Travels with Terri

Fez Morocco won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It looks, smells, and sounds unfamiliar. Abject poverty contrasts with opulent wealth. The air is filled with the scent of exotic spices, burning wood, and livestock. A mournful call to prayer resounds throughout the city five times a day. It is a place that will either spark amazement or leave you feeling overwhelmed. But with a sense of adventure, you will find a vibrant and colorful city that you’ll never forget.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we booked an anniversary trip to Fez. Since it was November, we wanted to go somewhere warm and dry to escape the cold weather at home. Neither of us had been to Africa before so we took a leap and booked our trip. At less than 90 minutes, the flight from Lisbon to Fez is quite short. It still amazes me that Portugal is closer to Northern Africa than to most of Europe. Our driver met us in front of the airport and off we went to find our Riad. As we drove along, the desert landscape of palm trees and distant mountains reminded a bit of Arizona. Our first views of Fez (pop. 964,891) were that of Ville Nouvelle (New Town.) With large boulevards flanked by restaurants, hotels, and shops, it reminded me of other places I’ve seen in Europe. It’s the most recent part of the city, dating back to the 20th century during the period of French protectionism. As we entered the older part of Fez, close to the Medina, the view quickly changed. The buildings are much older, goats and donkeys graze on slopes along the road, and animal hides are strewn about drying in the sun.

Our home for the week was the beautiful Riad Toyour (Riad of Birds.) Meaning garden in Arabic, Riads are great old houses once owned by the wealthy of Morocco. The buildings consist of several stories of rooms that surround an open-air courtyard. These courtyards have stunning gardens and most have a fountain or even a small pool. The impressive interior of Riad Toyour features intricate tile mosaics, carved wood, and lattice stonework. A fountain is surrounded by greenery and the sweet sound of chirping birds fills the air. After a warm greeting we were escorted to a table for mint tea and cookies. We met our host Mounir, who told us all about the Riad, checked us in, and helped take our bags up to our suite. With his perfect English and sparkling personality, Mounir made us feel at home right away. He and all the staff went above and beyond to make our stay special, catering to our every need with big smiles.

The 1,200-year-old walled Medina of Fez (Fes el Bali), Morocco’s former capital and third largest city, is a mind-boggling maze of 9,454 cobble-stoned alleyways. They are narrow, too narrow for cars, so donkeys are used to transport goods and waste. Some are straight but most curve around and lead to stone walls or closed doors. If you do get lost, which is highly likely, you’ll pay dearly in “tips” to have someone help you find your way out. My advice, hire a guide, at least for your first venture into the Medina. We arranged for a *guide through our Riad host and set off into the Medina. As we walked, Mohammed asked us what we would like to see and learn about during our tour. We mentioned the famous tanneries and that we’d like to learn more about the Medina and its history, customs, and culture. As soon as we passed through the narrow archway into the bustling Medina, I felt a bit overwhelmed and was glad we had a guide with us. The narrow streets are filled with merchants selling everything from spices and dried fruits to bakery and meat. There are tiny cafes where you can grab a snack and sit on a wooden stool amongst all the locals. It’s loud, crowded, colorful, and full of exotic fragrances. As we made our way towards the Chouara Tannery, Mohammed told us that the Medina was founded between 789 and 808 AD and that inside is the oldest university in the world, Al-Quaraouiyine. He took us into a large shop selling leather goods and told us that the best viewing of the tannery is from their rooftop terrace. (Actually, the only way to see the tannery is by going into one of the leather shops that surround it.)

*The guide gets a kick back from any purchases you make at shops they take you to visit. That’s just the way it works. In larger shops like those selling carpets, spices, and copperware, you’ll be offered refreshments (usually mint tea.) The shopkeeper will talk about his wares and even show how they’re made. If you accept the beverage or snack, the expectation is that you will make a purchase. If you’re paying your guide, it’s okay to politely pass and ask to go elsewhere.

Fez is famous for its leather products and visiting a tannery to see how hides are treated and dyed is a top tourist attraction. The Chouara Tannery is one of three inside the Medina. In operation since the early days of Fez, not much has changed about the labor-intensive process. The site is a grid of stone vats; rectangular ones for softening the hides and round ones for coloring. Before the hides (goat, sheep, camel, and calf) are dyed, they need to be softened and the hair needs to be removed. This is done by soaking them for a few days in a mixture of cow urine, pigeon feces, limestone, salt, and water. The ammonia in the pigeon poop softens the hides and the limestone helps to remove the hair. Since we were there on a cool day, the aroma was bearable, but I wouldn’t want to visit on a hot summer day! After several days, the hides are rinsed and moved to the dyeing vats. Natural products are used to make the colors, poppies for red, indigo for blue, mint for green, cedar for brown, henna for orange, and saffron for yellow. The colored hides are hung in the sun to dry. It’s a fascinating process to observe (from a distance.)

In the next blog, I’ll write about the most expensive spice in the world, why goats climb trees in Morocco, why you should learn some French, and more!