Meknes

Yesterday a couple of friends and I went to Meknes. This was the first time I’d ventured out of Ifrane without the help of any Moroccans (minus traveling here), so that was something to get used to. But we made it to Meknes and back without getting super lost, and I’d say that equals a success. Some points about the trip:

1. Comparing the two cities that I’ve been to thus far, I like the city of Fes better but the people of Meknes were nicer. Not that the people in Fes were mean, but Fes is a major city that tourists would go to while visiting Morocco (whereas Meknes may not be). Therefore if the people in Fes see that you’re white/foreign, then they’re gonna do what they can to get you to buy their stuff. So I guess people in Fes were pushier and more focused on trade. Whereas in Meknes, for example, people didn’t seem to get upset if we didn’t buy anything. And when we got ‘lost’ in the narrow alleyways of the old city (quotations because you actually never feel like you know where you’re going), there were a couple different instances where people offered to show us out onto the main roads or asked where we were trying to go etc. And one sweet man guided us around the city. Generally you DON’T want to take people up on this offer because (1) you’re supposed to get ‘official’ tour guides, and (2) because they usually expect money at the end of the tour. I wouldn’t mind giving someone 20 dirhams for a tour, however we were all trying to be really conscious of spending and honestly didn’t have much more on us (and we still had to get back home). However after telling the man that we wouldn’t be able to pay him anything for the tour, he still offered to lead us around anyway. I don’t know, there was just a much more relaxed vibe in Meknes and it was nice.
2. If you were ever wondering if snake charmers were simply something one sees on tv and in movies — no. They are actually a thing. I saw three of them.
3. I had my first squat toilette experience. Yeah.
4. One thing I’ve noticed when I get down out of the mountains is that bees are out! It’s surprising to me, because while it’s not nearly as cold in places like Fes and Meknes right now as it is in Ifrane, it’s still chilly enough (in my opinion) for the bees to be in their hives.
5. I would really like to go back to Meknes, I think. We saw what’s called the Imperial City, a couple mosques, the old medina, the souq, a random museum… but I feel like we didn’t see what people to go to Meknes to see? Or maybe we did, I’m not sure. I enjoyed it a lot, though, and would love to go back!

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