Join Our Mailing List

Email:

Web Resources

Printable Version of Full Newsletter.

Page 1 | 2 | 3

ABOUT THE MEDINA
Despite my experiences, meals need not be expensive. You can find plenty of good places to eat, including delicious and ridiculously cheap street food in the Medina. In fact, the Medina is a must-see, and probably the reason you want to come here in the first place. These days not many places make Americans feel like they're outside the United States, but Morocco is definitely one of them. And there's no place in the U.S. that will remind you of the Fès Medina -- except maybe on your television screen with an Indiana Jones DVD, or Disney's Epcot Center with its replica of the famous Bab Boujouloud gate. The Medina is massive and wild -- completely different from Marrakech's. This one is not only a lot bigger (over a mile long), but there are far fewer tourists. Instead of worrying about mopeds running you over, you're on the lookout for mules. There are a lot of them, and it's a challenge getting out of their way. They move quickly, and the alleys are very narrow, dark and intricate, with many confusing lanes. You'll definitely need a guide, unless you don't mind getting lost. If you do venture out by yourself, be sure to carry the address where you're staying (written in both French and Arabic), in case you need help finding your way back. Virtually all signs in the Medina are in Arabic, so don't plan on finding a street address.

QUICK ARABIC LESSON: The only Arabic I learned is "Shukran" ("thank you") and "Balek!" which means "attention" because a donkey is about to run your arse over.

INSIDE THE MEDINA
Entering the Medina from the Bab Boujouloud gate just after sundown, watching the full moon slowly rise, made me feel like I was on a movie set. It was surreal. But I quickly began moving through the crowded Medina. It has everything you could possibly imagine, including all kinds of food: dates, fruits, vegetables, candy, donuts, cheese, seafood, meat-- even camel meat. Yes, I spotted a freshly killed camel's head hanging on the wall. Then I walked past a stall with over 50 chickens in cages. When I saw a bloody sink, and a customer point to one of the chickens, I knew it was time to pick up the pace. (FYI: A fresh 2.2-pound chicken cost 17 DH [$2]). There are also plenty of souvenirs, plus items like pottery, carpets, leather bags, antiques, tiles, silver -- you name it!

FOR A GREAT VIEW
It's mind boggling to see how vast the Medina really is. A good place for an overview is at Borj Sud. There's a post office up here, but more importantly a great view of Fès El-Bali.

WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BARGAIN
I mentioned last week a store in Marrakech with government-controlled prices. There is a similar (or same) one in Fès, and it's a good place to stop before shopping in the Medina. You can get an idea of how much things cost before you start bargaining in the Medina (which is expected). For tips on how to bargain, see last week's newsletter. The Fès government-controlled store is called Cocopraf. It's on Ensemble Artisanal – Boite Postal 31, Fès; the telephone number is 055-62-10-07. Click here to see the card (from now on, I will scan business cards; you can print them out to be sure you have the right contact info).

IS IT SAFE?
Unlike Marrakech, the vendors in Fès are not aggressive at all -- not even when potential customers walk into their shop or in front of their stall. They are all very laidback and friendly. The only person I found not like that was a 14-year-old who did not stop bugging me to go to his family's restaurant. He followed me quite a ways; it was the only time I felt unsafe. I was alone in a remote, quiet part of the Medina, with no tourists nearby. I heard him yell something in Arabic; the only word I could decipher was "American." I felt like everyone was looking at me. I got nervous, and hightailed it out. Maybe it was in my head, but I wasn't going to stick around to find out. Happily, an opposite encounter occurred earlier when I was walking around. A young girl came up and asked if she could have a pen. She was so cute that I couldn't refuse, even though the only one I had was not cheap. But it made her day -- and mine.

ANOTHER SECURITY STORY
The first night after dinner I was told our group would have a security detail. I'm assuming word had gotten out that American journalists were touring Fès, and the Moroccan government made a precautionary move. I know we didn't need them, and sure enough the next day they were gone. But I don't think I ever felt more safer than the first night when we had three plainclothes and two uniformed police officers escorting us around with walky-talkies. It was kind of exciting -- but then again, so is Fès.

VIDEO
Here's a 2-minute Johnny Jet video of my trip to Fès. It's also on YouTube, so it takes only a few seconds to load (though the quality is not as crisp). We also have all the Johnny Jet Videos ever made on their servers.

NEXT WEEK
Next week finish our trip to Morocco, then travel to…? Tune in to find out!

Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

*PLEASE tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!

1 | << PREVIOUS PAGE | 3



Copyright 2007 JohnnyJet, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.