The photo above was of a friendly boy near the Mecknes medina - when he saw my camera, unbeknownst to me, he began waving frantically. It wasn't until after I'd snapped the photos I wanted that I saw him - outside of the viewfinder. His smile dropped immediately - so I picked the camera back up and asked if I could take his photo. The image above is the result.
Once in Mecknes, I found myself with new friends from the train - Mohammed and Tony. Mohammed lives in New York but comes to Fes once a year to visit family. In this case, he was visiting in timing with his sister's wedding. The wedding occurred the week before, but the reception was the coming weekend. After discussion on the train to Mecknes, I was again faced with what I call Typical Moroccan Agressive Hospitality. That has a negative connotation, but it's not meant to - it's just the best description I can think of for what I've experienced in each of my visits to Morocco.
In each case, I've been fortunate to meet some incredibly hospitable and kind people. Moroccans are very proud of their country, and if you get off the beaten path a bit, often those that you encounter will quiz you on their country. Typically, the commentary begins like this (from the Moroccan):
- Did you know that Morocco was the first country to recognize America's independence after the war? Or that it was the site of the first embassy for the new country?
- Where have you visited?
- What did you like about it? What didn't you like about it?
- Have people been nice to you? Have you enjoyed your visit?
- Where will you go next? I have a (insert relative here) in ____ and here's his/her number. If you call them when you arrive they will show you the best things to see in ____.
- Please come meet my family / have a meal at my house / see my farm.
- I have a relative in (your home country/state).
- I hope you enjoy my country.
At any rate, having now met and conversed with Mohammed, I was invited to his sister's wedding reception. Now if it were my wedding reception, I might take exception to my brother bringing along some foreigner without possibly appropriate attire (or a gift) to my reception. Such is not the case in Morocco, it seems. Tony and Mohammed have known eachother for 5 years, and Tony was traveling with Mohammed to Fes for the wedding. Tony is Spanish, but his mother was Moroccan and his father Spanish - and Jewish. His funny way of letting people know his heritage was to greet them with "Shalom aleikum" - instead of the typical muslim greeting, "salaam aleikam".
We had a few days before the wedding, and were headed to the same hotel in Mecknes, so made an afternoon and night of it before taxi-ing to Volubilis the next day to explore the ruins.
I also had an appointment to keep in Marrakech - my friend Alan, with whom I worked on the Norway project (albeit in Singapore), was flying in for a quick 4 day visit. When I mentioned this to Tony and Mohammed, the immediate response was, "let's go pick him up and bring him to the reception, too!". I figured, why not. I had to get to Marrakech anyway, and having company along the way would be better than not. The price was not much different than taking the train again, but the scenery would be different, and the option to stop for photo opps and breaks was a given. But first, we had a night in Mecknes and explored the roman ruins of Volubilis.
The Mecknes medina wall and plaza at night.
The ruins at Volubilis.
Remains of an old olive press. 
View of either the capital, the bascilica, or the forum. Each is reputed to have been built on the high point, where this set of ruins were, but aside from maybe four small brief signs posted in the area, there was no other information. Shame on Unesco....
Inscription over the Triumphal Arch.
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