0419 A day in Fez

10^th Feb 2016

Wandering through one of the largest souks in the world

Having decided last night to go on an organized tour of Fez, we were up and organized and at the campsite office by 9.30, ready to head out.  There were 6 other people from the campsite on the tour with us – a Dutch couple, a German couple, and a Swiss couple – So the tour van was full, along with our guide Wafi and the driver.  And off we went to the hustle and bustle of Fez. Fes is much larger than most of the towns we had been in recently, and is the oldest of the four imperial cities in Morocco, founded in 789.  The entire city has been declared a World Heritage site.

Fez is really 3 cities in one -  Fez el Bali (Old Fez) was founded by Moulay Idriss II at the end of the 8^th Century. At the end of the 13^th Century the Merenid Sultans added many jewels of Hispano-Moorish architecture to the Old City and built Fez el Jdid (New Fez) outside the walls.  Then during the 20^th Century the French built a modern city, the Ville Nouvells, about 2 kms to the west.

 The two key buildings/institutions in Fez are the Kairaouine Mosque that was built in 859 by refugees from Tunisia, and the Kairaouine University founded near the same time and claiming to be one of the oldest Universities in the world. And both of these are located in the Medina, or Old City.  But first we drove down the majestic tree lined Avenue Hassan II, the main axis, and trying very hard to emulate the Champs Elysée.  We then arrived at the Royal Palace, or Dar el-Makhzen, that was built in the 13^th Century.  It has been totally renovated but is not open to the public – One can only admire the 7 doors (one for each day of the week) and their intricate brasswork.  Looking away from the palace one looks SW down the long wide avenue towards Ave Hassan II. 

Down the side of the Palace is the Mellah, or Jewish quarter. Since the 14^th Century Fez has been a refuge for Jews, who in return always supported the Sultan.  Very few Jews live here now, but the houses, with big balconies looking out onto the street, are in marked contrast to the Muslim styles.  The spices and other potions offered in store fronts along the road always delight, and fill the air with their rich aromas. Wandering on down here with the immense Palace walls on our left (with storks up on the parapets !), we went towards the Medina before our car suddenly re-appeared and we jumped in to go somewhere else first !

Somewhere else proved to be an old castle up on a hillside to the south of the Medina, overlooking Fez, and providing spectacular views. The first thing you see are the acres and acres of graves – This old cemetery is centuries old and is the reason that Fez has never grown to the SE – The graves can never be disturbed.  The views from up here enabled one to clearly see the Kairaouine Mosque with its enormous green tiled roof and tall minaret, and also the original University building with its pyramid shaped green tiled roof.  Looking across the Medina towards the northern hills, we could see the ruined towers around the Merenid Tombs, and below them, dots of red on the ground, which were the leather animal skins laid out during the beginning (and messier phase) of their tanning process.  

We then drove down from the Borj Sud and went down to a pottery at the edge of the Medina. The potter on the wheel was operating his wheel by foot, and stunned us when in about 2 minutes he not only made the base of a small tajine, but , without any measurements, then made a lid for it that fitted perfectly as soon as he cut it off the wheel !  We then saw the process for making and decorating their pottery, as well as the painstaking process of chipping tiles into tiny pieces of specific shapes and colours so they could be used to make up the mosaic tables and fountains – Or even whole buildings such as the Royal Palace or the many Babs, or Gates around the city.  Directly outside there were many leather skins laid in the dirt, drying and curing.  The leather from Morocco is so prized and such good quality that the top grade of hide (a goatskin used for bookbinding) is known worldwide simply as “Morocco”. 

We were then driven a short distance to a tannery, normally a smelly and rather nasty place, (due to the chief ingredients in the process – Pigeon poo and cow urine ) so bad that visitors are handed a sprig of mint to waft under one’s nose to lessen the impact !  We climbed up about 4 flights of stairs and came out on their roof top – Overlooking all the many dye vats used for colouring the hides. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) this tannery is currently completely renovating its vats, so they are all empty and spotless – And odourless !!   But it is all part of the modernization and improvement of the industry to try to improve the working conditions of the people who spend their lives up to their waists in these vats.  Coming back down from the roof top we visited showrooms on each floor – top floor leather jackets, 1000’s of them; next floor down shoes (mostly Moroccan babouches, the pointed slippers everyone wears) and poufs, and ground floor handbags and carry bags !  Their inventory is enormous – Whether they have the turnover to match, I don’t know.  But certainly some beautiful soft leatherwear to suit most tastes – Even snakeskin type of jackets for people like Elvis !

From the tannery we walked into and around the narrow alleyways of the Medina, following our guide Wafi carefully because if one got left behind or lost in here, I am not sure how one would ever get out !  It is enormous, and just twists and turns in every direction.  It was getting towards lunch time, so Wafi took us to a little upstairs place where we had a very pleasant meal of tajines and pastilla (a kind of pie), and various soups and dips.  Very tasty, as is most of the food here in Moroccco.

When we returned back down into the narrow alleyways of the Medina, we were quickly reminded of the hazards of this place when there were shouts of “balak”, or “look out”, and suddenly 3 donkeys came hurrying through with vast loads of leather hides on their backs that filled the alleyway – Pedestrians leap into doorways or shops to try to keep from being trampled or squashed against the walls !  You have to be alert down here as not only donkeys, but horses and motorbikes are frequently coming past !

