Fes was turning out to be a remarkable place, with historical wonders and feasts for the eyes around every corner. But our interactions with the locals truly proved to be the most enjoyable and memorable experiences we had there.
The very night we arrived in Fes we had one of the most enlightening and pleasant encounters of our trip. After we were shown to our room at Dar Ziryab Riad, we discovered we were all very hungry. All the driving and touring of Volubilis that day rendered us famished by evening. Fortunately the riad had a restaurant in the grand hall we had marveled at upon our arrival. So we all wandered in. We chose a round table adjacent to the comfortable cushioned seats along the wall and sat down for dinner.
We placed our orders and sat chatting about the events of the day. Pretty soon they brought us our drinks, and our appetizers- various cooked vegetables in small bowls for sharing. We all dug in and began sampling and comparing the various dishes. Craig and I soon concluded that the carrots were best, although we all agreed the eggplant was also very tasty. Shortly after that, we noticed a gentlemen casually visiting each table and chatting with the diners. He was an older man with gray hair and a beard, dressed smartly in a lovely dress jellaba (unfortunately no photos of him, but to view jellabas see the photo below). It was obvious to us that he was the owner. After visiting with a couple tables of people, he came over to us and started talking.
A Discussion Over Dinner
We learned his name was Jalil. He was indeed the owner of the entire establishment, and said he was terribly excited to find we spoke English. Apparently Jalil spoke several other languages including Arabic, French, and German, but was rarely able to practice his English. Happy to help him out, we invited him to sit down to dinner with us. Grudgingly, since he didn’t want to intrude on our meal, he finally agreed. We discovered that he had opened the riad and the restaurant after his children grew up and moved out. He managed both businesses, his wife was the chef, and he also was a professor at the University.
We had an absolutely lovely chat with him. We especially found it funny when he explained his strategy for running the business. He said that, although he is the owner and head of the family, his wife and children were the neck. His family, he said, “turns his head this way and that”, ultimately persuading him to make the decisions they suggest. “I may be the head,” he said, “but the head only goes where the neck wants it to”. A very poignant way of putting it, and one I’m sure many people can relate to!
We truly enjoyed chatting with Jalil. He talked about his family and what Moroccan life was like. It was wonderful to get a local’s perspective on the country and its people. Thanks to our talk with him, we undoubtedly learned a great deal more that we otherwise would have. We were disappointed when he said he had to get back to work, but were fortunate enough to chat a few more times before we left Fes. Our visit was made more memorable because of him.
A Surprising Encounter with a Merchant
The visit with Jalil was not the only interesting or enjoyable encounter we had though with locals in Fes. We had heard before going to the Fes medina that the merchants could be rather pushy at times. So, when we arrived we were already on guard for just such a situation. I wasn’t in the least surprised when, after I admired a glass bowl, the shopkeeper started pestering me about it. I told him no and walked on. But, he persisted on following me, all the while trying to convince me to buy it. I mention this not to portray Moroccan merchants in a bad light, but because of how the encounter ended.
After following me for about a mile refusing to give up, my husband turned and stopped him. At first I was a bit worried what might happen. But, Craig simply said to him that I did not want the bowl but we’d “part as friends”. It was miraculous- those were the magic words! The man simply agreed and even seemed quite pleased with him, then he just walked away. I might have said that a good half mile before that, had I know it would work so well! I couldn’t really blame the guy for trying though, particularly when he was so nice when we finally declined. That was how the morning in the medina went, which was capped off by our visit to the tanneries. The latter half of our day in the Fes medina though proved to be no less interesting with regard to the local hospitality.
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