Independence-ing in Moulay Idriss and Volubilis

Wednesday, November 18, was Independence Day, established in acknowledgment of the liberation of Morocco from the French and Spanish protectorates in 1956. We had the day off from school, but the truth is that most Moroccans let the holiday pass without much more than a tip of the hat in its direction. As my friend Mustapha put it, independence was a big deal when it first happened, but over the years, celebrations have become more and more subdued, dying away to essentially nothing in recent years. That being said, a day off from school is a day off from school, so Rod and I decided to use it as an opportunity to visit the small town of Moulay Idriss and the Roman ruins of Volubilis, both accessible from Meknes, a city forty minutes east of Fes.