We then went through the narrowest and smallest street in the Medina – I had to crouch and one is almost having to turn sideways to get through the narrowest parts, but meanwhile children are rushing past, and men in their jelaba’s (hooded gowns) are hurrying through !  It is just a regular thoroughfare, after all !

It was then on through the maze of alleyways – Chickens live in cages, being killed for each buyer in the shop – Not the most pleasant shop for me !  Spice alleys, fruit and veggies (we bought some beautiful broad beans for about 20 cents), and then the “silk” and garment area.  The ladies gowns etc are mostly for weddings, but they are woven from a material that looks like silk, but is actually made from fibres from the cactus – One that looks like an agave but is bigger.  Past leather bag shops, berber carpet shops, woodworking shops (including coffins !), and on to a small square and one of the many mosque entrances.

The enormous Kairaouine mosque has almost been swallowed up by the Medina, being built all around.  As a result one unexpectedly comes across entrances to the mosque all over the place as one wanders somewhat blindly around the alleyways.  On this occasion we came across a very ornate doorway, and were allowed to peak into the outer halls, while through a small gap in the roofs above us we could see a small part of the green tiled minaret so we could work out roughly where we were ! 

From there it was on down to a carpet shop !  Moroccan carpets in general, and Berber carpets in particular, are quite sought after, although after the fine Iranian carpets we were used to in Dubai, they seemed more like rougher tribal carpets to me – Still very nice, I like tribal carpets, but not so finely made (ie less knots per sq inch).  This building was once the hoe of a wealthy local, and is 3 stores high with a roof top. The central roof would once have been open to let breezes in, as well as the rain, so the floor is tiled, has a drain in the middle of the floor and a raised section around the outside to prevent any excess water entering the rest of the house. The roof is now closed, but the narrow staircase takes you up the various floors to the roof – where we had an amazing view out over the rooftops of the medina of Fez – Mostly satellite dishes ! And in a room there were women weaving carpets.  Women whose husbands have died or left them have a hard time surviving, and this carpet co-operative gives work to such women, ensuring they can make a living and carry on with their lives.  Janet and the other ladies on the tour had a go at weaving, but I think were more hindrance than help !!  Amazing to see them at work on this laborious task.

Then we were taken back down to the ground floor where, after the customary mint tea, the carpets were unrolled in front of us, to tempt us to part with our money.  Since we were all camping, they weren’t ever going to have much success, but for some reason I was singled out as “the man most likely to buy”, and I was taken up to the top floor to see an array of their “finest carpets” !  All very nice, but somehow I managed to escape (I do like carpets, so it is hard !), joined the others, and finally we all escaped back into the Medina. 

More donkeys in the alleyways, more views into Mosques, and finally into a perfume shop where those interesting argan nuts that have been “processed” by goats were being individually cracked by girls using stones, and then the kernels crushed to obtain the oils.  In this instance, everyone was given a hand massage of argan oil, (very nice), and after a polite “Merci, mais non” we all trouped out again !!  Poor traders were having a bad day with us !

Just down the road we found a bakery, and on sticking our heads in found the baker down in a pit in front of the oven, using a long spatula on a stick to put bread in or take it out.  A hot and dirty job (with the charcoal or whatever they use), and in the summer must be a nightmare. During our wanderings in the Medina we had several times been almost run over by women carrying trays covered with towels – It turns out it is their bread.  By law no one can have their own bread ovens in the Medina due to the danger of fire, so the women in each family continue to make their bread each day, as is the custom, and then they pop down with their uncooked loaves and hand them over to the baker who bakes them in a central (and safe) location, and they then take the cooked bread home !  Very simple and logical, and keeps everyone happy !

Our final stop was a “silk” shop, where they weave the cloth made from the silk like fibres of the cactus plant. With all their colourful wares hung on the walls, the building was another of the older houses with an open roof and tiled floor, although now the roof is closed over.  We watched the guys on the old wooden manual loom for a while, and then, instead of mint tea, they dressed us all up in Berber scarves !  Good for a giggle, but in this case a couple of the girls fell for some of the material, especially when the owner demonstrated how small he could fold the material !  Janet was one of those who succumbed, and we ended up walking out with a small bundle under our arms !

Now we were finally done – It was after 6 pm and we came out of the Medina to find our transport waiting for us to take us home through the traffic.  Interestingly, they have mobile phone towers around town here, and, like other places around the world, have tried to disguise them s palm trees.  But in this case the fake “palm trees” even have fake “bunches of dates” hanging down !  Never seen that before !

We finally got back to the camp site and after thanking our guide (and of course paying him !), we walked down to our vans.  On the way we passed some caterpillars all in a circle, nose to tail.  Remember those cobwebs hanging in fir trees that I had posted photos of both in Spain and also a couple of places down here ?  Well, we were told by our friend Jill in Spain that these were “Processional Caterpillars” that form long lines nose to tail, but we had never seen them.  Well here they were – Jill was right !  Only trouble for these ones was that they had formed a circle rather than a line, and as a result were not going anywhere – Except round and round in a circle !  I wonder how long it takes the leader to realize he has been there before !   Anyway, we left them on the ground (apparently they can be quite irritating if you touch them), and headed back to the vans for a quick beer and chat, and then to turn in.  We were exhausted – It had been a long day of walking and exploring. 

Pics are here :-  https://picasaweb.google.com/110185357936043625130/0419ADayExploringFez?authkey=Gv1sRgCO_LwI-VgZLYlwE