EXPLORING FEZ

Behold the Imperial city of Fes....well, a very small part of it! The medina of Fes is HUGE & it was an excellent start to the day, to drive up to one of the forts & look down upon it's expanse.

Before entering the UNESCO listed medina, we paid a short visit to the Royal Palace...one of many scattered throughout the country.  This one is not open to the public, but they have a stunning entrance where examples of various decorative styles used within the palace are brought together in a cohesive display.  The enormous brass doors were particularly impressive...

...especially when viewed up close!  Whilst we were there, two employees were diligently polishing the brass!  Not a fun job!

Also outside the walls of the medina is the American Fondouk. Long ago this was an early version of a hotel, where those travelling in trade caravans would stay if they arrived in Fes after the city gates had shut. In more recent times, an American woman bought the Fondouk & established it as a hospital for....STORKS!  (I don't think other birds were turned away though!!) Now it is an animal hospital!!

We had an opportunity to see a ceramic works cooperative, so we took it & had a fascinating time, seeing the various processes used in the production of ceramic tiles & various wares.  Fes has been producing ceramics for eons!  Above the tagine bases & tops are drying in the sun before they are glazed.

Mosaic pieces called zellij are made on site, once the tiles are glazed & cooled.  It was really interesting to see these men at work, such precision needed & such monotonous work, but the end results were stunning!

Entering the medina of Fes through the Bab Boujeloud gate, we learned that the blue patterning on the outward facing side represents welcome.

Whilst the green, inward facing side represents harmony.  These two colours are frequently used throughout Islamic decoration.

We followed our guide Naim down narrow alleyways, some crowded with people & others somewhat emptier.

He took us to the Mellah, the area where the Jewish refugees from Cordoba, Spain came in the aftermath of expulsion in 1492.  The interesting difference here, was that unlike the riad houses along the narrow passages which, similar to the roman villa, look inward, these homes all looked outwards, towards the streets.

We saw a Medersa, the outsides of Mosques & Mausoleums, all of which I've posted examples of before.  This scene is on the steps of the Andalusian Mosque, which Jeff took with a distance lens.  It is so full of character that I felt it worth sharing!

One of the 'must-see's in Fes is the tanneries, where all the leather is dyed.  Here you not only see the colour vats in the foreground, but the vats at the back contain a mix of lime, pigeon poo & something else, which produce an ammonia mix that removes the wool from the skin. Imagine working in that...WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION!!! On the roof tops of the surrounding buildings, the wool & leather dries in the sun.  It was a stinky place...we were very grateful for the sprigs of mint we were given to hold up to our noses!! As to be expected we did have a bit of a sales pitch to endure after seeing this activity below & yes, to be expected, I did buy something....but refused the leather jackets promotion!!!!!!!

Now a pottery souk, this area of Fes was a very early (1286)  mental asylum !

Walking through the souks, we'd seen a few of these intriguing contraptions.  We were told that they are chairs for the bride in wedding ceremonies!  Families hire them for the big occasion!  These were at least a reasonable size, compared to in the wood museum we were soon to visit, where we came across a wooden version of the above & it was so tiny, that the brides would have to have been exceedingly petite to fit in!  I certainly wouldn't have!

The Fondouk el Nejjarine was once  a caravanserai, where travelling traders would stay whilst in Fez.
Inside these doors...

...the horses, mules & dromedaries would be accommodated on the ground floor level & the humans would sleep in the little rooms upstairs.  This beautiful place has been restored & now houses a very interesting wood museum, which alas, wouldn't allow me to take photos of exhibits!  They showcased items from tools to musical instruments.  Some of the most interesting pieces were the tablets on which individuals had written out sections of the Koran in the process of trying to learn it by heart.  This display included a certificate, also made of wood. 
What a fabulous introduction to Fes.  We were well & truly worn out after it, having become aware that, unlike Marrakech, Fes is NOT flat!!!  It was also 40 degrees Celsius here today...not a temperature I enjoy!!  Our Riad was cool & relaxing when we returned to it &oh so WELCOME!