The Medina of Fez

June 27-28, 2012

The Medina of Fez is one of the oldest and largest. This is the part of the city within the old fortified walls. It is a labyrinthine maze of narrow roads, big enough for donkeys and a few humans.

 Even people who live there get lost. We did twice, with guides who could not even agree between themselves. A guidepost for us was a pile of donkey dung. 

 Mary and Hanna Siemering on one of the "streets".

 Shops and entryways to homes are everywhere.

Last of the master textile weavers.

This 79 year old man has been recognized for keeping alive

a 12th century skill.

An ancient textile computer which used strings to determine the weave of the fabric

(The Arabs were amazing!) 

 Girl weaving a rug.

 It takes 500,000 pieces of wool string, tied as a double knot,

 hammered into place, then trimmed to make one square yard of rug. 

Afterward watching the rug making, there is a glass of "Moroccan Whiskey" (mint tea)

and then the "soft sale".