Nov 13

We docked at Casablanca in the Kingdom of Morocco and, since we visited the city before, we took a day tour to Rabat, the country's capitol.  We had a 1 1/2 hour drive from Casablanca and arrived at the Royal Palace.  We toured the grounds and viewed the entrance of the royal residence but couldn't enter any buildings.  Next we went to Kasbah Chellah which dates from Roman times, is unoccupied and in disrepair.  It had many uses during the centuries and was a madrassa school at the end.  A multitude of storks had built nests atop the ruins.  Next we drove to Hassan Tower which had originally built to allow the king's army of 20,000 soldiers to pray at the same time.  A newer structure on the grounds is the Mohamed V Mausoleum which holds 3 marble coffins and is elaborately decorated in Arabic motif.  Rabat is clean and orderly compared to Casablanca.