Fes

 

 

So the bad part was we were duped by the man who sent a tour guide for us in the morning. He was an official guide as unofficial guides are not allowed in the Medina. We told him that we weren’t interested in shopping but all he did was take us to places where he would get a commission. He did take us to the famous spots like the Oldest University in the world and pretty mosques but hardly gave us any information. I was eavesdropping from the other guides to learn about we were seeing. This was the only guide we booked on the spot rather than from reading reviews online so a lesson learnt.

One of the spots that was a new place for us was the tannery. Everything is done within the Medina  with over 850 families working together in a co-op. There are large Vats where lamb and camel skins are treated, coloured and made into various leather items. Pigeon poop is used in the initial process for all its ammonia and supposedly the colouring is only from natural products. Yellow is the most expensive as Saffron is used for the colouring. It was relatively quiet in the tannery as people have headed off for holiday shopping but would be very busy after Eid with all the lamb skin brought into the place.

After some research at lunch time we went back and bought leather jackets for each of us. Aanya’s was custom made as she wanted a shade of pink in a different design. Jeevan’s needed some altering as well so we headed to the tailor’s shop to select the lining. To get there we had to go into one of the narrowest lanes I have ever been. There are over 9800 streets in the Medina a few just wide enough for one person. 

It was very very busy as we were told it’s like Christmas Eve with everyone finishing their shopping for Eid. We sat in a children’s library for a bit as the kids chose some books to buy and it felt so quiet. 

Unfortunately we couldn’t get a spot in the Hamman that we wanted to go to and with Eid I don’t think we will be able to go to one in Marrakesh either. I guess we have to save something for next time.

We did have dinner at the vegetarian restaurant, not sure I would say it’s the best vegetarian food I have eaten. As per the kids Mirch Masala in Brisbane is better, I think for Savik no place can beat it (yet). 

While at dinner, Savik lost a bit of his money to Aanya and was a great lesson to them about gambling as he moved the stakes higher trying to recuperate and lost more. We had one very happy child and one in tears but luckily they sorted it out by bed.