Our trip to Fez was a pleasant train ride in comfortable first class that lead us through Casablanca, Rabat, and Meknes. Lee-Anne originally purchased 2nd class seats but after being on a bus the day before Russ wanted more room for his banged up knee and tailbone. As we approached fez a charismatic Moroccan man entered our sitting car and set us up with a great deal for a raid in Fez for 800Dhm which is roughly 110USD. After he left we read how there are Faux Guides all over Fez who offer you special deals and tours of Fezs Medina. We were told a man from the raid would be waiting for us at the train station with a sign. We never saw this man but we already agreed we were going to avoid him.
We want to warn everyone that you need reservations at a hotel before coming to Fez. We took a cab to the medina to a location where we wanted to stay. The first two places we found were booked. Walking around with our big backpacks made us targets for every faux guide and eager child around. Tons of people kept trying to steer us to a riad. Its said that if a guide brings you to a place, the guest pays more and the guide gets a percentage. We tried to avoid this but after several places declined us for not having reservations, a teenage boy helped us find a raid listed in the lonely planet which we couldnt locate in the maze of the medina.
Once in we haggled the room price down from 1500 to 800Dhm. Meanwhile in the courtyard of the raid the owner was arguing with our teenage guide...since he probably wanted a portion of our hotel fee. Isnt it ironic that we would have paid the same amount and saved some hassle if we just found the guy at the train station.
During our one full day here we did a walking tour from the lonely planet of the crazy medina. Many people and faux guides approached us saying they could take us here or there. We always declined and kept going. We came across many mosques, fezs oldest library, a palace, alleys full of small shops, and many overloaded donkeys.
Lee-Anne also accomplished many successful haggled purchases: a beautiful silver tea set with 5 colorful cups, hands of fatima(moroccan good luck charms), a pretty silk table cloth, a perfume bottle, and Moroccan spices. We realized that Lee-anne is definately a better haggler than me... so we would quitely agree on a good price then away she went. Lee-anne also got decorative henna on her right hand and Russ politely agreed when the lady asked if he wanted a small design on his arm.
After dinner we wondered and took a few more pictures then into the internet cafe. Now its time to read our books: Lee-Anne - Pillars of the Earth and Russ - King of Thrones.
Tommorrow morning off to Chefchaouen, a Rif mountain town, fortunately we have reservations. Thanks to Lee-Anne and her spanish, we called and made reservations last night. No more pestering faux guides for us!
So long for now!
Russ and Lee-anne
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