Meknes

Sunday night decided to go into the Middle Atlas region because the heavy pollution was beginning to bother me. Took the train to Meknes which has a Medina listed as world heritage (see previous blog).

The train ride was 3 and a half hours which meant plenty of time to talk to people. One passenger was a businessman from Fes, another was a Moroccan lady who lives in Belgium. Of course I got invited to meet her family, and I accepted knowing it is a great honour to be invited to tea. It became a delightful visit with lunch, an escorted walk to the old Medina, dinner and a sleep over!

Our hostess, Aicha, is a nurse, in her early fifties, who has 2 grown sons in Europe, one in Belgium and the other in France. She lives separated from her husband, and has adopted a daughter, Hiba, who is 6 years old.

Our lunch and dinner were absolutely fantastic, the dinner was steamed vermicelli with sugar, ground cinnamon and almonds.

The weather is cooler in this region. And the air is cleaner. Fleece is a useful second layer and I haven't needed to put on my trench yet.

Plans are to go to the Roman ruins of Volubilis today, finish the old city, and then tea with Aicha tomorrow before going to Fes.