It was a gorgeous day for a visit to this capital city. Rabat was a surprise. We got off the expressway and took a more scenic route into the city. The six-lane coastal road was lined with tall palms and beautiful Atlantic vistas.

This appears to be a very affluent area and many of those who work here, live across the river in Sale. On one of our stops, we walked out on a long pier, and watched the surfers and crashing waves.

Once we met our local guide, Youssef, we headed for the Oudaia Kasbah and it’s bright white Medina. Originally the walls were blue (like the famous blue city of Chefchaouen), but the government wants each city to have a unique identity – so white it is in Rabat.

The 1196 Hassan Tower and columns from the incomplete Hassan Mosque are an impressive site. On the opposite side is the massive Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a former King. Matching pairs of horses guard the gates. Arabians on one side and white Berber horses the other.

Our final visit was to Chellah Necropolis, site of Roman ruins and a medieval Muslim burial ground.

The site was dominated by Storks, and you could spot them guarding their huge nests on top of most ruins.