Morocco - Fez - Day 5

Our guide picked us up from our Riad in person at 8.00am - we didn't even get the breakfast from our Riad as we were out too early!  We popped our head in the door of the Mosque that was next to our Riad.  Apparently this is where the people come if they are ailing or sick to ask to get better...

Walked aroumd the Medina - this shop was selling bridles for horses and donkeys...

This is a cart full of cactus flower.  We got to try one, they are sweet - a little melon like....

In the Medina - the alleyways here are narrower than the ones in Rabat and Meknes...

This is a painted wall, something to do with the elections....

An ancient building, founded by a weatlhy woman, in the medina.

We then visited the Co-op where they sell all the carpets.  When they found out we were from New Zealand, they showed us Dave Dobbyn's file...

Here is Anne with our Guide.  He consequently offered me 1 million camels for Anne.  I seriously considered it, seeing each camel is worth about 2000 euros :)  I just didn't have anywhere to put the camels so had to decline!!!

These are the three silk carpets we loved....

Three girls actually weaving the carpets!  Notice they have plastic wrapped around their wrists - due to blisters and callouses.  They apparently work no more than 3-4 hours per day as it's hard on their hands, back and eyes.  They were lovely - I was able to communicate with them a little, and they did up a little woolen friendship bracelet, which I'm still wearing 10 days later....

We were then taken to the Tannery.  We were given some mint to smell as we arrived to help take away the terrible pong.  The whole tannery is in view here - the white pits are where the leather is soaked in pigeon poop and limestone (the reason for the smell), and the darker ones are where the skins are dyed.  This week is Brown and Red, and last week it was yellow....

Yellow skins drying in the sun from last week...

Inside there were lots of shops - selling bags, leather jackets, and more bags.  There was a bit of choice too which made it hard.  I bought a leather handbag for Mum, and Anne managed to get a great bargain on a very high quality leather jacket, getting it for 100 euros down from 420 euros.  I should shop with Anne more often!

After the Tannery we were taken to our guides Grandma's for lunch in her berber home.  Beautiful chicken Tajine and fresh Pomengranate afterwards.  Gorgeous home - with beautiful furnishings and tiled walls, very typically moroccan.  Anne and Grandma who is about 73.

We were then taken to this amazing Hammam where we were covered in olive oil soap, then scrubbed until we were red, sauna'd, cold spa, then a hot shower.  The baths were amazingly beautiful with marble finishes, which made it slippery on the tables!  Incredibly clean too.  We met some Moroccan women also at the Hammam and they told us they come once a month or so.  The lady we met was 47, but looked 30.  She asked Anne if she was the same age!   Anne looks pretty good for 47 don't you think - she's holding up well!