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1 May 2024 - Todra Gorge to Merzouga
We drove south from Todra Gorge to the small town of Ainif and then turned east towards Rissani and Merzouga. The road was in good condition, with interesting scenery and little traffic. When we got closer to Merzouga the wind picked up and sand was blowing across the road. By the time we reached Merzouga the temperature was 31 centigrade.
Our hotel was on the outskirts of Merzouga and just across the road from the Erg Chebbi desert. At 18.00 we walked up the nearby sand dunes. Unfortunately the wind had really picked up and we had to protect our eyes. It wasn't possible to sit down for long to admire the desert scenery.
Many people spend 1 night in a hotel in Merzouga and then 1 or more nights in the desert. It didn't appeal to us as it is very touristy and most tours follow the same route and stay in the same locations.
We also didn't fancy an uncomfortable camel ride. After experiencing the blowing sand I was sure we had made the right decision. The hotel manager told us that the wind had been very strong for the previous 2 weeks.
2 May 2024 - Merzouga to Midelt
Early this morning we noticed large groups of cyclists heading into the desert. They were part of the Titan Desert Bike Race that starts in the Atlas mountains and ends in the dunes of Merzouga. It covers 600 kilometres with 7.5 kilometres of ascent. Usually about 600 cyclists take part.
We left Merzouga via a different route from yesterday as we were heading north to Fes, but stopping at Midelt on the way. The road today was busy with 4 wheel drive tour vehicles and several large groups of motor bikers. We didn't enjoy the route or scenery until after we passed Erfoud.
After Erfoud the scenery improved and there was a large oases that was still very green. Then after Er-Rachida the road was much quieter and we lost the desert tourists. The road went past the Hassan Addakhil Reservoir and through the beautiful Gorges du Ziz.
We had been coping well with all the police roadblocks and had never been questioned by the police. At a road block close to Midelt a policeman waved us through. Another policeman then pulled us over and wanted to know why we hadn't stopped! Fortunately the first policeman admitted that he had allowed us through!
I had booked a 2 bedroom apartment at Midelt through Booking.com for Euro 80. One of its attractions was a washing machine as we needed to do 6 days of laundry. The apartment was new and exceptionally well furnished and equipped. Unfortunately the sound proofing wasn't good and 2 noisy families in the apartments below disturbed us.
3 May 2024 - Midelt to Fes
The drive to Fes was very scenic and rural. We were stopped twice at police roadblocks even though we complied exactly with all requirements. As soon as they realised we were foreigners they waved us on.
In 2004 we stayed in the Palais Jamais which was a fantastic Sofitel hotel on the edge of the medina. Unfortunately it closed in 2014 and it is now being rebuilt. There are now many Riads in the medina that have been converted into hotels. However, I find that Riads are dark and gloomy with windows facing into a courtyard.
After a lot of research I booked a room at the Fes Heritage Boutique Luxury Hotel. It was expensive at Euro 160 per night but it was only a 5 minute walk away from the main gate of the medina and had the best reviews for a hotel. We were delighted when we arrived to find that they had upgraded us to a suite.
In the late afternoon we had a wander through the medina. We were in Fes 20 years ago and we could certainly see some changes. It doesn't feel as medieval because:
There are lots more tourists and even large groups go into the medina. Tourists can find their way around the medina using Google Maps whereas before you would become disoriented once you left the 2 main alleys.
There are very few donkeys transporting goods. The cry of balak, balak used to warn pedestrians of passing donkeys
There is very little skilled craft work being done as most items can be manufactured more cheaply.
Despite that Fes still has the best medina in Morocco and probably the world. Fortunately it is still pedestrianised and one doesn't have to contend with motor bikes like in Kathmandu.
4 May 2024 - Fes
In 2004 we could only find our way around the medina of Fes by using a Tourist Board guide book and signs that had been put up in the medina. Unfortunately the signs no longer exist but we used the guide book, and Google Maps, to do five of the sight seeing circuits in the book.
We set off while it was still fairly cool to do the Fes Jdid circuit. Fes Jdid translates as New Fes but it actually dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. At the time Fes Jdid was new as the medina of Fes el Bali dates back to the 11th century!
We took a taxi to the Royal Palace Gate in Fes Jdid which was built in the 1960's. We were surprised and disappointed to find 2 tour buses already there. In 2004 we were the only tourists.
I had unfortunately forgotten my map and notes and was struggling to find the synagogue and cemetery. We were soon approached by a man who gave us a quick tour around the Jewish quarter of Fes Jdid. He wasn't happy with the Eur 1 that I gave him!
We walked back to our hotel via Moulay Hassan square, Bab Shaa and the beautiful Jnan Sbil Garden. The garden covers an area of 7 hectares. It was an imperial park and opened to the public at the beginning of the 20th century.
