We drove in the dark to Fes so there was unfortunately not much to see. However, we were pleasantly shocked upon arrival at our riad (think Moroccan Bed and Breakfast). The interior was elaborate and utterly beautiful. It had us all gawking around in amazement. The main dining room area was resplendent with vibrant tilework from the floor to about ten feet up the wall. Extending above that to the ceiling was intricately carved stucco. The ceiling was the true showpiece of the room though. The entire ceiling was decorated with hand-carved wooden panels that were as detailed as lace. Extending around the room was a bench with shiny satin pillows that beckoned you to sit down and get comfortable. Within the center of the room were tables and chairs though in case you preferred more traditional dining. The room was truly a masterpiece.
(Pictures of Dar Ziryab Riad provided by my husband, Craig Niesen. For more of his photography of Morocco, click here. Interested in staying at this riad? Click here.)
A Room Fit for Nobility
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than that, we were shown to our room. Tracy had rented us the apartment of the riad. As we walked in I remarked what a beautiful door it had. I was told that it had been removed from a building in the medina that was over 300 years old. Upon entering the room, I also noticed the wall divider between the living room and one of the bedrooms. I was told it that had come from a monastery and was over 600 years old! Even the furniture in the room was several hundred years old. I felt as though I was staying in a museum- albeit a very nice one! The upstairs had a loft area with an additional bedroom and the bathroom.
It was all more beautiful than we could have imagined. We felt as though we slept that night at the height of luxury. If the rest of Fes was as good as the riad, we would not be disappointed.
The Labyrinth That is the Fes Medina
The next morning we set out for the Fes medina, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. By now I had been to the Casablanca medina so I had an idea of what to expect. Nothing could really prepare me, though, for the size of this medina in comparison. The maze-like streets and alleyways went off in every direction. Countless stores selling all manner of goods lined each street, everything from clothing and pottery to baby diapers. It was truly a sight to behold! As we walked, we would stick our heads into different places to see what manner of things they were selling. If we found a store interesting, we would enter.
One such store held many antique items such as knives and things that we found very intriguing. The store owner suggested we go upstairs, and so we did. His upstairs room held a wide variety of antiques. There was an intricately decorated mirrored armoire along one wall, several beautifully painted doors, and even an antique camera. We had a wonderful time just exploring to see what other things we could find. The owner was a very pleasant man and we had a good time talking with him about all his treasures.
Next we stopped into a building that, as soon as you entered you were greeted with a huge hall. The entire hall was decorated in amazing mosaic tile work. In the center of the hall was a restaurant area. We all felt a bit intrusive upon entering, but no one seemed to mind. We explored at our leisure. As it turned out, we were rewarded with a rooftop terrace that had a commanding view of the city. Fes so far was not disappointing in the least!
The Fes Tanneries
The highlight of the visit to the Fes medina for me, however, had to be our next destination. We walked for a while longer and then went up a set of stairs to a balcony. We were given a sprig of mint. At first I wasn’t certain why, until I sniffed the air and was hit by the pungent smell of ammonia. We were visiting in February so the smell was somewhat less than it would have been in summer. But, we were grateful for the mint nonetheless.
The view from the balcony of the Fes tannery was excellent. Large clay basins lined with worn tiles covered the landscape below us. In each basin was a different colored liquid- mostly browns and shades of rusty red. Hides were laid out on the sides of some basins, and some hung from racks on the rooftops above. A few gentlemen were working that day, and one was standing in a basin in waders tamping down the hide. The smell was strong, but not overpowering so we watched them for a bit.
A Living Relic of the Past
For me, this visit was striking. The Fes tanneries, of which there are three, are old. The oldest tannery is a thousand years old, which is impressive. What fascinated me most though was that the process to produce the leather has not changed in that entire time! To think, the people 1,000 years ago were producing leather just as the people of today’s time do! That fact seemed staggering to me, given that some businesses nowadays can’t seem to last even a year. And if a business does last through generations, oftentimes the production process goes through multiple iterations in that time. Even in Europe, for example, monks don’t illuminate manuscripts to produce books any longer. It seemed to me, the Fes tanneries are a living example of the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”.
We left the Fes tanneries, but not before buying a few masterfully created leather goods. We simply couldn’t go home empty-handed from there. But that was not to be the last wonderful experience Fes had in store for us.
Wonderful ! Feel like I was with you !
Awww… Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!