Day 15: Done in the Sun

Saturday, July 6

We went on a mandatory trip today! It seemed like it would be fun. And maybe it was at times, but sweet, sweet heavens. I have rarely felt such heat as this.

It's really not as much fun as she makes it seem.

Anyway, we went to the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. It was pretty neat, save for the nuclear-blast-like temperatures. I became very adept at finding all the shade, and I deftly darted from column to column the entire time, hiding from the sun. Thank you Romans for building such sturdy columns.

But it was pretty. And very, very historical, naturally. And probably educational. The tour guide gave the entire tour in Arabic. If I hadn't been so hot, I would've understood more, but I got enough.

Our tour guide.

Then, after 2 or so hours in the increasing heat, we stopped in the shade at the entrance to the ruins where there is a place that sells overly pricey cold beverages. I just paid the man.

Best Fanta I've ever had.

After a brief break, we got back in the oven bus and went to the mountain city of Moulay Idriss. Despite being mountainous, it was not cooler.

But it was neat. We climbed nearly every stair up in that place, of which we were none too pleased, but it was worth it when we got to the top. (I climbed a friggin' mountain to get these pictures. It better be worth it.)

Then we came back down and they let us have a free hour and half to wander about the city. What did we all do? We went straight to the nearest cafe and sat in the shade with cold beverages for an hour and half. Everything we could buy there in the city center, we can buy here in Meknes for cheaper. And anyway, it was fun to just watch people. Here's some of my favorite sneaky pictures I got from the day (after a bit of Photoshop color enhancements). Luckily my camera has super good zoom, otherwise I would have been a much more obvious creeper. 

I just love these three pictures.

After we got back to Meknes, my roommate and I went back to the apartment with no dallying about, and I immediately took a cold shower, and after I was finished, Noura had the AC running in the living room, so I laid down underneath the cool blast and promptly fell asleep.

After I got up, I spent the rest of the day looking at all my photos, editing them, and talking to Mom and Habiibii on Skype.