I may have spent too much on a teapot

Welcome to Fes, the intellectual, gastronomical, artisnal, and former capital of Morocco. We begin at the gates of the Royal Palace. With brass and cedar doors, the blue and green mosaic tiled gates symbolize the colours of Fes, with green representing peace and Islam. The star patterns hammered into the metal show prosperity, with five points for the five pillars of Islam. The clay is local and mosaic is all made in Fes, famous for its pottery and handicraft work. When originally constructed, Morocco made a trade with Italy, kilo for kilo, marble for sugar. Centuries later, Italian marble is still found all over the country, and Italy's sugar is long gone.

It seems that the royal family has attempted to do a lot of good in Morocco, by investing in bringing the poor up to the middle class by supplying make-work jobs, but it is easy to see where resentment is bred, as this massive palace is one of many in each city, containing its own mosque, homes, and golf course, all closed to the public.

At a military tower on the top of a hill, the entire city sprawled ahead. The "new" section (perhaps only hundreds of years old) along side the kilometers of walled medina. The medina is also split into sections based on ethnicity. There is also a Jewish quarter, and even newer built suburbs.

To get an idea of the processes behind the famous craftsmanship of the city, we visited a pottery and mosaics workshop. In particular, the mosaics were a stunning masterpiece, with men sitting on the floor delicately chipping each piece into perfect shape. The pottery is all made from local clay, and intricate designs all hand painted and created without templates. These distinctly Moroccan art pieces are found all over the city, from smallest water fountains to large, showy doors.

 Before passing through the gates of the medina, there was a pep talk and strategizing about what to do if you get lost. Best not to, with thousands of streets packed with people and donkeys, you may never find the gates out.

The University  of al-Quaraouiyine is the oldest in the world, and originally was a Koranic school and specialized in algebra. 

A huge part of the history and economy of Fes is a distinctly horribly scented tannery. Protected as a UNESCO site, the operations must continue as they traditionally were, without the use of chemicals and artificial dyes. We were handed a sprig of mint to mask the smell as we ascended winding staircases to reach a rooftop lookout at the leather shop. The mint was not strong enough.

It was a much more pleasant visit to the metalwork shop, where artisans showed us the family craft. Tiny, detailed designs are hammered into bronze or silver alloy, sometimes even using a needle for miniscule details. I ended up buying a tea pot so I can prepare Moroccan mint tea at home, using all the right spices and boiling techniques.

The architecture here is hard to get over, and the inside of this Koranic school was a masterpiece of details, combining carved wood ceilings, Arabic calligraphy, mosaic patterns, and metal chandeliers.

A city of contrasts, the region in which we are staying, although ancient by any Canadian standards, is new and modern, with heavy French influence in the boulevard and fountains.

Fes has been exactly what I expected when I imagined Morocco, and I wish I could wander the medina for days. Tomorrow, we continue on our way to the Sahara. 

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