Rabat, Capital City and Site of Royalty

After a train ride yesterday from Tangier, we arrived at Rabat, where we would meet our Collette tour group. We have a group of 24 people and a trip leader who is originally from Berber family heritage.

A little about Morocco: it is a constitutional monarchy, the only monarchy of three remaining in Africa (2 others in former Swaziland). The people love their current king, Mohammed VI. He lives relatively simply—one wife (not multiple), two children, and he chooses to live in the residence he had as the prince, outside of the city, rather than in the royal palace in Rabat.

Our tour group visited the royal compound (outside only), where formal functions are held. The site is guarded by all the branches of the military, including the royal guards. This practice was instituted after a failed army coup of the reign of Mohammed VI’s father, Hassan II. (That’s what happened to the many other former monarchies in Africa.) Hassan figured if all branches were charged with protecting him, no one group would gain power.

We also were able to visit only the outside of the Chellah Necropolis, a walled town containing both pre-Roman ruins and a medieval necropolis. Within the last six months, archaeologists have confirmed new discoveries at the site with a footprint almost five times the size of Pompeii, and they were busy at work excavating inside.

Our last stop with the bus was to the tomb of Mohammed V, the grandfather of the current king. He is much revered, because he negotiated Morocco’s independence from France in 1955.

With our free afternoon, we had lunch at a Turkish restaurant, visited Rabat’s contemporary art museum and took an hour walk back to our hotel.

In the evening, we were treated to dinner at a restaurant serving traditional Moroccan fare (which we’ve been enjoying very much in our previous days). We were quite satisfied with the pastilla (flaky pastry chicken pie) and salads, but then came the main dishes! Two different tagines (marinated braised chicken and beef), and roasted chicken on a bed of shredded very light pita bread that was like noodles. Sorry we didn’t get more food photos! Of course there was entertainment, but only by men—drumming and singing.Read more