"Rabat. She is a pretty city."

At your suggestion, I've decided to jump back and forth between Iceland and Morocco. I still have quite a bit to say about both of them, so I hope you don't mind if I run a bit hot and cold.   Today, we're back to Morocco and I have the sweetest Travel Moment to share with you.  

We left the vibrant city of Fez on a very busy travel day.  There was some confusion and we ended up getting on the wrong train.  We were going to the right place, but were not on our scheduled train.  This meant that there was a rather loud and confusing game of musical chairs going on as the train left the station.
 

We finally got settled into seats for the 2 1/2 hour journey to our next stop, the capital city of Rabat.  There happened to be one empty seat in our small coach and a Moroccan father gently instructed his teenage daughter to join us.  She looked nervous but obeyed him quietly.

She sat down and took out her schoolbooks.  The other five of us began discussing our next stop.  Dee started sharing interesting facts about the capital city of Morocco which is also the official seat of the royal family of Morocco.

The shy young girl next to me pretended to be studying but I could tell she was listening to us intently.  Suddenly, she looked up and bravely blurted out  "Rabat.  She is a pretty city."  She had a huge smile on her face.

She said something in French, but I didn't understand and asked her to repeat it.  She thought for a minute and then beaming, she said "Welcome to Morocco."   We smiled at each other and I got that tickle behind my nose that I get when I'm trying not to cry.  Then she quietly said "I like your accent" and turned back to her studies.  Best welcoming committee ever.

Rabat is a modern and beautiful city.  It's my favorite of the ones we visited.  It felt like a European capital but with an exotic twist.  The city has very good public transport including a tram.  It's clean and cosmopolitan, modern structures mixed in with colonial architecture.  We saw more casual dress mixed in with the traditional and groups of expensively dressed, young people going about their city life.  We spent the day with a wonderful guide and visited several very important and picturesque places.  

Dar El Makhzen - Palais Royal Rabat

The Palace Complex is the official residence of the King of Morocco.  Mohammed VI along with his wife, Princess Lalla Salma and their two young children live here. Morocco is ruled by a social and constitutional monarchy.  The title of the King, or the Commander of the Faithful, is a hereditary title passed from father to son.  They Royal Family also has a private family residence outside of the city.  

With distinctive flowing, red curls, Princess Lalla Salma is known for her stylish beauty.  She is the first wife of a Moroccan ruler to be publicly acknowledged and given a royal title.  She studied as a computer engineer and met her husband in 1999.  They were married in 2001. 

Mausoleum of Mohammed V

Mohammed V, the current King's grandfather, is buried here along with his two sons, late King Hassan II, who ruled from 1961 to 1999 and Prince Abdallah.  The distinctive white building is covered with a green tiled roof, which is the color of Islam.

 

Hassan Tower

In the same complex as the Mausoleum, you will see the Hassan Tower made of red sandstone surrounded by 200 white columns.  The tower stands at 140ft which is only half of the intended height of 260ft.  Construction of the mosque was started here in 1195 and the tower is the incomplete minaret for the mosque.  It was intended to be the largest mosque in the world but construction stopped in 1199.  

Kasbah des Oudaias

The Kasbah in Rabat has a completely different feel from the others we visited.  With clifftop views of the Atlantic Ocean and the cool blue colors, it felt much calmer.  It was smaller and less crowded.  It's a mostly residential area with narrow alleys and steps.   We stopped at a cafe, sat outside overlooking the ocean and had some mint tea and traditional sweets. 

Ruins of Chellah

The Chellah is a complex containing both Roman and medieval ruins as well as extensive gardens.  We walked the winding pathways amongst the fruit trees and beautiful rose bushes, taking photographs of the many storks and cats that now inhabit the necropolis.  It has a romantic, ancient feel about it, with storks soaring overhead and crumbling stonework and tiles underfoot.

According to my travel notes, we heard the phrase "Welcome to Morocco" several more times in Rabat.  It's a gorgeous city and probably the Moroccan city I'd most love to spend more time exploring.

Which city in Morocco did you feel most welcome and would love to revisit?

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