fairy tale fes.

adventure certainly had something in store for us

as we continued our journey south to fes.

tipped by some fellow travelers

we decided it wise to splurge the extra 30 dirhams (3 euros)

on first class train tickets

we would be comfortable, cool, have some privacy.

in the end, it was a great choice

we met two french girls 

who spoke english like they were americans.

our trip ended up intertwining with theirs quite a bit

and we stayed with one of their friends in tangier-

a lovely surprise

in the end, it was also a horrible choice

well, i over-exaggerate.

i'll just say, it could have been a lot worse

there could have been worse things

than admiring the beautiful sweeping countryside

and being jolted by a BANG

glass shattering

dust flying

people screaming

because that is really what you want to hear on a train

lo and behold

there exists a game in morocco for pesky teens

something like,

'throw rocks at passing trains and see how many windows you can knock out'

i for one, am not too fond of that game

the window diagonal from our 

first class, calm and cool cabin

was shattered in seconds, 

glass tumbling into our cabin by our shoes

it was a little more than unnerving.

the moroccan man in our cabin assured us

it wasn't the sort of thing that happened often

but i know he saw the pock marked train windows

as we pulled in and out of stations along the journey

surely added some spice to the trip

our arrival in fes was enough to help us completely forget.

charming and enchanting

a bit more upbeat than assilah

and certainly easier to get lost in.

we wandered around hundreds of the more than 9,500 

roads in fes

mice in a maze

we were pulled every which way

by smells

wonderful and not so much

sights

the very beautiful placed next to 

extremely ordinary

colorful tiles fit together like a story

we had a guide for the day

a santa-like man named ali (easy for me to remember his name)

who showed us things we never would have found

wandering by ourselves.

this was at a medersa, an old student dormitory

morocco has some of the oldest schools in history

one of my favorite stops of the trip:

(not for the weak stomached)

the tanneries.

where they bring animal hides

before they're sheered, cured, and dyed

and made into 

bags, wallets, luggage, cases, jackets, and seat cushions.

the process is intense.

to cure the hides, they're submerged in a dangerous and foul liquid

lye, pigeon guano, and urine.

think about that the next time you pick up you leather purse

after they're smooth and clean, they're put into vats of color

all natural

left for days to soak

and then formed and sewn into what we buy at the stores.

something certainly not to be missed,

but take their advice and accept the mint sprig they offer you

at the beginning of the tour.

it helps when all you want to not breathe in

is pigeon guano and leather smell

our accommodation was one of the best things about fes

riad sara (riad means apartment)

our mouths dropped the moment we stepped in

and remained there until we left.

we were met by unparalleled hospitality

and spoiled by the beautiful walls, floors, windows, doors

almost made me not want to leave in the morning.

people will tell you not to miss fes

when you visit morocco

listen to them

walking through the evening market the first night we arrived

i felt very much as if

all the locals were putting on a show

going above and beyond what they normally would have been doing

epcot morocco if you will.

men sewing and tailoring

mending shoes

beating intricate patterns into brass plates

women standing next to their crops

turnips, zucchini, strawberries, bananas, piles of mint

but something tells me

fes just IS

like that

it was where i was the most enchanted

watching swallows dance after each other in the sunset

high above the medina walls

zipping under city gates 

past tiled walls 

above stoves simmering 

mixing sweet and savory 

showing off, but in a modest way

beckoning for the curious to come see