The King’s City and the many Moroccos

Shortly after returning home from Morocco last week, I chatted with a fellow professor who had visited me in North Africa. During our conversation he gushed about the city of Rabat and expressed shock that so many tourists ignore the Moroccan capital in favor of the touristy Marrakesh, historic Fez, or Bohemian Chefchaouen. After spending five weeks living in Rabat’s historic medina, I agreed with much of what he said. The city’s streets are clean and often lined with neatly pruned trees. Throughout the city one can find museums, malls, parks, and gardens not to mention beaches, fortresses, and Roman ruins. In some respects Rabat has a little something for everyone. Murals graced buildings throughout Rabat reflecting an artistic flare found in parts of the city. After a couple days in Rabat, I began telling friends and family that Rabat was the cleanest Arab city I had ever visited with the possible exception of Dubai (in many respects, Rabat felt much more authentically Arab than Dubai).