Fes, Morocco at its best

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Welcome to Fes! You see this impressive blue and green tiled door? This is Bab Bou Jeloud. The entrance to Fes el-Bali. The Old Fes.

It's Tuesday, 4pm. It's pretty dusty. Two hotels to the right. One, fully booked. The other, expensive. Now, turn right. Walk down.

Hotel Lamrani. Little silver haired Mohammed says hello. Put your bags down. You've got a place to sleep and take a (cold) shower.

Back in the streets. People don't stop. People drink. People shout. People run. People watch people. People talk to people.

Close your eyes. Smell the spices. Can you hear the muezzins' prayer calls? Sip your mint tea - slowly!!!! it's pipping hot.

The hustlers bring you back to reality. You have to say 'La shukran' (No, thanks) and escape them! Quickly. You have to get lost! There are over 9.400 alleys waiting for you!

Don't panic! Make out your own way. You're uphill. No matter where those bustling souqs (markets) take you, you'll always have time to find your way back. You're a tourist!

Stop for a moment. Take in that plasterwork. Those woodcarvings. This is a Medersa (college). Out there is a Mosque. Wanna go and check the fountains? Their mosaiques aren't like drops rippling across a pond?

Try the museums. The Dar Batha. The recently refurbished Nejjarine. Look carefully! It's not a bunch of broken things in not well-lit displays! It's HISTORY. It's moroccan wood. It's how NATURE was transformed into CULTURE.

Have you noticed the designs and carvings and wood-paintings? Don't they resemble flowers? and stars? Yes, that's Islam. You cannot represent figures. You have to borrow astrological and astronomical maps; you have to imitate your tangled garden.

In every bit of a teapot, of a gun, of a window, of a chair, of a drum, of a manuscript, a detail. In every detail, a style. In every style (... almoravide, almohade... saadian...), a way of seeing the world. For each dynasty faced different problems and came up with its own explanations for its reality, justifications for its political power.

It stinks?! Indeed! We're in the tanneries. Have a look around. From these pools will emerge your mum's leatherjacket!

What's the time? Hurry! We have to find a terrace. It's sunset. A table? Nope, let's lie on the floor. Feel the warm breeze? And the covered bazaars? And the minarets against the deep blue sky? African music wafts down nearby terraces. Night takes over greyish Fes.

Again, it's time to pray:

'Oh Lord, Oh Lord! Why do I have to leave? Isn't it easier to stop TIME, just like You Did with this medieval dream sprawled in such a majestic scenery?'

Oh yes, You really had to be here to fully understand what these 6 days meant to me...

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Photos

Souq
Take a look at the light, the smoke

Tanneries
Leather is dyed into these pools

Comments

[anonymous]

E ai Miguel?! seu travelblog tá muito bom, vc tá escrevendo bem pra caramba, a gente até entra no espirito da viagem. Junte uma porção desses textos que dá até pra lançar um livro, bem no estilo do "on the road" mesmo (eu tô achando que você até já estava com essa idéia). Aproveita bastante e continue escrevendo. Abraço PS: vê se fica mais espertinho e foge dos "pega-turista" viu, hehe - Vinicius

[anonymous]

Amazing!
Oi filho querido, Muito emocionante acompanhar voce através desses relatos tão bem escritos! Grande estilo! Cuide-se bem, por favor!beijos com muito amor e saudade da mamãe! - Léa

[Tia T.Q.]

Demais S.S.
Nossa vale a pena ter muito orgulho de voce, voce é demais . Beijos saudosos T.Q.

[emy]

thank you!!
your entry brought tears to my eyes. literally. it took me right back to the amazing city that is fes. your vivid descriptions perfectly captured everything. i wasn't there until later, but i have no doubt that i get what those 6 days would've meant to you. fes seems to have that effect. thank you!