for our train to Meknes which was due to arrive at 5:15 but didn't come till 6. Meanwhile we waited in the freezing cold and piled on jackets, beanies and gloves. Settled into the train when it arrived (compartments with sliding doors) and chatted to 4 of our group for the 2.5hr trip. Wlaked a short distance to our hotel, then met the group again after check in and walked to a restaurant for dinner (Mike and I stopped to use the Internet first). By the time we ate and got back it was after 11pm.
 
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