What a day! Grim weather is a bit off putting – we felt like Fez should be a place to see in the sunshine.
Guy went to arrange the taxi with the resident taxi man on the campsite. He said half an hour then turned up 5 minutes later 🙄a mad scramble ensued.
Through the ‘badlands’ and Ville Nouvelle, we were then dropped off at the blue gate (Bab Boujeloud) which is green for Islam on the inside!
We were then straight into the rabbit warren that is Fez el Bali which is like something out of the Middle Ages. Unbelievably not too much hassle as we wandered through the mile long labyrinth of souks. No idea where we’ve been really, it’s so hard to keep track. There seem to be so many alleyways, corridors and different levels. I do know we visited two different tanneries and both times we had to walk down many narrow tunnels, through a leather shop and up a lot of stairs. Although we were given a sprig of mint to help cope with the smell, it seemed fine to us today – just smelt of leather. Maybe because it was cold weather. The colours didn’t seem as vibrant as I expected either but the whole process is so ancient, it’s fascinating. Looks like very hard work though.
We saw the Medersa el Attarine – very beautiful and intricately carved but was then bettered by the Medersa Bou Inania, absolutely stunning cedar wood carvings and the remains of a water clock…someone should pick those mis-matched flip-flops out of the mini canal that runs through it though. 🤣
1Medersa el Attarine
Bou Inania.
We had tagine for lunch at the Ruined Garden which took a lot of finding but was a nice setting. There was a fire bowl in the middle which was lovely until the young waiter put a load of plastic on it! Tortoises walking around too which was a little bizarre.
On our way out of the souk we seemed to happen upon ‘butcher street’. The four sheep’s heads for sale were probably the worst thing, closely followed by a man carrying live chickens upside down by their feet. As for the poor donkeys 😢
Ventured across the road then, through a weird area with another market and some turkeys running around among the rubbish. Through a lovely park, we eventually reached the Royal Palace with its huge golden doors but you can’t go inside.
Guy arranged with Mohammed the taxi man to pick us up outside Carrefour. He messaged back to say “ok” then promptly sent the taxi to the blue gate 🙄 We waited for ever on a freezing cold corner inhaling fumes from five lanes of traffic. I was not happy but we had no choice but to wait as we’d already paid for the return. When he realised his mistake he said “sorry, I am a sooty chef”- I think that one’s lost in translation 🤣
