Morocco first blush

 

Writing this in Fez after our first full day here and two days in Morocco. The cultural change from Europe is taking some effort. First a big weather change from our recent wet Spain and Portugal experiences. Second, a big language change even though French is widely spoken here. And an adjustment from free wheeling to tour guide activity, even if there are only two in this group.

 

As always with this travel, you quickly have to get used to operations within operations and the all powerful tour guide who guides you to avoid pitfalls, chooses eating places, chooses sites and timings for the days as well as the endless small negotiations he makes for us. A bit like being back at school really and not in control with what is really going on.

 

So given that, what has happened and what do we think?

 

 

First impressions include: an emerging third world country still carrying on from almost medieval traditions and living; modern cars down to donkey and horses; vibrant and happy groups of young modern people; overall pride in country; fairly high security almost everywhere, especially near royal facilities; good food; lovely riads; tourist numbers might be down.

 

Volubilis Roman ruins were fabulous although we were a tad warm in the early afternoon sun and we were being sorely tested in Greek/Roman/Carthegian/African history. Could almost see Russell Crowe coming down through the triumphal arch.

 

Yes, there are some Syrian refugees about and the overall attitude seems to be indifferent thus far. We only see those brave enough to seek money at traffic intersections and we do not know how much increase of police activity is due to refugees. So we have no idea of how much of a problem it is. Our driver is also very careful about police radar traps that seem to be everywhere.

 

 

 

 

Fez, as we know, is a marvel captured in time and the senses were rapidly exploding as Momo our guide began with a history lesson and ended with taking us out of the absolute maze of the medina. Endlessly exposed to the full gamit of shopkeepers as we were giving briefings on leather, embroidery, woodwork, ceramics, tile making, buchery, spices, carpets and how life goes within the medina. Quite mind blowing really and we managed to escape with just a single purchase. How the people really get on in there, heavens knows. In places we were on streets just a metre or so wide and apart from the occasional donkey load, the whole area is pedestrianised. We were there almost five hours.

 

 

We enjoyed a great lunch within the medina at a restaurant I will never be able to find again. What lies beyond the single street facing door of these places?

 

By the end of the day we were ready for our senior travellers rest in Riad Myra, our home in Fez.

It is now the next day and a rest day for us. Yvonne is taking that very literally and would like to remain within the riad walls. Randall would like a bit of a wander around to see what he can see. It is hot of course so a little group unrest ensures as Yvonne plays for time by analysing prospective pics for the blog. To see if we can engage better with our hosts we take a morning cooking class. This works out very well and we enjoyed the experience and eat the results.

 

 

 

Whether we get to take the afternoon city explorers walk for two is a question to be answered in the next blog.