Chefchaouen – the Blue City- and we decided to explore on our own. Achfan would be conducting a walking tour through the Medina and having walked to the restaurant the night before we decide to take a taxi to the main square and explore on our own. At the gate to the Medina we met Mustafa- a man the guide books warn you about. Anyhow we agreed to let him show us through the heart of the Medina until we realised he had his own agenda. He was very patient…to a point. Every now and again he had to restock..on cigarettes. Eventually we were taken to the main square, where we wanted to go in the first place, had a minor moment over payment and then noticed Charlie and Lyn indicating the space opposite them where we decided to join them for lunch. It was working out well. While the others took in the sunset then met up at a restaurant, John and I had pizza delivered and it wasn’t too bad at all.

The following day the bus arrived early and we headed through rolling hills, olive groves and a smattering of towns and villages, towards the once Berber/Roman city of Volubilis. Scattered through the mountains we saw quite a lot of people walking, on the road or through paddocks herding sheep or goats, donkeys pulling small carts loaded with farm produce or equipment or ladened with all manner of stuff. The need to do something about plastic was never more so obvious with the amount of rubbish eye-watering. Most of the housing was unfinished or poorly maintained. Utilities we take for granted seemed to be very limited and it seemed a much slower pace of life, particularly in rural areas.

Volubilis was incredible. We had a local guide who took us along the Decumanus Maximus, the main street ten horses wide, and pointed out the fantastic mosaics some of which remain fully intact. Built about the third century BC and expanded under Roman rule from the 1st century AD it was the hub of olive growing and production for a couple of hundred years.

We arrived in Fes and Achfan had organised a meal at a Riad in the old Medina. It was stunning place which had been occupied by the same family for more than a hundred and fifty years. It was a feast- hot salads followed by a Pastilla, a Moroccan speciality which includes chicken, phyllo sheets, almonds, onions, eggs, saffron, cinnamon and sugar. The mean included a desert and fruit. We entertained ourselves dressing-up in traditional costumes. It was a lovely evening.

Although the Fes Medina is a tourist highlight, and one of the largest pedestrian zones, with 9000 laneways, packed with craft and artisan shops, it is also very hilly. John and I decided to visit the Museum of Islamic Arts – Dar Batha. The fact that we were early and it was Friday, a special day in Muslim culture and a day for heightened worship and community, the museum was almost empty save for the security guard in each and every room. There were serious treasures there and it was wonderfully curated so we learned a great deal. Just to add to our delight in the central area was a beautiful garden. It wasn’t too far from the Medina and we both really wanted a hair cut. We found an excellent hairdresser and both had our hair done. We enjoyed excellent coffee – double espresso with hot milk.. And we happily whiled away an hour or so watching the passing traffic. Interestingly enough the first ever University – al-Qarawiyyin was founded in 859 in Fes by Fatima al-Fihri.