Faffing About Fes

Thursday, November, 28, 2019 (Thanksgiving Day):

Faffing About Fes

Woke up this morning to the realization that today is Thanksgiving Day. Sadly, we do not have WiFi connectivity in our room, so we have to go downstairs to the main courtyard of the Riad. Llew and I awoke at 8.00 am after a really good and very long sleep—we needed that after the very early wake-ups we have been having for the past couple of mornings. 

 After washing and getting dressed, we went downstairs for Breakfast.  It was laid out buffet style and it was a Carb Overload today with me eating a thick Moroccan corn pancake, a regular thick Moroccan pancake, a croissant with apricot jam and another croissant with cheese spread—all washed down with coffee and apricot yogurt. Then it was time for us to leave on our tour of the city of Fes.

A Tour of Fes:

Fes is fascinating. We had another local tour guide named Feta (like the Greek cheese) who was going to be leading us to some of the main sights. Here is what we saw today:

A Look at the Jewish Mellah:

As we are right in the heart of the Medina, our Riad actually borders the Mellah (which we now know is the former Jewish stronghold of any city). Fes once had 350,000 Jews—they were, apparently, a full 10% of the population of the city and they lived in complete harmony with the local Muslims dominating the gold and jewelry business (as they seem to have done—and are doing—in various parts of the world). We noticed that the area was really calm and quiet that early in the morning and it was a joy to walk out of the Medina walls past its tall triangular crenelations on which huge storks (a real sight to see) had built their nests! After 1948 (and the formation of Israel), the Jews had a mass exodus out of Morocco and into Israel, leaving their homesteads to local Muslims who have occupied them. Feta led us to the doorways of the former Jews where the carved slot in each door (the spot where the mezuza used to be placed) saying Shalom or Peace is clearly evident. 

The mellah is a true maze of incredibly narrow alleyways—wither kind Feta told us were some of the narrowest in the country. They are in rather a decrepit state and are not being maintained at all—but it was nice to walk through them and get a sense of what they are actually like. When one looks at them from a height (as we would do soon), they look highly romanticized. At close quarters, they are quite fearfully decrepit and are held up by props between the buildings to prevent possible collapse. Incidentally, the mellah dates from the 18th century. There were once schools and synagogues here, but today they are merely museums. It is thought to be the first Jewish quarter to have been established in Morocco and the word ‘mellah’ comes from ‘saline land’ in Arabic as this is the quarter on which the settlement developed.

We came out of the maze and into the main square where we saw balconies facing outwards (as we saw in Marrakech) unlike the homes of Muslims whose balconies face inwards towards a communal courtyard or square.

Viewing Dar el-Makhzen or the Royal Palace:

We then piled into our van which took us a short distance out of the Medina or the old quarter of Fes into the more contemporary quarter called Fes el-Jedid  or New Fes or White Fes which was built in 1276 by the Merinid princes. In this area, the most striking building in the royal palace (not open to the public and kept strictly private for the use only of the current royal family of Morocco who are usually based in Rabat). This complex is surrounded by very high walls and but for the watch posts manned by security personnel, we could see nothing. 

The main entrance to the palace on the huge Place des Alaouites which is beautifully landscaped and laid out is particularly striking for the decoration of the doorway. Made in Moorish style this is permanently closed but is richly ornamented. The bronze doors are fitted with exquisite bronze knockers. There were also zeliij tiles and mosaic work decorating the walls—all of which gives a particularly opulent look to the doorway. We posed here briefly for pictures before going on our way.

