Off to Meknes today

Well that's the plan but its Friday and a day of rest so we're not sure what will be open, shut, running or stopped, but we will no doubt find out very soon. It's only about an hours train ride and we plan to stay just one night, or maybe two, depending on what it's like.

Just eating breakfast now - pancakes, coffee, eggs and apricot jam. Like!

Got a taxi to the station - cost 6 quid but it was quick and direct and relatively hassle free for Morocco. A couple of blokes did start a bit of an argument with the hotel guy however, trying to get us as fares. It's all about guide poaching here.

Got a taxi to Hotel Maroc which turned out to be a real old dive, albeit clean. The concierge was drunk and struggled to do anything but eventually completed the paperwork and charged us up front - 35 quid for both of us for two nights.

Met a Japanese woman -Masayo - en route who joined us. She arrived in Morocco yesterday after a 30 hour journey from Tokyo and was pretty jet lagged. Dragged her down to the city most of which was shut because its Friday and had a good old walk about. A clothes market opened after awhile selling the usual old toot found in markets the world over, plus fruit and veg. The good thing about most things being shut was there was nobody to hassle us and we got to wander almost at will through what we later discovered was the old Jewish quarter - a clue being the windows opening onto the street again rather than a closed courtyard.

We found a terrace restaurant for lunch, overlooking the central square - Place el - Hedim - built for total announcements and public executions, although neither were on offer today.

So we had to be content with eating couscous, drinking mint tea, and watching a man selling eggs twirl two large live dragon lizards under his sun umbrella.

Meknes seems to be quite small but it still has a massive walled city with the usual dead end alleys and small boys playing football. There is a mausoleum too for Moulay Ismail, a 17th century sultan who made Meknes his capital. Unusually for non Muslims, we were not only allowed in but also didn't have to pay. However we were not allowed to approach his tomb but could still see it from an open door. Meknes was also the French military HQ from the old protectorate days.

We then took a wrong turn and ended up circumnavigating the city via the old wall before a kindly policeman showed us a short cut through a gate to save our feet which were suffering a bit by then.

Currently in McDonald's using their wifi. It's next to Pizzahut and O'Fast Food which were still not sure if its an Irish outfit or a place of prayer. Only thing missing off the menu is McCamel Burgers.