Yes, I am behind in posting, but it is not for lack of trying. There are wonderful things about the places we have been on this trip but hotels that advertised about having WIFI, lie. So, I have tons of pictures now stored on my computer. I will try and recreate our trip, but in no way will be able to use all of the pictures.
On Saturday, the 20th, our daughter and family piled into their big SUV and Philip and I got into the rented Land Cruiser and our caravan left Rabat.
Our first night out was to be in Fez. The trip over was spent getting familiar with the desert landscape, the roads and cars. Philip got used to the way the Land Cruiser drove and we tucked in behind Michael and took off.
We arrived in Fez in the early afternoon and checked into the lovely little hotel (or Riad - a home now turned into a hotel) that Michael had set up for us. It was the Dar Ziryab and was in the new part of the downtown area.
A beautiful young woman named Fatima met us at the gate. She helped us with the luggage, the parking and then promptly stole away the youngest grandson. Right now let me advise anyone wanting to come to Morocco should come with a baby. The Moroccans LOVE young children, especially babies. And there must be magic two ways, because babies who won't let anyone but mom and dad hold them will let a strange Moroccan hold them without a second thought!
This little hotel was very quaint, full of tiles and Moroccan decorating. We were greeted with the hot mint tea, fruit and pastries. Our rooms were very interesting. Jenny's group had a the big room on the main floor with a fireplace and a loft. Ours was on the third floor, small, but with a balcony. Lots of tile in the flooring and in the bathroom. The big deep bathtub and the copper sink made the bathroom very nice.
We grabbed a quick lunch at the Block House Italian restaurant just around the corner, went back to the hotel and rested.
After lunch, some of us took a nap - and it wasn't just the kids.... we headed off for the Medina or market. We had to split up into three cabs and trust that we would all end up in the same place. It worked and we started on our visit to the well known. It wass crowded, dirty in some places, but very tidy in others. It is filled with every age person, every kind of Moroccon dressed in a milllion different styles of clothing. The "stores" in that market carried everything from food, linens, clothing, shoes, hardware, etc. But my son-in-law had a map and guided us everyhwere and we made it in AND out. It was great.
I do believe you can purchase almost anything on a medina!!
Micheal found us a guide toward the end of the visit who took us over to the famous tannery which is also withing this medina. I will post those pictures next.
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