14 Sept Sat - Fes guided tour of Fes and the Medina

14 Sept Sat - Fes guided tour of Fes and the Medina

At the start of the tour, we came across a wedding party (No,Jonathan did try to get involved but he missed out) at the walls to the King's palace in Fes where they went for luck.

Then we were off to the Medina ( market) with very strict instructions not to wander off. Our group of 36 was divided into 2 and each group had a guide plus 2 minders. We were lead through tiny little alley ways that had endless doors or openings that were either homes or workplaces or both. Often it was a very tight squeeze when a fully laden donkey or cart was also in the same confined space.

In some areas the pathway was dark and two people would have difficulty passing each other. In one such alley way with its endless closed doors on each side, one door about shoulder height ( for me) creaked open and out scampered a little imp who then scurried up the wall in front of me with his left hand and foot on one side of the passageway and his right hand and foot on the other.  When he was slightly higher than me, he stopped.  His body blocked my path and I couldn't move forward and the people behind me couldn't move either. No doubt this was his regular routine, as he called out "picture".  I took a photo .

  "Money!"  I said "I only have this" and gave him the only funny money (in fact any money) I had which was a 1dh coin ( 1 c). He was quite disgusted but I said " Too bad. That's all I have" and he got down and I ( and the rest of the group behind me ) were able to pass.

In amongst all of these tiny little places, there were amazing things like a mosque and the recommended   (ie where we had the official stops ) carpet seller, leather goods and then scarves and clothing (traditional Moroccan wear) seller.

Mosque

There's no way I would be game to venture into the huge Fes Medina without a guide as I think I'd be lost for years with one wrong turn.  Then again, the guides may have been deliberately leading us up and down and round about.......in the maze.

In any case it was certainly a fantastic experience.