Morocco - Fes

Africa
City
Author

Oliver Eaton

Published

June 28, 2023

From the Marrakesh Medina, we made our way to the train station to purchase tickets to Fes. Only to find all trains were completely booked. This blew our minds because one train left every hour. Disheartened we tucked into some grub and sipped espresso to discuss options. We ended up hiring a vehicle and driving to Fes. We drove the highway/toll roads, which are in immaculate condition and have a speed limit of 120km/ph. An interesting observation on the highway was that, everyone who drove prestige vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover, etc, drove like maniacs. The crowd would be moving at the speed limit, and some rich wanker would zoom by driving like someone possessed, believing they are beyond everyone else. Our petrol tank was running on fumes, and every station we stopped at had run out of gas. I’m unsure why this was. Eventually, we found a servo with petrol and filled up. It was slightly nerve-wracking.


Initially, we booked one night in Fes, this was because we anticipated celebrating Eid al-Fitr with Miriam’s parents and extended Moroccan family in Rabat. Which would’ve been an experience. However, that didn’t eventuate so we booked an additional night in Fes.


Our First day in Fes was Eid al-Fitr, so most things were shut. In the morning we ended up smoking lots of hash with others at the hostel and explored the Tannery in the old-town Medina. Fes is known for producing quality leather (which happens at the Tannery). The Tannery stank to high heavens! Upon entry we were gifted a branch of mint leaves; to aid the lingering, pungent stench of the place. We were quite stoned and were with a Japanese guy named Sush (like Sushi). Afterwards, we explored deep into the Medina, which is even more maze-like than Marrakech’s, and stopped for iced coffee to cool off. Fuck, it was hot. I reckon I’ve lost weight in this constant heat, and need to replenish my body’s liquids. My hunger was zapped and a tinge of pain could be felt in the gut of my stomach. How do locals cope in this heat?

We went back to the hostel to escape the heat, which wasn’t very successful. There was really no escape. I spent the rest of the day playing guitar at the hostel, which excited my brain because it has been a while since resting a guitar in my lap. In the evening we walked to the top of a nearby hill, which had a castle on top, and watched the sunset. There was so much dust in the stratosphere that it obscured the sunset, which was a tad disappointing. Back to the hostel we went to smoke more hash and suffer in the hot bedrooms. Sleep eluded me while in Fes. It was too hot!


Wrap up

The next day we drove to Chefchaouen. Everywhere we went, people could be seen roasting sheep hooves and heads in the streets. Sheep wool and skin were littered everywhere; the smell, exacerbated by the heat was strong and sickly.