Peace Corps sent me to Rabat Morocco for dental work. Rabat is the regional hub for West African PCVs who need medical care that can’t be provided in their country of service. I needed a root canal and crown replacement, and received excellent care. Except for the time I spent in the dental chair, this adventure was like a paid vacation, with PC covering my airfare, lodging, and food for the two weeks I was there. The only downside was that Ramadan – the Muslim Holy Month of Fasting – started the day after I arrived, which meant that most restaurants were closed all day until 7:30pm. I would not recommend visiting during Ramadan if you want to explore the cuisine during the day.

The flight out of The Gambia is a “red eye special” to Casablanca leaving at 2am, arriving at 7am – this is the third time I have done this flight and it doesn’t get any easier. A PC driver picked me up at the airport and chauffeured me for the one hour trip up the coast to Rabat. I met with the PC doctor and discussed my treatment plan, before I was taken to my hotel for the duration of my stay, which I thought was going to be about one week. Although I was exhausted from my travels, I wanted to see as much as possible while I was there. I spent a couple of hours at the Museum of Modern Art, then explored the streets around my hotel, before having a delicious meal at a Moroccan restaurant.

The Mohammed VI Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art opened in 2014. It is the first Moroccan public museum to meet International Museography Standards. The museum’s architecture links past to present with an Arab-Moorish inspiration. I was in Rabat for a total of fifteen days, which was about ten days longer than necessary to see the major sites in my opinion. I toured all of the museums I could find, including the Archaeological Museum, Postal Museum, and the Bank Museum. I also visited the Galerie Bab Rouah, which is housed in a thousand year old building attached to the old city wall, and although it is very small the works are nicely displayed under the arched and domed ceilings.

Rabat has a Mediterranean climate and all the gardens were spectacular while I was there in the middle of May. The weather was sunny with temperatures a pleasant 70s-80s, and I enjoyed visiting these gardens multiple times to relax, people watch or just read my books. It has a very walkable downtown area, with an excellent tram system to my dental appointments and the PC office. It is a very clean and safe city and I was comfortable exploring with the help of my maps.me app. It was so nice not to have children constantly calling me “touba” or coming up to me begging for money.

The Hassan Tower is the minaret of an incomplete mosque, commissioned in 1195, and was intended to be the largest minaret and mosque in the world. The tower was inspired by the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh, which also inspired the Giralda of Seville, Spain, and all three were designed during the same time period. When al-Mansur died in 1199, construction at the site stopped. The tower is about 140 feet, half of its intended height, and the rest of the mosque was also unfinished, with only the beginning of several walls, and 348 of the columns constructed. Additionally, the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 destroyed part of the tower and columns. The Hassan Tower, along with the remains of the mosque and the modern Mausoleum of Mohammed V is an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012.

The Chellah is a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis located on the south side of the Bou Regreg estuary.  The Phoenicians established a trading emporium circa 1000 BC, and the site became the Roman colony of Sala Colonia in the 2nd century. Excavations show a substantial port city with Roman architectural elements including a principal roadway, a forum and triumphal arch. The Muslim Arabs arrived in the 7th century, and by the 12th century the Sunni Muslims were in control of the area. In 2012 this site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was very interesting to see all of the different layers of civilization, and the site was well marked with signage. White Storks were everywhere tending their young in the nests.

The unitary sovereign state of Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, with an elected parliament. The  King of Morocco holds vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military,  foreign policy and religious affairs. There were peaceful protests both Sundays I was in Rabat, but I didn’t understand what the issues were. The King’s residential palace grounds were beautiful, surrounded by a red brick wall, and security was tight, because I had to show my passport to enter.

The Rabat Zoo was small but nicely laid out, and the maintenance crews were busy with lots of upgrades. I was there early on a week day and it was not crowded. I was able to help feed the goats and giraffes. The giraffe pictured was very friendly, and I was amazed at how thin they are.

I spent a lot of time walking around the Medina, where you could buy just about everything. Since it was Ramadan, the Medina was the one place you could get food all day long. There were lots of fruits, vegetables, bakery items, individual pizzas, and tapas to enjoy. I saw several men dressed in red robes with cups hanging from their neck, and I had to ask a local to find out they were tourist attractions of traditional water sellers. The Medina stall displays were gorgeous, but the alleyways were somewhat confusing at first, and you had to keep your wits about you to not be overwhelmed. By my third visit I felt like a local, and could actually find what I was looking for.

At the end of the Medina you enter the Kasbah of the Udayas, a more mixed use area with residences, mosques, cafes, and merchants. The whitewashed walls with blue trim reminded me of my time on the Greek Island of Santorini. There is beautiful tile work, pots overflowing with plants and bougainvillea covered walls. I was guided by a local the first time I went, and he showed me the women’s area of a small mosque. The residential streets are part of the larger complex that includes the the main mosque built in 12th century and the Andalusian Gardens.

The varied architecture and tile works in Rabat contribute to the beauty of this historical city. Look closely at the art nouveau building photo, the left side of the building is painted on the adjoining wall. The metal work facade of the research center is typical of the metal work everywhere. The modern office and apartment building was the only one I saw that didn’t seem to fit into the surroundings. Even the Catholic Cathedral was designed to fit this region, and all the incredible tile work everywhere was a feast for the eyes.

PCVs that are in Rabat for medical appointments seem to stay at the same hotel, and it was interesting to meet them and hear about experiences at other posts. Sarah and Bianca are English education volunteers in Morocco, Sarah is from Virgina and Bianca is from Washington DC. Brittany is an English and gender education volunteer from Togo, and is from Dallas Texas. Mayeen is from New Mexico and arrived in The Gambia with me. She is a health volunteer, and was also there for dental work. Sarah, Brittany, Bianca and I spent an evening together a delicious Syrian restaurant and shared PC stories. There is definitely a special status you acquire when you become a PCV.

Peace Corps medical staff in Morocco is outstanding, and I felt I received services exceeding what would have been provided at home. It did take longer than I expected, but that was because my dentist was a perfectionist and insisted on giving me the best care possible. The tooth needing treatment was the last molar on the lower right, and no one except a dentist would ever see it, but she was very concerned that the color of the crown matched my other teeth. I am very grateful to have received a FREE root canal and new crown. I was never in any pain, and working with Dr. Loubna Brick was a very enjoyable experience.

Thank you Peace Corps.