Rabat

Up and out by 9.30. Planned to walk to station but a taxi came along which we jumped in. Cost us a pound and saved us a 3 km walk.

A bit cooler and misty this morning but as we waited at Meknes station, the mist started to burn off and it got noticeably warmer. It's Sunday today but a normal working day here.

Train to Rabat cost 6 quid and again is fast clean and modern but passengers getting on insist on trying to shove past passengers getting off. They crowd around the foot of the steps and block the way with bags so that nobody can move in either direction and there's brief impasse followed by much jostling. Nobody gets cross but it's a bizarre and ridiculously pointless ritual.

The train took two hours and once in in Rabat we found a hotel easily, a short walk from the main station. It's costing us about 22 quid, a decent twin room with a shower and a loo, in a quiet side street in the middle of the city, a bit of a bargain really when you consider Rabat is Morocco's capital. Couldn't imagine that happening in London.

After a spot of lunch, watched by the obligatory cat, we walked up to Le Tour Hassan, the remnants of a mosque complex that had it been finished, would have been the second largest of its time. Commissioned by Sultan Yacoub Al Mandour, the minaret tower was scheduled to be 60 m tall but never got above 44 although the mosque was built. However, it fell down after an earthquake in 1755 - the same one that destroyed Lisbon but most of the pillars are still standing to various heights which gives an indication of just how huge if was.

Next to the mosque complex is the mausoleum of Mohammed 5th, where the present King's (Mohammed 6th) father (Hassan 2nd) and grandfather are buried. Ceremonial guards in red dress and white cloaks surround the tomb, and more on horseback are outside. It's s huge white marble affair which almost blinds you in the sunshine.

On the way back down the hill towards the river, you overlook Oued Bou Regreg which despite sounding like a nonsense poem is actually the river that Rabat straddles. It's being landscaped and canalised, presumably to stop flooding and enable new roads to be built. There is already a modern bridge across to Sale, the town just across the river.

The riverfront is pretty cool with small fishing boats and heaps of nets drying.It is overlooked by the medina which is actually quite organised and ordinary, at least in comparison with what we've seen in Fes and Meknes.

There were still stalls and little shops and food being sold, plus a woman with a teenage boy with

something very badly wrong with his leg. They were begging but the poor lad was clearly used to being on display and was just sitting there eating.

There is a big fort overlooking the estuary so we walked up there and down to the beach then back again to some gardens where we had a mint tea and macaroons before walking back. Its the oldest part of the city built by Christian refugees from Spain.

It's surprising just how any kms you can wander without realising and how tired you get in the process. Good job it's another train ride to Casablanca tomorrow then and hopefully not too much walking.