Fez Morocco

 Our three day overland visit from Casablanca to the inland city of Fez was very exciting with new discoveries and experiences. Starting with our hotel inside  the old Medina with its medieval architecture, and old world atmosphere to battling our way past donkeys down very narrow corridors  to get to another point of interest.
Fez is the oldest city in Morocco and built in the ninth century and is now the second largest city.

 Our local guide who was quite a character dropped us at our hotel in time for lunch. A beautifully decorated courtyard that had our eyes popping at every turn.

 Our room, which was comfortable, but the bed not so much. It was the hardest mattress and pillows we have ever slept on.

 The very old lead light windows were beautiful although didn't let much daylight n.

 Tagine cooked chicken for lunch. Very tasty.

 The two photos above are a very old family antique shop we visited and where we saw some amazing artefacts.

 On our walk back towards the souk we passed many sights like this where buildings were re-inforced or patched up very badly and some not at all. The decay was quite disturbing in some places where people were living.

 One of the city gates into the Medina.

Dinner that evening was at La Maison Bleue. Another beautiful venue in a restored townhouse and now a hotel. The food was very good and the ambiance was lovely with great service from waiters in traditional clothes, live unobtrusive traditional music and the sound of running water. It was like travelling back in time. The pie above was pigeon and chicken with icing sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. I was very apprehensive about eat pigeon but I gave it a try and found it very tasty.

After we finished dinner this musician below danced in a manic trance swirling the tassel on his hat while the man below that played enthusiastically. It was a great night.

 Part of the city wall in the Jewish Quarter and below is the Jewish cemetery.

 The Royal Palace with its seven brass doors, symbolising the seven days of the week. Its middle facade stands 80 feet high and is beautifully decorated with fine Zellij tile work and carved cedar wood. Because the current King uses the palace when he visits Fez these gates are the only portion visitors are allowed to see.

 Dates dates and more dates in the souk. There was a whole row of vendors selling fresh dates.

 Time to boil the Jug for tea.

 There is aways a storks nest to be seen at some high point.

 The old city of Fez taken from the top of a hill above the city. A beautiful sight.

Time to say goodbye to our guide. He gave us a lot of laughs and never got us lost in the 9,000 streets in the old Medina.