Fez, 7th December 2023

The staff promised a glorious view from the rooftop terrace, and they weren't telling fibs. The city of Fez looked stunning in the early morning light. A bit of mist, a bit of sunshine; the whole city seems surrounded by mountains on all sides.
Everything revolves around the old Medina and souks - alleyways mostly under cover where the grubby, messy essentials of life are carried out - and where trinkets are haggled and flogged. Well, I needed a new pair of slippers and a brown leather belt. The tanning workshops and leatherwork crafts are hard to miss. I tried getting my leather shoes re-soled but the chap wanted to stick on a rubber piece! No standards :(
Blimey, it's easy to get lost here. Gleefully lost, but it doesn't last for long. The map I borrowed from the hotel is pretty much useless, and the locals don't seem to be able to read it any better than me. Walking and a bit more walking begins to make some sense of the place.
My digital SLR was acting up this aft. I changed the battery and thought the electronics were jiggered (expensive repair), but a change of battery kicked it back into life. (Where's my Leica when I need it?)
I'm feeling a bit worn out this afternoon. Fez is fascinating but hilly, which = tiring. My old plates of meat are aching almost as much as the poor donkeys that carry just about everything up and down the Medina, bless 'em.Read more