BreakfastFields of almond, orange, and other fruit trees.An interesting bridge! (our driver in photo)Bridge over river downstream of the dam (Barrage).HousingCork TreesHuge residential areas.The one cow I saw on the whole 15 day trip!Rows of orange trees. They have the best orange juice in the world!A tiny mosque in a village.Teodem is an organization in the business services industry located in Rabat, Morocco. They have no billboards, so this worked!Boy picking rocks? Cart with a donkey, I did the same in 1969 but I had a tractor pulling the cart!Sept 21, 2017 Abdellah, our guide for the next 7 daysWater slide!Gate to a walled area of the Meknes castle.People lining the entrance road to the walled area.Bringing in food.Meknes castleFountains in the entrance.Horse and carriage ride.At the Meknes castle where a Sultan kept 1000 Arabian HorsesThe stables for the horses was destroyed during an earthquake in 1755Quite a building for a horse stable!The portion of the stables that survived.The well and the mechanism to bring water up for the horses.Nice place to keep your horses!Another horse and carriage.A common truck.Downtown where I purchased some mint tea.Side streetsOutside dining.EntryEntryMeknes market place.Market in MeknesLunch in a local restaurant.Outside the restaurant were two ladies begging.Lots of orange trees.Farmer by the orange trees.Town of QualiliTown of Moulay
On to the 2000 year old Roman town of Volubilis
Volubilis (Berber: Walili, Arabic: وليلي‎‎) is a partly excavated Berber and Roman city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. Built in a fertile agricultural area, it developed from the 3rd century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. The city gained a number of major public buildings in the 2nd century, including a basilica, temple and triumphal arch. Its prosperity, which was derived principally from olive growing, prompted the construction of many fine town-houses with large mosaic floors. The city fell to local tribes around 285 and was never retaken by Rome.
Mosaic on floors.Hercules!Roman baths.Amazing mosaics!Temple, brown on columns means portions replaced.Mosaic around a pool.Water conduit.Olive or grape press.Olive groves in distance.Family on the way to market.Farms as we approach the reservoir.Reservoir, river dammed at the north end by the red arrow.
Across this mountain range facing north is where the best rif is grown. Pot exported to western Europe much to the Netherlands. Small amounts are still exported as long as they do not exceed a small percentage of agricultural exports/ From the sixteenth century cannabis was grown nationwide in Morocco on a small scale for local use, in gardens and orchards, but it was only in the 18th century that the Rif region in the far north became a noted center of production, as it is today.
Roadside stand by reservoir.
A dam near Ctre Mikkess was built on the river to provide a constant water supply for the country, I saw pipelines being laid all across the country all stemming from this lake.
Entrance.Dinner and entertainment.CeilingSee the movie for these dancers.
