A traveller's reflection: Spain/Morocco 2012: 07 Fez

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Sunday, 18 November 2012

Spain/Morocco 2012: 07 Fez

"In life you are either a passenger or a pilot, it's your choice..."

(A carpet unique designs)

Day 07: 18 Nov 2012

FEZ

After breakfast we had a full day tour of Fez. Fez is Morocco's oldest Imperial city and its old medina is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Medina is called Fes el-Bali and behind its high walls is a magical, medieval city just teeming with life in every one of its 9000 narrow streets.

(The town of Fez)

Fez is the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco and you would certainly experience its vibrancy. The new part of Fez, called ville nouvelle, was built by the French and is totally different from the medina. The wide boulevards are lined with modern shops and traffic is hectic.

(A gate to the city)

We visited the carpet shops and the leather shops in the old medina. Fez is famous for its leather products and most of it comes from the leather souk in old Fez. The tanneries have been in operation since medieval times and little has changed, which makes them absolutely fascinating to visit.

(Leather tanning process)

The leather shop is filled to the brim with handbags, jackets and slippers of every conceivable design and color known. Sprigs of fresh mint are essential when you visit the tanneries since the animal hides are stinky, and the pigeon poop they're treated in doesn't smell so good either.

(Leather jackets on display)

We visited the Kairaouine Mosque, tucked deep into the heart of the medina. The mosque is huge and we had a good view of the inside when we had our zohor and asar prayers. We also passed by a few famous madrasahs in the old medina.

(A mosque in the old Medina)

Other places of interest visited were the Royal Palace, Madrasah Attarrine and Suq Attarine. We passed the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter of Fez, the architecture differs from the rest of the medina.