A Panoramic View of Fes:

The next stop in our van was up one of the tall mountains of Fes which are part of the Rif Mountains of North Africa that stretch all the way to Tangier (where we had seen them when crossing from Spain, several years ago). Along the way, we passed by the high sandstone colored walls of the Kasbah Cherarda which were built in the 7th century by Moulay Raschid. We wound around and around the mountain until we arrived at the vantage point from where we had stirring views of the city of Fes which is really one huge Medina that is uniformly sand colored. This reminded me very much of the panoramic view we’d had of the city of Jerusalem on our trip to Israel—except there the golden dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque made you feel oriented to the old city. Here, it was nothing but a succession of flat-roofed houses, low in structure, punctuated occasionally by the tall spire of a mosque’s minaret. In the distance, we could see the arch-like Merinid Tombs that overlook the Medina on a hill right opposite us. We took some pictures from this point and left.

A Visit to the Mosaics and Pottery Factory in Fes:

As in any city tour, there is always the mandatory visit to the local artisans’ factory and this one took us to the mosaics and pottery factory. From long international travels, Llew and I have come to realize that these are major tourist traps and that the same items can be purchased in the souks at a fraction of the price quoted in these spots. However, they are great places to go to see artisans at work and to discover how certain crafts have been practiced through the centuries. 

Here, we had a chance to see a pottter at work at a potter’s wheel actually turning out a tajine using the grey clay that is native to the region of Fes. From here we moved on to the kiln where we saw how these pottery items are fired using the remnants of the olive processing residue and an oven—very interesting. Next, we moved to a factory floor where we saw craftsmen cutting up ceramic tiles into small pieces to create mosaic items and painting small items using paints that will be fired and glazed to create hard-wearing ceramic items. All of this was very enlightening indeed. 

And finally, no visit is complete without a look at the gallery where we saw huge items that can be shipped anywhere in the world including dining tables and chairs, not to mention whole sets of ceramic crockery. Everything was horribly overpriced and but for the fact that we were each presented with a small token of our visit—a ceramic magnet that actually said Fes on it (which means that we did not need to go looking for a magnet of Fes) we left the factory empty-handed.  

Exploring the Souks of Fes:

Every city in Morocco has its souks, of course, but I found the ones in Fes to be particularly enthralling. They are a labyrinthine maze of narrow streets lined on both sides by shops run by vendors who have plied their trade for centuries. Each part of this endless bazaar houses a different type of commodity and it was through the food souk that we first passed. This could easily have become a tasting tour as there were fruits (I bought some ripe persimmons), hibiscus fruit (which I have yet to taste), olives galore, tons of dates, mounds of spices in vivid colors, fishmongers with loads of sardines, butchers shops (we even saw a shop selling freshly butchered camel—if you can believe it!) and such items—not to mention the sweets covered with bees as they are literally dipped in honey and attract the little insects. 

Next we walked through the leather souk where we saw bags and belts. Next, it was the metal souk—we saw copper items so large that they are used for making wedding dinners.There was also the slipper souk and the henna souk, but the most attractive was the kissaria  which is the area where the traditional wedding caftans are sold. The work on these garments is astounding and very similar in taste and style to the zardosi work that is found on wedding sarees in India. These are made in velvet or in chiffon and I found them stunning. 

A Visit to a Carpet Factory and Showroom:

As Rakhee wanted to use the rest room, Feta then led us to a Riad where he said we could use the facilities and also take a look at the wares within. It turned out to be another one of the ornate riads for which this city is famed. Carpets flowed down the two-stories from the balconies and matched the opulent tile and stucco decoration that was everywhere the eye could see. We had a very nice guide, dressed in a traditional djellaba, who spoke beautiful English and led us up to the rooftop from which we had nice views of the medina and also allowed us to take in the sight of a female worker hand knotting woolen carpets. We also had really lovely views of the central courtyard of the Riad from upstairs. Had we not felt the need to use the restroom, we would have been deprived of the sight of these incredibly beautiful homes that are now converted into upscale carpet showrooms that cater to the export market.