We stopped for lunch near Bab Boujloud, which is the main gate of Fes's medina. The outside of this gate is blue and the inner side is green. We ate at a restaurant on the rooftop terrace, which was the same location where we had several meals 20 years ago.
We then followed part of the Monuments and Souks Circuit and visited the following places:
The Fountain at the Nejjarine complex.
Foundouk el Nejjarine. A Foundouk is a building designed as a rest stop for merchants and visitors. This one was built in 1711. The woodwork was beautiful. It is now a museum with many exhibits of the carpenters' handiwork.
Souk Henna which surrounds an old tree.
Qaraouyine mosque. Non moslems cannot enter. We took a photo from the rooftop of an adjacent building as the narrow lanes prevent a good view from street level. It was built in 859.
Medersa Attarine built in the 14th century. It has a beautiful courtyard that leads into a square prayer hall. The student accommodation was above.
Moulay Idriss Mausoleum which contains the tomb of Idris II who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828. Non moslems aren't allowed to enter. It was extremely busy both inside and outside the mausoleum.
5 May 2024 - Fes
We set out on the Palaces and Andalusian Gardens Circuit which is on the eastern side of Fes's medina. It is mainly a residential area and the alleys are quiet. Sadly a lot of the palaces are not open to the public, either falling into ruin or in private hands.
We had a peek into the beautiful Palais des etoiles (Palace of Stars) owned by the Italian consul. It was an oasis of tranquility. The Palais Abdeslam Moqri was in disrepair but there is a bit of restoration happening. Some children showed us around.
We then visited a few things we missed from yesterday's Monuments and Souks Circuit. The first was the Medersa (Islamic school) Bouinania built in the 14th century. We chatted to an interesting family, an 80 year old father who had lived at the Medersa in the 1970s and his 3 children.
The Dar al Magana (House of the Clock) was across the alley . It was built in 14th century and houses an unique water clock. The clock consists of 12 doors and platforms carrying brass bowls. Every hour, one door opens and a metal ball drops into one of 12 brass bowls. A rope with a weight attached is also involved.
The final sight was Place Seffarine which is known for its coppersmiths. We had Moroccan tea on the rooftop terrace overlooking the square. It was fascinating to watch a craftsman heat up a copper object, then add a powder which then turned the inside silver! It was probably a chemical reaction.
There are plenty of shops in Place Seffarine selling metal objects and there was an alley off the square where they were dying wool and hanging it in the alley to dry.
6 May 2024 - Fes
It was our last day in Fes. We first walked down Talaa Kebira, which is the slightly quieter of the 2 main alleys in the medina. It was quieter than at the weekend, although later on we encountered large tour groups near the main tannery.
An unofficial guide then showed us around a small tannery on the western side of Talaa Kebira. Fes has 3 tanneries and very few people visit this one. There weren't any other visitors when we were there and the guide showed us how:
The hides are soaked in stone vats in a mixture of pigeon faeces and chalk to clean and soften them. After this they are able to soak up the dyes more readily. Only natural pigments are used: poppy for red, henna for orange, indigo for blue etc.
The hides are scraped to clean and soften them.
A huge wheel is used, like a spinning drum of a washing machine, to rinse the hides.
The hides are dried in the sun.
It is dirty and very smelly work. I wouldn't want to do it to make a living.
We then visited the other small tannery on the eastern side Talaa Kebira. There were other visitors there and some shops overlooked the tannery.
The Chouara tannery is the largest and oldest in Fes. It dates from the 9th century! To reach the terraces overlooking the tannery you have to walk through shops selling leather goods! You are given a sprig of mint to neutralise the smells and invited up to the viewing terrace overlooking the vats. I didn't find the smell as bad as I did 20 years ago.
7 May 2024 - Fes to Chefchaouen
I didn't sleep well last night as I have caught a cold. We were very sad to leave Fes this morning after a very enjoyable 4 days there. However, we probably won't go back again as Fes has changed too much since we were last there 20 years ago. Mass tourism spoils places.
The 4.5 hour drive to Chefchaouen was very scenic with rolling hills and fields of wheat, spinach and poppies. We passed quite a few herds of goats and sheep. Sadly the road soon disintegrated with eroded edges and deep potholes. It didn't improve until we joined the N13 that goes from Meknes to Chefchaouen.
Chefchaoun was founded in 1471, just before the Spanish Reconquest of Granada, when its population quickly grew with Muslim and Jewish refugees fleeing Spain. The descendants of the Jewish refugees painted their houses blue in the 1930's and now Chefchaouen is known as the Blue Town.
The old medina of Chefchaoun is a very beautiful with all the blue buildings. Unfortunately most of the streets are lined with tourist shops. There aren't any shops for the locals and they are all outside the medina.
We were tired of Moroccan food so we went to Mr Bin Chinese Restaurant that had been recommended on the Tripadvisor Travel Forum. The food was very good and it was a nice change from Tagines!
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