March 9-10, 2022
We successfully arrived in Rabat, Morocco on Wednesday evening, hustling through Paris and Casablanca before being driven to Stephen O’Dowd and Rhonda Brown’s abode, located in a modern apartment complex not far from the embassy.
After a delicious dinner of roasted lamb, Turkish pilaf, endive, Moroccan wine and sticky toffee pudding (a little bit of Scotland in Morocco), we slept until 10am the next morning! Realizing this is actually 4am in NC, it was almost our usual start to the day. Unfortunately, Rhonda had to work but Stephen played tour guide and took us to Rabat sites not included on our Tauck Tour.
Our first stop was the impressive fortress/palace Chellah, built over Phoenician and Roman ruins. We were greeted by a drummer in front of an impressive gate but not allowed to enter the grounds. Fortunately, a guide led us around the perimeter, giving us a history lesson and leading us to viewing areas for photo ops. He enjoyed conversing with Stephen in Moroccan Arabic. That skill certainly has given us an advantage, especially in the Medina.
We drove into the Rabat’s Medina (old city), stopping for mint tea and pastries before climbing to the Platform du Sémaphore (overlook), watching surfers and beach goers (no bathing suits but that doesn’t mean nude! That means fully covered!).
Stephen was disappointed the Oudaïa Gardens remained closed for renovation, however that did not mean we were affected as there was so much more for us to explore. We wandered through the Medina where a bartering contest happened over 2 pair of earrings. Mary Margaret now has her authentic Berber earrings as a reminder of our day in Rabat.
We stopped at a chebakia stand, watching the creation of this delicacy and sampling its delicious sweet combination of crunch and crumble. Stephen also introduced us to Moroccan churros we found equally delicious. Fortunately for us, he purchased a nice bag of both the chebakia and the churros. Yum!
The day was nearly over but one last stop for refreshment at The Dhow, on the Bou Regreg River before heading back to greet Rhonda after her day at work.
Another delicious meal and lively conversation completed our first full day exploring the capital of Morocco. Stephen laid out our plans for the next 2 days: pack a small bag for a road trip to Northern Morocco where we’ll explore Tangier, Tétouan and Chefchaouen. This plan fits well into our adventure as we will not have the opportunity to see places in Northern Morocco on our Tauck Tour.