Visiting the El-Attarine Medrassa:

Right past these souks, through which we walked but did not buy anything, we arrived at the entrance to the El-Attarine Medressa which is considered one of the sheer wonders of Moorish architecture in Fes. It was built between 1323 and 1325 by the Merinid sultan Abu Said Othman and has all the elements of a medieval Muslim school. The interior decoration is simply wondrous—from the pure cedar wood ceiling in the main prayer area of the school which is characterized by the mihrab that points towards Mecca—to the little dorm rooms on the higher floors where the students actually lived which studying Koranic texts. In the center, there is the marble ablutions fountain surrounded on all four sides by such closely detailed zeliij tile work as to be totally breathtaking. Just above is, in Koranic calligraphy, stucco work fascinated and then above it, there are lace-like designs. Photographs cannot do justice to the close details of this style of decoration that imitates the macarabe style that we had seen in Andalusia at the Al-Hambra Palace in Granada in Spain. Truly, these relics of medieval Moorish architecture are so stunning that it was a pity we merely took cursory walks through them and were offered the absolute minimal information as we carried on with our tour.

En route, we passed by the Zaouia or Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II which Feta told was was the most venerated shrine in Fes. Sadly, it is not open to non-Muslims so we could only get a sense of its beauty from the exterior. It was built in the 18th century and restored in the 19th. 

Lunch at Le Patio Bleu:

This brought us to the end of our visit with Feta who then led us to a place for lunch. As Llew and I had eaten a big breakfast, we were looking for something light and were actually quite happy to be taken to a place called Le Patio Bleu which was in a traditional Riad. In this place, on the second floor, a table had been laid out for us and we were given the price fixe menus and asked to select something. Llew and I chose to eat the chicken pastilla (as I had really enjoyed the one in Marrakech). This was preceded by a variety of at least ten cooked salads that were sour, sweet, hot, etc. to wake up our palates and act as appetizers. This was served with traditional flat Moroccan bread and could easily have been our meal. However, our second courses did appear and I actually preferred this pastilla to the one we had earlier (although Llew found it too dry). Dessert was fresh seasonal fruit (oranges and bananas) followed by mint tea (which I am no longer having as it keeps me awake).

Lunch done, Feta told us that we had free time and could spend it as we liked. We asked him for suggestions and he stated that we should go to see the weaving of art silk made from the inside threads of the aloe plant and then on to the tanneries for which Fes is highly reputed. And so began the second part of our sojourn into the craftsmanship of local artisans. 

A Visit to an Art Silk Factory:

Art Silk or artificial silk is also called Vegetable Silk and it is made by extracting the inner threads of the aloe plant—who knew??? We were taken on foot to a rather dilapidated Riad which was in an awful state of disrepair. Inside, there were looms and all sorts of finished products waiting to be purchased. One of the salesmen took us through the process for the making of items using this material. They have a high sheen to them—anyone who knows natural silk or pure silk (produced by silk worms) would know immediately that this is only a synthetic product. There was a lot of wearing of turban-like silk shawls, etc. to entice visitors to buy. I was not in the market for anything of the kind but it made sense for me to fill my afternoon at the ateliers of these artisans rather than in a hotel. 

What I enjoyed most about this visit was the explanation that this used to be a caravanserai which was an ancient motel of sorts when camels were the chief vehicle of trade across Europe and Africa. They were stabled on the ground floor and their riders would use the rooms above to spend the night. 

A Visit to the Famous Tanneries of Fes:

All over the world, Fes is known for its tanneries and its leather products. Little did I know how awful the experience would be of actually entering one of these places and witnessing the long drawn out process through which animal hides are fashioned into the kind of wearable leather that we take such pride in owning and wearing. 

Suffice it to say that we climbed to the topmost floor of another dilapidated Riad-like building. At the entrance, we were each given a wand of freshly-harvested mint. And what a blessing that was! As I climbed higher and higher into the building, I would realize just why we were handed that invaluable present. The smell of the cured leather was so obnoxious (truly that word could not have been more appropriately used!) that I found myself close to retching. I merely peeped over the balcony to take a look at the curing vats below me before I felt as if I had to sit down as I was literally keeling over with the stench. 

