meknes
Ah! Meknes! How wonderful this city is. We arrived and planned to stay a day or two. We ended up staying five days and I didnot want to leave!
The first day we ended up in this gorgeous old Palace, now a museum. We ended up having a guide, which I normally donot want at all. Hafid was delightful and incredibly knowledgable.
I came back to make some watercolours of the place. Mainly the Harem s entertainment room. I could hear the music, laugther and smell the sweet smell of the opium pipes!
Hafid s English was excellent and as he came checking up on me every half hour or so we started talking. He brought me cups of sweet Moroccon tea. Cushions to sit on. Very sweet. Before the day was out he had asked us over for a meal at his mothers house the next day. Friday was a public holiday and all was closed. We gratefully accepted. Out of respect I wore my jellabah, traditional dress, which I was given for the Berber wedding. His mother was very pleased. She was adorable and also makes the best couscous ever. We had a thouroughly interresting afternoon. His mother was very concerned who would be looking after my children, as I was gallavanting across Africa. Needless to say that she didnot understand the aspect of our culture, which means your children actually move away from you. I am sure she felt very sad for me.
Hafid came with us on Saturday to Moulay Idriss and Volubilis. These Roman ruins are the best I have ever seen. Most of the exquisite mosaics are still in tact. The grounds are over 40 hectares. Needless to say that it is impossible to see it all. I did some watercolours, but could have spend weeks here. One day I would love to come back and just stay in the small village!
Leaving Meknes was hard to do, making new friends, also means having to say good bye , not knowing when you will meet or see each other again.
The first day we ended up in this gorgeous old Palace, now a museum. We ended up having a guide, which I normally donot want at all. Hafid was delightful and incredibly knowledgable.
I came back to make some watercolours of the place. Mainly the Harem s entertainment room. I could hear the music, laugther and smell the sweet smell of the opium pipes!
Hafid s English was excellent and as he came checking up on me every half hour or so we started talking. He brought me cups of sweet Moroccon tea. Cushions to sit on. Very sweet. Before the day was out he had asked us over for a meal at his mothers house the next day. Friday was a public holiday and all was closed. We gratefully accepted. Out of respect I wore my jellabah, traditional dress, which I was given for the Berber wedding. His mother was very pleased. She was adorable and also makes the best couscous ever. We had a thouroughly interresting afternoon. His mother was very concerned who would be looking after my children, as I was gallavanting across Africa. Needless to say that she didnot understand the aspect of our culture, which means your children actually move away from you. I am sure she felt very sad for me.
Hafid came with us on Saturday to Moulay Idriss and Volubilis. These Roman ruins are the best I have ever seen. Most of the exquisite mosaics are still in tact. The grounds are over 40 hectares. Needless to say that it is impossible to see it all. I did some watercolours, but could have spend weeks here. One day I would love to come back and just stay in the small village!
Leaving Meknes was hard to do, making new friends, also means having to say good bye , not knowing when you will meet or see each other again.
posted by Ineke van den Hout at
4:42 AM
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