ruins of an empire outpost

we could see some columns in the distance from the parking lot.  there was a new visitor's center with nice bathrooms which was apparently just opened recently - you could still see the guard shack standing at the old entrance which was where I had entered fourteen years earlier... OK so some changes are good ones- LOL...

the place is very peaceful and quiet- there were other visitors but our local guide took us along a route from the top to the lower regions - from the wealthiest area to the working area of town where olive oil was pressed and grain milled....

I remembered Voluibilis quite well because in all the places I had been to visit Roman ruins all around the Mediterranean this had the best in-situ mosaic floors.  The floors were more spectacular in Sicily at the Piazza Amerina but they were covered by "steel houses and roofs" and there were more spectacular mosaics in Tunisia but they had all been removed to a museum- so this is a special place (and of course a UNESCO World Heritage site)

so on to the photos-

just for comparison's sake here is a photo of the Piazza Amerina site that shows why I loved Volubilis setting for mosaics so much more-

back to our visit in Volubilis-

the cat ignored the ropes blocking off the floor- LOL- so very cat like!

and although the skies were threatening - we never opened the umbrellas! So next it is on to Meknes and the stable for 12,000 horses! (it's good to be king-or in this case sultan or moulay- LOL)

the road to volubilis

we left Fes fairly early on the morning of our trip to Volubilis.  it was overcast and rain was predicted.... we did not take the highway but instead took the scenic route through the hills and countryside.  Crops were just starting to green- and the land was very fertile.  along the way we stopped at a roadside stand where GA bought some figs to snack on.  they came in handy as we already know Aziz has a habit of forgetting both bathroom stops and lunch stops until reminded that we need to eat...

here are some photos of the stop along the way and the scenery-

next up the actual Roman ruins- and we didn't even need to use umbrellas!