Rabat

We took our first train in Morocco to travel from Fes to Rabat. We booked first class, but this isn’t the TGV (that runs Tangier to Casablanca) it is a much older style of train. On this train instead of an open car it has compartments shared by either 6 passengers (first class, reserved seat) or 8 (2nd class, first come first serve). The price difference was negligible, around 100 Dirham or $10 USD. The train runs once an hour and looked to be mostly full. The ride was fine, but poor Brian did not fit well in the seats (Made for people under 5'9").

 

Rabat after Fes is a breath of fresh air. Literally. Morocco definitely has air pollution issues. But Rabat is on the coast and the breeze from the Atlantic was refreshing. The weather also warmed up and strolling around the boulevards and beaches with temps in the 60s is nice.

 

Rabat is a very different kind of place. It has the same souks and medinas and squares. But the walkways are wider, it is cleaner, and the mood is calmer. It’s the Administrative capital (only since 1912) and houses all the embassies. Which has the downstream effect of more internationalism, more schools, more development, etc. 

 

We opted to only spend 2 days in Rabat, mostly to break up the very long train journey to Marrakech, but it’s a good spot. Glad we did.

 

Sunny Morning View

 

Lighthouse and Salt Pans

Medina Byway

Passenger Ferries Across the River

Enormous Cemetery by the Sea

In the Oudiais Gardens

 ~Lucy