I must have walked by that sign a million times during my visit here in Fes before I finally go in to see what magic potions might be found there. As luck would have it, I run into a very chatty owner who gives me a fun tour of the spices, medicines, and oils that are supposed to fix whatever needed fixing:
He doesn’t have a cure for restlessness but I buy some tea and Ras El Hanout which he says is a concoction of 42 spices. The name means “head of the shop” in Arabic. Heck, I may not be able to cook well but who can pass on something that has 42 ingredients! The items are weighed on this scale then wrapped in what looks like paper from someone’s journal (if only I could read in Arabic!) before they are bagged in plastic:
From his shop I wander aimlessly around looking for shoes, but these are too small…
and this is too big:
So I keep walking…
until I run into the Medersa el Attarine, which is an old but recently restored educational facility:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FxvW9rMyD0
Whoa, hold up there missy, you say. Can we check out that jacket you’re wearing today? Why yes, it’s Look 5! My Prada windbreaker might actually be useful as the clouds are looking mighty suspicious today.
Anyway, I really like this shot, from inside, of what’s going on outside:
And what’s outside is more great architecture:
Right in the middle of all this you will find Cafe Clock,
where all tourists and expats eventually end up for a quick bite or wifi, or in my case some live music + dessert on one day…
and falafel lunch on another…
But you know what’s really yummy here in Fes? It’s these vegetarian sandwiches you can get on the street for nearly nothing. You might or might not get sick eating on the street anywhere, but my first sandwich was so great I am more than happy to take the risk again, and again. More on that tomorrow…
0 Comments