Vol 64 Day 16 Fes

I slept well again. So well I didn't even hear the morning call to prayer or the fast-commencing siren. I'm sorry, but I'm a bad faster. I had a banana and 2 cookies before we headed out to the Gendarmes office. We were planning to spend the day in the Old Medina at Fes and Hassan wanted to register Mark and I as guests so that if we were stopped by police he would not be accused of providing guide services without a license. Unlicensed guides are a problem in Fes.

On our way to the Gendarme office we passed Rabha (hiding behind her hand in the back) and some of their neighbors. The ladies are making buttons.

Mark, getting goofy with the kids.

Mohammed joined us and we took a taxi to Sefrou, then a very hot mini-bus to Fes. I needed to exchange some Omani Rials into Moroccan Dirhams as I was pretty much out of money. Having to buy a new camera in Casablanca had cleaned me out so I was happy I had brought emergency money. We stopped at a bank. They wouldn't exchange my rials. We stopped at another. Nope again. Another and another and another. The 6th bank finally did it for me. What a time consuming goose chase.

As we came out of one of the banks there was a big commotion. A crowd was gathering and screaming and I thought at first there was some kind of trouble or riot. But no, it was the King of Morocco! How cool is that? I've lived in Oman for almost a year and I've still never seen the Sultan but my first week in Morocco and I saw King Mohammed VI. And I got my camera out of my bag in record time.



As we were walking I read the back of Hassan's shirt for the first time. Too funny! I'm from Vancouver Island. My parents and my brother and his family still live on Vancouver Island. He'd worn that shirt the first 2 days as well and I had never noticed. Honestly, how did I miss that?

The Old Medina in Fes is amazing. We walked and walked and walked for hours, checking out the sights and the shops.

The most complete medieval city in the Arab world, Fes is incredible. It has a feeling of being both modern and ancient. Of the cities 800,000 inhabitants, roughly 1/4 of them live in the old Medina-city: Fes el Bali.


Too funny. I love this photo as much as I loved coming across these mannequins.

One of the souks in the medina.

Ok, I'm a bad person. Seriously. We passed a man who had no arms and no legs. He was "walking" on the tiny leg stubs he had. He was about three feet tall. And all I could think of was "It's just a flesh wound". Truly a horrible person. I'm smiling even now, as I remember him.

I couldn't think of a polite way to ask him for a photo.


One of the gates.

A Muslim graveyard.

Next time, I'd like to have lunch at this cafe and watch the world go by.

The architecture in the Medina is incredible.

Really incredible.

There are so many fountains.

I took a photo of this building but a police officer came over and made me delete the photo while he watched. Hassan sent me this photo. Turns out it was the royal palace and you are not allowed to photograph it.

This is a guest house of the kings palace. The 4 of us gathered at the door and looked around. There were workers scurrying around. I think they were getting it ready for a visit.

Ok, not everyone was scurrying......

The streets in the Medina are all too narrow for cars. The only way to move goods in and out is by donkey. And they seem to have the right of way.

I'd be minding my own business when a donkey would come by, loaded down with boxes and bags, stopping for no one.


Another near miss with a donkey. Those things can move!

I like this photo.

We headed to the tanneries Chouwara, the biggest tanneries in Fes.

They are visually striking.

Little has changed here since the 16th century, when Fes took over from Cordoba as the pre-eminent city of leather production. The ownership is intricately feudal: the foremen run a hereditary guild and the workers pass down their specific jobs from generation to generation.

The leather is washed in the white vats first.

Then dyed in the colored vats.


Yes, they really do get in there with the leather.

One thing these photos can't portray is the smell. We were high above it all, on a terrace, but we could very clearly smell the nastiness of it. Very clearly.

It was fascinating to watch as they manipulated and sloshed.

And nope, I didn't buy anything leather.

We visited a weaving workshop where I was able to purchase a gorgeous bedspread/sofa throw for myself and small kilim rug for Hassan as a surprise. Hassan and Mohammed are so sweet, they carried my bags for me the rest of the day, not knowing one of them was for Hassan.

Mohammed and another beautiful door. His sister and her husband had invited us for Iftar at their home.

As dusk approached we hurried back through the Medina to the street, where everyone else was hurrying, to try to flag a cab. Everyone had the same idea- get home before dusk so we can eat! It took a while but we managed it, though we had to take 2 cabs as there were 4 of us and the petits taxis only take 3 passengers.

We made it to Mohammed's sister's place just as the sirens were announcing the end to the days fast and were introduced to his very friendly family. From the left- Mohammed, his brother-in-law Driss, Hassan, me and Manar, Mohammed's sister, . Their sweet little daughter, Malak, which means angel, was camera shy.

We dined on Harira (the Moroccan Ramadam soup), hard boiled eggs, lots of different sweets, bread, dates and hot sweet milk. Yum!

We took a taxi back to Sefrou where I did something long overdue. I bought a pair of runners at the night market. No more twisted ankles! Yay!!!!!!

We taxied back to Hassan's house in Bhalil where Rabha had made a tomato salad, bread, French fries and hot milk for dinner.

After dinner Mark insisted on serving the tea, which was a great source of amusement for us all.

We were tired, tired, tired after walking in Fes all day.