Fez Medina

The next morning our tour guide met us in the courtyard of the Riad.  Our tour guide's name was Farida, and as the name suggests, she was a woman.  In my (mostly observed) experience, the tour guide industry in Morocco is dominated by men.  Farida confirmed this fact for Fez at least when she said "there are only about 10 of us (women tour guides) in Fez".

I felt like Farida gave us insights into domestic life and a perspective that I don't think we would have gotten from a male tour guide.  She was gracious and informative and we were delighted to be protected from hustlers.  She was fasting, as some Muslim women do on days outside of Ramadan*, but insisted on showing us around almost three hours after our official tour ended (without any expectation of more money).  She was terrific.  In addition to a great our, I really liked the idea of supporting a woman in what is a male dominated profession in what could be considered a male dominated society.  I think we will ask about female tour guides in the future.

We started with the "newest" old section outside the Medina walls that was built in the 14th century and ended next to the oldest university in the world, Al-Kairouine built in 859.  Hopefully you'll get a sense of the history and artistry that Fez is known for through these pictures.

Al-Karaouine University - oldest in the world.  We weren't allowed
to enter because it is also a mosque, but they keep a big
door open so nosey poseys like myself can peek in.  

14th century door to one of the King's palaces

The Husband and our tour guide

Talaa K'bira - the main artery of the Fez Medina

That's for my Mom.  I know I'm not good about pictures of us...

Some of the streets are VERY narrow

Have you ever seen this? I hadn't.
I must have a giant cooking egg!

Beautifully restored Attarine Medersa  - once used as a place of study

and lodging for students. 

Amazing stucco work at Attarine Medersa

We saw how they make the tiny pieces of tile that will be worked into a pattern, cemented together
from the back, and then flipped over to reveal the beautiful mosaic.
We also saw ceramic pottery being made and painted.  Fez is known for its crafts that have endured the ages.  

Bou Inania Medersa

Bou Inania Medersa

Yay!  The Fez Chouara Tanneries.  These were first on my
brain when I thought about moving to Morocco.   

Tannery pots for dying leather.  They smell.  Part of the solution
 they soak the skins in is made with pidgin droppings.  

We ended the day, and our trip, on the terrace of our Riad overlooking the city.  Morocco and Algeria had a soccer match that night and after being booted from the Africa Cup of Nations by Algeria in March, Moroccans were looking forward to a rematch.  We didn't see the game, but we heard the unbelievably loud eruptions of cheering from the streets below and houses all across the city as Morocco scored 4 goals to defeat Algeria.  It was a good game evidently, and a wonderful trip.


*I didn't know that some Muslim women choose to fast outside of Ramadan.  Something about fasting on days of the week when the Heavens are more open?  I think I'm actually going to email Farida and ask her about it.  I'll post her answer here.