It turns out that the curing of leather is, according to our guide Abdul, the worst job in the whole world, according to UNESCO. No wonder it has been done, in India, traditionally by untouchables! The animals hides (camel, cow, sheep) are placed in these vats filled with awful colored liquids and through the intensely long process wrought by chemicals and time, they are ultimately made into the leather that is then fashioned into items. I kept that wand of mint pressed firmly to my nostrils and only breathed from my mouth through the entire time that we were there—it was seriously that bad!

I could not wait to get out of there and when we were taken from one show room to the the next to try on the leather jackets and coats and bags and wallets and what have you, I had lost all interest in buying. I simply wanted to get the heck out of there. 

Back in the alley leading out of the medina, we were directed back to our van that then took us back to our hotel. We still had time to spare (so-called leisure time) during which some folks intended to buy gold from the gold souk, others wanted to wander off to buy other items. Llew and I sat down in the hotel to get our email—as this was the only spot at which we could pick up. We could barely send anything out as the broad band width was so weak. 

A Walk Through the Medina:

A little later, Llew and I decided to go for a walk ourselves. We chose to walk deeper into the medina in the opposite direction of the walk we had taken in the morning. This brought us to the medina walls and to the entrance of the palace and close to the Karaouiyine Mosque whose minaret we could see and from where we could hear azan sounded several times a day. Closed to non-Muslims, this mosque was established in 859 AD and is one of the oldest and most illustrious mosques in the Western Muslim world. I was also particularly interested in it as it is the seat of the Muslim university of Fes which was the first university to be founded in Morocco and was visited by such learned men from the ancient world as Averroes (Ibn  Bin Raschid) and even Pope Sylvester II, a thousand years ago. The gateway through which we passed was well guarded and photographs were forbidden.

Llew and I were quite fascinated by what we saw from the outside only, of course. In terms of shopping, I did buy a pair of really cheap ear-rings but they would go with a necklace I owned.

We then retraced our steps back to the hotel as we did not want to get lost in the medina and we knew that was very likely to happen. We managed to lie down for a bit and get some rest before it was time again for dinner. Llew and I did not want a heavy meal and would have preferred to stay local and eat something light but Abdul, our guide, told us that the area around us had no restaurants from which it was safe for us to eat. Hence, with no choice, we went with the rest of the group to a place that was very fancy and offered a four course meal for the fixed price of 300 DMs (about $30).

Dinner, Dance and Entertainment:

Tonight was similar to the cultural night we’d had in Marrakech. We were taken to a very palatial-looking place whose interior was quite spectacular in terms of decorative detail. Abdul told me that this was an old structure—not something conjured up to satisfy a tourist’s imagination. 

We had a number of Moroccan salads—some raw, some cooked, some pickled-together with the famous table bread. Four of us shared a bottle of red wine and made different choices from the menu. Llew chose the skewered meat (veal and turkey—quite appropriately since today is Thanksgiving) and I chose the veal with prunes and almonds which was extraordinarily good. Dessert was fresh fruit (oranges and bananas) but I passed. Mint tea finished off our meal with Moroccan pastries which were basically coconut macaroons which neither Llew nor I liked. It turned out to be a really expensive meal for the value we got.

Our meal was accompanied by Turkish music, a superb magic show, singing, dancing, two belly dancers (one of whom was actually a fire-eater too) and then a full-scale re-enactment of a Moroccan wedding which involved two members of our party—Jennifer and Chintan! They were dressed in traditional roles—Jennifer looking stunning—and Chintan looking dapper in a djelaba and a red Fes! It was quit enchanting to see this newly-married couple looking so happy.

At the end of the meal, we piled back in the van and got back to the hotel where we were tired at the end of a long and adventurous day. 

Llew and I merely had our showers and went off to bed.

A Bientot!