January 4, 2007
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Morocco – Day 2: Ancient and New
Date: December 23
Location: Fès (Fez)
Weather: Mild and Sunny
Snails Eaten: 28
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On Day 2, after a good night’s rest, we head straight for the
famous and ancient city of Fes (Fez). This is a city that’s been alive
for 1200 years, and is still as vibrant as ever. Fes remains my
favorite city in the country, in fact.src="http://x57.xanga.com/0acd32677133399643324/w70130056.jpg"
width="400">Me, my mother, and my sister traveled there with my cousin
(TQ), and her husband (YH). Of
course, we stayed with family–YH’s aunt, to be precise, and his
brothers’ families who were also visiting. When we arrived, we were
treated to more of their hospitality and a great lunch (more couscous,
meat, vegetables, and tea). After a little rest, we went to the Fez
medina.Now, as I mentioned before, a medina is a
section of town that has open-air markets and stalls selling
housewares, clothing, food, and most anything else you can imagine.
When you picture Morocco, oftentimes you think of the winding alleys
and streets filled with people buying and selling goods. This image
comes straight from Fes.src="http://x8b.xanga.com/3f7d056a3553399643333/w70130063.jpg"
width="400">The medina is confusing. Luckily both YH
and his brother were guiding us through, and we bought a few things,
and I ate a few snails with his brother. Snails have a very distinctive
taste; you can’t really relate it to anything else, and the broth
they’re boiled in is quite good for a cold.But about shopping… It is quite fun in
this environment. But, while my sister and mother were going about
buying so many things as gifts, I had it easy: I just buy things for
myself. I’m the one on vacation, so I’m not gonna spend all this time
stressing out over what to get for 40 people back home who expect me to
buy something for them. And if it’s not your birthday or a holiday,
it’s rather much to expect a gift. …but I
digress.align=left>I did get one cool thing from Fes. A Fez. Come on, I
couldn’t
go to the city for which it was named without buying one! Right now
Lenny is wearing it.align=center> src="http://x70.xanga.com/f7fd2a671213599643349/w70130073.jpg"
height="223">The medina is much more than shops, though. The medina is
typically the old part of a city, around which it was first founded.
And the Fes medina is built around the oldest
university in the world,
of Al Karaouine, founded in 859 A.D. And not to mention that
gorgeous tilework and gates are spread throughout the medina, and the
interior of some shops as well.src="http://xb5.xanga.com/dbdd0a713563399643341/w70130068.jpg"
height="400">So, myself, my mother, my sister most definitely enjoyed the city of Fes.
src="http://x9b.xanga.com/ae5d26677213299643348/w70130072.jpg"
width="400">That night we have dinner at home, and prepare to leave the
next day for the ancient Roman ruins of
Volubilis.Tomorrow: Meknes. KF
