I came across this article today, which made me wonder if this is how most Americans who come in to Fès for a couple of days experience the city. She is also wrong about Fès being the commercial capital - it is not! Here's a sample of what she had to say:
"In the city of Fes, the commercial capitol of Morocco, we wandered (with a tourguide) through the medina, which is a maze of more than 9,000 streets.
We entered the walls and immediately heard Arab men leading donkeys and yelling what sounded like, "Barak! Barak!," which roughly means "Get the hell out of my way before my donkey steps on your toes and craps on you!" The streets in the medina are too narrow for motos or cars, so donkeys and mules are the preferred method of transporation. They are also a common source of stink.
I decided that a day in this third-world city would be an experience even for a blind person because of the overwhelming odors. We tucked our jacket sleeves under our noses as we endured the smells of dead fish layed out on cardboard being sold on the streets, chickens crammed in little crates and turkeys waiting to be slaughtered, freshly skinned lambs hanging without refrigeration, leather being dried and dyed with the help of camel urine, and the bodies of robed men who have not yet discovered deodorant.
Our first stop in the city was a visit to a rug store, where we were glad to sit, not run out of the way of donkeys and not feel the filth of the city on us. The robed, turbaned men brought us Morrocon whiskey, which disappointingly was not whiskey at all but mint tea; it was actually quite good.
We braved the streets once again and arrived at a traditional pharmacy, which is a room with jars of spices, teas, herbal remedies and natural mascara. The strong smells of myrrh, frankincense, rose, safron, curry and Moroccon whiskey were welcomed.
The food during the trip was delicous. We plopped down on couches or on the floor. The Muslims that served us platters of food were fasting for Ramadan, which made us feel kind of guilty, but we would never let the eggplant salad, couscous, chicken, lamb, fresh vegetables, dates and tiny oranges go to waste.
It was unnerving to constantly worry if the skin on the fruit was washed with contaminated water and having to monitor my toothbrush to make sure I didn't accidently put it under the faucet and contaminate it.
The original is here: Travel Article
Tags: Morocco, Fès, travel, Fez,
3 comments:
I totally agree! The American woman who wrote that article obviously was not prepared for Morocco! And you are also right that she was wrong to say that Fes is the commercial capital.
I have spent winter an Fes, and yes, it is cold and in the summer when it is hot I love Samir's riad in La'ayoun district because it is cool even on the hottest day. Samir, Zany and I have been to most parts of Morocco but love Fes most and never get bored!
Sometimes tourists come with very strong preconceptions. I have never thought Fes was a "smelly" medina. In fact I find the food very fresh and wonderful. At least it is not refrigerated for days!
Ahh... so I did post my comment to the wrong post.
Post a Comment