The Medieval heart that beats in the middle of Morocco
Review of Fez, Morocco
Fez is quite simply astounding. We arrived by train early in the morning and took a cheap taxi to our hotel in the New Town. Checking in took no time and so we headed off with our guide book to find ancient Fez. We didn't have far to look.
We walked from the New Town along the wide Boulevard Moulay Yousef toward the grand imposing walls of the Royal Palace. Past lush gardens full of tropical greenery we headed on past the palace toward the Old walled town of Fez El Bali.
Walking
through the blue tiled doorway of Bab Boujeloud we were instantly assaulted
by an explosion of noise, smells, life and hubbub.
Fez has the largest medina in north africa and has been rightly designated a UNESCO world heritage site. Over half a million people live within the Medina and there are apparently 800 mosques.
Walking down past cafes, bread sellers, kebab and sausage salesmen we headed into the into the medina. The walls of the medina in Fez are lined with bazaar stalls that are little more than open fronted huts, but all tiled with great care and attention. One brass worker happily explained that there are 50,000 bazaar stalls and that his family had owned this one for at least 240 years and that some stalls have been in the same families for at least 400 years.
We were happily lost for hours here, occasionally coming across the hidden sights of Fez sights such as the doorway of the Bou Inania Medersa which dates from the 14th Century.
At the bottom of Fes El Bali is the ancient dying works which can be found simply by following your nose. It is a spectacular sight which nobody should miss.
In the evenings we sat in french styled street cafes in the new town happily watching the world go by. In the day we explored more and more of Fez El Bali and after 4 days had completely fallen in love with the city and people of Morocco.
K.T. Harrow - May 2006
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