The Zen of Shopping in Fez
Trip Start
Feb 16, 2006
1
8
17
Trip End
Feb 28, 2006
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Fez,
Morocco
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Fez - 5:30pm
Dear Readers:
Just a quick correction about last night's entry-the city of Meknes was correctly stated as being built by Moulay Ismail in the 17th Century. The small village near Volubilis was incorrectly identified with his name. It was really the town of Moulay Idriss, which is where the ruler of that name is buried. It was Moulay Idriss who created old Fez in the 9th Century.
Today is a full (and, once again, wet) day of touring in the environs of Fez. We start with a beautiful view of the old 9th Century part of town from a fortress lookout point on a high hill
01 Old Fez Medina
. The buildings are so tightly packed that it doesn't seem possible that we will be able to move about. Indeed, the lanes are an absolute labyrinth, and we are warned not to become separated as it will be impossible to find the group again if we take a wrong turn.From the moment we plunge into the old Medina we understand why the warning. The lanes curve and twist, with many going off at cross-angles, with no apparent order. The sight, sounds and smells of humanity going about the business of living in such tight quarters, assaults our senses. Fruits and vegetable stands give way to the much more pungent fish and meat markets, where severed goat heads stare up from platters, and brains and hooves are a common commodity.
We crowd along the tight lanes, and frequently hear "Balak! Balak!" or "Attencion!" as someone comes along with a fully loaded donkey causing us to all flatten ourselves against the wall to make way. The rain and the mud and the donkey-doo make walking a slippery adventure, and I regret the choice of light khakis for today's outfit.
I really must remember to give clients a primer in coping in marketplaces, where beggars and children and persistent peddlers are enough to drive the uninitiated insane
02 Fez Closeup
. I love the feeling of close contact with all manner of persons, and found myself slipping a 10 dirham coin (slightly more than one dollar) into the up-stretched hands of an old blind man. Another young street peddler got a similar amount just because he was polite and cute, and walked with me for a long ways practicing his English sales techniques (even though I had no interest at all in the leather wallets he was selling).If you don't come mentally prepared for the intensity of the experience, however, it can be quite intimidating-particularly in the shops (which we visited in plenty today). I have somehow mastered a technique of awareness without penetration. In other words, I know what is going on around me, but I somehow don't let it get beyond my personal barriers, even if people and animals are closer than I would normally be comfortable with them being. If a salesperson latches on I practice being courteous, with a smile and a "no thank you." That almost always fails to remove the attachment, so when I start to reach my limit I fix the person with a look right in the eyes, hold it for a moment, then say just the word "no" without anger or shouting, but the look in my eyes and the inflection in my voice seems to get the message across. If he still persists I just press on, continue in conversation and simply ignore every attempt to get my attention. The secret is to make a decision not to get irritated, and then you can just view it all as part of a wonderful, authentic experience in an exotic culture
03 Mohammad
.First shopping stop in the old medina is the leather tannery, where we climb to the upper floors of a building and look down on the scene of men pushing animal skins into huge vats with their feet. In one portion men are putting the skins into lye, and so they are protected with rubber shoes. In another portion, however, I am told it is simply natural vegetable dyes being used to color the leather, and here the men are in short pants with bare legs and feet. They look up at us as we photograph them. They raise their hands. We throw some coins. They continue working in a heavy downpour.
Continuing on we pass the oldest university in Morocco and the shrine of Moulay Idriss II. There is another shrine and then a visit to the place where woolen Moroccan carpets are created. It is a fantastic building, and the guys are smitten with the craftsmanship. At least five rugs are purchased.
Lunch is perhaps the best meal we have had thus far on the tour, in a beautiful building with a costumed Berber man pouring tea with a flourish. Service is impeccable. We pay a lot for the meal (about $22), but feel it was entirely worth it.
04 Medina entry
A short drive from the medina takes us to a village that specializes in the manufacture of classic blue Moroccan pottery. We watch the craftsmen creating the mosaic tiles and assembling complicated patterns. Coming from such a mechanized society, it is amazing to watch this intricate and difficult work being accomplished by human hands.
Returning to the more modern portion of Fez (several clients heavier in luggage and lighter in wallet), we stop at the Royal Palace to view its ornamental gates. Driving through the Jewish quarter we come to the Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate) and stop for photos. By this time some of the guys are so tired that they don't even hop off the bus to walk the few blocks to get a view of the gate. The hotel is next, and we gratefully clamber out after a long day of sightseeing.
I start today's blog entry, but give up in favor of a couple of hours of sleep before our dinner at a nice local restaurant tonight, Zagora. I enjoy asparagus salad, salmon, and fresh strawberries with chocolate ice cream for dessert. To bed early tonight as we head over the high Atlas Mountains tomorrow to the Sahara desert. We hope to leave the rain behind!
Big hugs,
Dan
