Morocco 2023

Fes – 4 May 2023

Fez or Fes (/fɛz/; Arabic: فاس, romanized: fās; Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, romanized: fizaz; French: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 million

Today, the city consists of two old medina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, and the much larger modern urban Ville Nouvelle area founded during the French colonial era. The medina of Fez is listed as a World Heritage Site and is thought to be one of the world’s largest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas).[4][5][6] It contains the University of Al-Qarawiyyin which was founded in 857 and is considered by some to be the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world. It also contains the Chouara Tanneryfrom the 11th century, one of the oldest tanneries in the world. The city has been called the “Mecca of the West” and the “Athens of Africa.”[7][8][9] It is also considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco.

Fox Highlights

The Foxes were able to sleep in this morning. A leisurely breakfast at 9.

The first activity today was the Guided walk around the Fes Medina (old town). Grabbing a taxi proved quite difficult. Not that they were full, they just ignored us. Hanna’s Persistence eventually paid off.

The Medina is narrow and quite busy with tour groups running into each other. We take the time to check out a Museum, the University and visit a ‘herboriste seddick’ and a tannery.

The herboriste was a hoot. Immaculate white coat to give an air of authority before trying to sell us various herbs, particularly good for jiggy jiggy and bunga bunga apparently. Mike was the only one showing any real interest.

The tannery stinks. It is a maze of huge ponds where the hides are treated and coloured. The Gibster tells us that he bought his red bike jacket from here and it’s still in good nick. No one ever remembers seeing him wear it. So for good measure he buys a red man bag, red wallet and 3 red belts.

Finally, we visited a bathhouse where an hour of bath, oils and massage costs 500 MAD (about USD50). We enthusiastically sign up for a pre-dinner session, except for Russ who screams “pas pour moi!” (translation: my body is a temple). No amount of cajoling could change his mind. The rest of us will be picked up at the hotel at 5pm

We’ve had enough. Hot, tired and hungry.

Lunch is at a restaurant with no name but apparently very well known to the tourist guides!! It was an amazing building inside the Medina. The specialty is Chicken Pastilla (chicken and spices inside filo pastry with icing sugar and almond topping).

The guide has abandoned us so with the help of Russ’ internet, we walk from the restaurant out of the Medina and up to our hotel through the cemetery. A busy rest day so far. Back for a REST!

We are picked up at 5 and transported to the Hammam or bathhouse. After fitting into our paper undies (practice for old age?) we are subjected to bathing in soap and oils and a brutal scrub. Various groans could be heard as we were pummelled and scoured. Finally, the massage! There was no respite. We reckon these blokes were trying to break us. But between the rough stuff there was tickling. Singo could be heard moving between groans and laughter. The masseuses must have laughed as we tipped them for such rough treatment. Still, there was a spring in our step immediately after. Foxes don’t hold grudges.

Straight to dinner at Laarousa Riad overlooking Fes at sunset. Russ had been waiting an hour so was nearly one bottle down by the time the Hamman Foxes arrived. He observed that they all looked damaged. Gibster had mysterious dots on his forehead, Singos face was beetroot red, Mikes hair was all over the place (but that could be normal) and Boxy was generally groaning (that could be normal too). Another call to prayer and a spectacular sunset…more album cover photos. Magnificent end to a busy day. Looking forward to a real rest on the bikes tomorrow!!