Fes, Morocco

The old town of Fes, the Medina, was like something out of an Ali Baba (more about that later) book than some of the other Medinas we have been in. There are something like 4,600 streets/alleys in the Medina and it can be very easy to get lost. So, we hire an English speaking guide: his name Ali - and he introduced himself as Ali Baba. Our first day with Ali was in our own, cool, private taxi which took us to the very rim of the ancient city from where we were able to look down on rich olive groves and a bustling Ville Nouvelle, as well as the Medina. From amongst fortress ruins and the remnants of ancient tombs we were allowed a bird's eye view of Fes and the Royal Palace. A trip into the poorer parts of Fes, where animal hides were left on the side of the road to dry in the sun and to pottery works. A photo stop to catch a herder with his flock of sheep (and the tip for the opportunity!);and in to the Palace gates (be careful who you photograph here)the Jewish quarter and in to the Medina itself. Down narrow streets with meat hanging out for sale, with spices, and clothing and more spices and clothing and more meat and food and spices etc ... We stopped for lunch at a small, traditional Moroccan 'restaurant' in the Medina (somewhere - a friend of Ali's we suspect; it was the most beautiful food we have had outside of the top restaurants. We were given a quick tour of the kitchen by the hard-case owner (ie space where food was prepared) and a taste of the foods we could eat. Whatever we tasted it was nice and then it was served to our table and kept on coming and coming and coming... and all for next to nothing. It felt almost like one of those Christmas dinners where you just want to lie down and rest afterwards. But up we got and on we went. The next day we took a ride with our taxi driver into the country ouside of Fes; to the old town of Bahlil and into the (almost) luxuriously appointed cave home of an ancient Berber family (the old woman was 84 and her husband, put outside to soak up the sun, 102) on to Sefrou, and to the monkeys (Barbary Apes?) in the hills above Ifrane and finally into Ifrane itself: a town almost Swiss like in its appearance and layout (probably because it snows up here in the Middle Atlas Mts). The next day we were back in the Medina and again with Ali (for a couple of hours anyway). To visit places we were not able to fit in on the first day: the old Caravanserai buildings, an example of an up-market Riad or hotel/lodging (the next time we come to Fes, Ali told us, we could have a room here for £60.00/night - cheap!); we went to a tannery where, because of the smell, we were given a sprig of fresh mint to hold to our noses to try and disguise the smell; we went to an old Medersa/Madrassa where children were versed in the teachings of the Koran and we walked again down various narrow streets (past a stall selling camel meat and one selling goats heads) and where Ali left us, just before lunch. We decided to find our own way out of the Medina: big mistake! We wandered in circles round and round down different alleys but could find nothing to take us back to the Blue Gate - we thought we could find our way home from there. So having found a restaurant we stopped for a delicious lunch - and asked from directions from there. Easy! So off we trekked and again became lost in the myriad of alleys that don't seem to register in peoples' consciousness. A couple of hours later we stumbled upon the Blue Gate but at least we were outside the Medina walls. We can walk from here! Big mistake. Lost again - and as a last resort we stopped a taxi. The easiest and quickest way back to the hotel and the end of our Fes experience.