This was our Fes old Medina experience. There were several things that we learned during this particular trip.

The definition of words

Fes is the name of Fes, Morocco. Fez is the name of the characteristic hat worn by men in the Ottoman Empire and parts of the Mediterranean. It is made of felt, brimless, cone-shaped, and with a tassel. It is also known as a symbol of men of North African or Turkish origin. Although Fes and Fez are used interchangeably.

Medina is a historic, walled, old town center in North Africa and parts of the Mediterranean characterized by a labyrinthine network of narrow streets, traditional structures, souks, and mosques.

Souk is an open-aired or covered market place in North Africa or the Middle East serving as a commercial and social heart of a city. It is typically located within the walls of a Medina.

The Visit to the Old Medina of Fes, Morocco

We began boarding the tour bus earlier than usual that morning and heading for the old Medina of Fes, Morocco. This was a decision that we greatly appreciated later on. We would have been walking the Medina with a hundred other tourists if we had gone an hour later.

A panoramic view of the Medina

The photograph above was a partial panoramic view of the Fes old Medina. It was spread so widely that we had to view it from the observation deck of Borj Sud (south tower) of the Saadian fortress located on a hill south of Fes el-Bali in Morocco. The Borj Sud was used in the past to observe the growth of the Medina.

The Important Orientation Before The Tour

A local tour guide began orienting us about the old Medina as soon as we started rolling with the bus.

He was emphasizing repeatedly how important it was for us to stay together while in the Medina. The narrow and labyrinthine passageways can easily be disorienting. He did, however, assured us that he will come back for anyone lost during the tour. Nice guy!

The next emphasis was on how aggressive the hawkers can get inside the Medina. They are used to tourists and will try hard to sell their wares. It was advised to best avoid engaging with them. Word can easily get around on who is buying and will further attract other hawkers. The vendors with the stalls can be more forgiving.

The last warning was the taking of photographs. The locals became sensitive to photographs when they started seeing their faces plastered on magazines without their permission. It was either ask permission before taking a photograph or take photographs of products and structures only.

As if on cue, we began walking single file while following our local tour guide. Every so often, he would stop and do a head count. It was very obvious that he was not taking any chance of losing any of us.

Like going down the rabbit hole, we forged forward to the narrow and labyrinthine passageways of the Medina.

View random photographs of our travels. Memories found and captured in a photograph.