I live in a neighborhood called Ocean. It's not the chicest neighborhood, but I don't think I'd like anywhere better. It's perfect for me. Everything I could need or want is within walking distance. For example: This is the shop that shares the entrance into my apartment building. George Clooney apparently frequents this salon whenever he visits Rabat. A three-minute walk to the east past a laundry, several bakeries, an auto-repair shop, an optometrist specializing in progressive lenses, a party store, a billiards and games place, and several restaurants gets me to this corner: nice clothing shop next door to a Carrefour (good grocery) and right at a tram stop. The tram, and a very nice little schwarma restaurant. Three more minutes and I am passing this gate to the Medina, although I usually walk on the other side of the street if I am not heading in. (This is Bab El Had, also pictured on the homepage of my blogsite.) After a couple of blocks, I turn and walk down this main street (Mohammed V Ave) though the Nouvelle Ville (new French-built city from the Protectorate days) and in 10 more minutes, I arrive at the Gare de Ville, the main train station. I have passed clothes and shoe stores, jewelers, books stores, a movie theatre, the Parliament building, (where they were filming a movie last night), and many restaurants. Usually I walk here in the mornings and pick up the tram to the university here at the train station. It's good exercise, and endlessly interesting. The Avenue continues beyond toward the Grand Mosque. By the way, it's not that everyone in Rabat loves little blue cars. These are the "petit taxis" that take you all over town for pretty cheap. If I wanted to taxi this walk instead, it would cost me 50 cents. Back to my apartment. That's mine, in the first floor corner apartment, with the plant in my living room window, and a small balcony off the guest bedroom. And there's George again. I could have chosen a picture showing the Salon de Thé (coffee and tea shop) right there on the corner, but why, when I can show you George again? Now, we're going to go 3 minutes to the west, passing an ATM and in the direction of several good quality patisseries: This souk, or market, has just fruits, nuts, eggs, and veggies, and stretches for three blocks. When you get to the white church at the end of this street, the Eglise de Mer, you turn right... and you walk 3 more minutes (maybe more, due to traffic, because you have to cross a street), and you can sit yourself down to enjoy this: which I really, really do enjoy. Even in the winter.
1 Comment
Gladys Murray
2/27/2017 01:27:21 pm
Wish we could come and visit. Looks fun, interesting, charming, etc.
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Marcie StutzmanTeacher, Researcher, Adventurer, Explorer; Maybe crazy; Possibly too old for this Archives
October 2018
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