Weekend in Fes

Just got back from a great weekend in Fes with some friends. I hadn't been there since 2000 when I visited Morocco on holidays so wanted an update, as well as the opportunity to do a Moroccan cooking class, which I will cover in my next entry. Decided to stay at Dar El Hana as it was run by an Australian. I thought it would be nice to meet one as I rarely see them here in Morocco. Josephine met as at the medina car park and took us to the guesthouse where she had organised dinner to be ready and waiting for us. It was 9 o'clock by the time we got there as the train was late (a side effect of Ramadan I believe). Anyway we got the full Moroccan experience - Harira (a soup), a HUGE plate of mixed salads, lamb and prune tagine with fresh fruit and chocolate for dessert. We also took along a bottle of wine, not knowing we could buy it there. Anyway, it was a pleasant evening and we ate on the rooftop terrace by lamp light. Very quiet and relaxing, which is a great way to wind down after a busy week.
Here's the salad!

Dar El Hana has only 3 guest rooms sleeping a maximum of 8 and we had the two on the second floor, one twin and one triple. Typically there had tiled floors with rugs; hand-painted octagonal tables as bedside tables; bedspreads made of the plant silk; wooden shutters for the windows looking out over the central courtyard with wrought-iron frames around the windows and forming the balcony balastrades. A very comfortable place to stay and very centrally located in the medina.We spent some time wandering around the medina, and did so without a guide. One innovation that has made life much easier for tourists is a series of colour-coded thematic tourist circuits around the medina. We followed part of the pink one - the Traditional Crafts Circuit, and also part of the Dark Blue one - Monuments and Souks circuit. There is an accompanying guidebook that can be bought for 100 dirham. Highlights included the henna souk and Nejjarine complex. So much stunning architecture.

Might the central medina was a hive of activity around the Qaraouiyine Mosque as renovations have to finished this week so it can be officially reopened by the King, with its opening coinciding with the ending of Ramadan. Never have I seen some much painting, scraping and varnishing. Fes certainly will be looking its best this week.