patrickandnora: Fes: Funky Cold* Medina (June 16-June 19, 2011)

Our introduction to Morocco began after exiting the plane on the tarmac in Fes. The new looking airport was clean and inviting and surrounded by palm trees (who doesn’t love a palm tree lined runway?) and it was definitely hot. Inside things were less cheery. The customs line moved painfully slow and the Moroccan police detained an “unruly passenger” from the flight, leading to lots of shouting and arguing (we never did figure out what happened). After getting our passports stamped, the guards wanted to search both of our bags. They were most interested in the books we brought with us, looking at them carefully, and slowly flipping through the pages. We don’t know what they thought they would find. They were also concerned about Patrick’s tent and the tent poles. We didn’t know the French word for tent, but Nora did her best “circumlocution” (as her AP French teacher would call it), and finally the guards were satisfied that it was something used for camping, either a “parasol” or a “sac de couchant” (it was neither), and let us pass. The bulky guy next to us who decided to bring his protein powder in large, clear plastic bags instead of its original container looked like he was going to have a much harder time making it past the guards as we left (note to travelers: it is never a good idea to pack large bags of white powder in your carry-on).

Fes’s primary claim to fame is that it’s Medina (old Arab quarter - as opposed to the newer Ville Nouvelle built by the French) is the one of the most complete medieval cities in the Arab world. Built as early as the 8^th century, the Medina is a huge grid-less maze of shops and markets (souks) hidden away along narrow lanes. It is easy to get lost inside the Medina (and we often did), and most of our time in Fes was spent wandering inside the Medina walls. There are shops and souks for everything under the sun. Beyond the spice and leather markets that are marked on maps, we also found a cell phone and electronics souk and a flip-flop souk, among many others. As you wander, locals often offer to take you to a view of one of two leather tanneries inside the Medina (the tanneries are open air and you can get a good view of them from the roofs of many buildings), or suggest a good restaurant. Occasionally someone will offer to guide you through the Medina, not taking the hint that you don’t want his service and walking with you until you firmly tell him to go away. On one occasion, when we decided to detour down a narrow side path, a seemingly friendly boy offered to show us to the tanneries (which we had already seen). He began following us, and when we declined his offer several times, he began yelling anti-American epithets at us and eventually physically blocked our path, forcing us back onto the main road. With that exception, however, Moroccans have been pleasant and friendly, often saying “Enjoy your time in Morocco” as you walk by. [And, as of this post date, this is still an isolated incident].

One of the most glaringly different things about Fes (and the rest of Morocco) is the call to prayer. Five times a day (dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall), from the minaret of each mosque blares a recorded message/chant calling everyone to prayer. In Fes, where our guidebook suggested there were 365 minarets, this call came from every direction. From our room we could clearly hear at least two different recordings, playing simultaneously, and echoes of others around the Medina. From a distance (we hiked up to a hill above the old town one evening to watch the sunset) the call to prayer was both surreal and serene. At close range, and at 5 in the morning, however, it was a bit jarring (particularly on our first morning).

Click the photo below for our Fes photo album.