Travellive 7 - 2018

Ups & downs of an ancient capital
If someone were to ask me where
at in Morocco I enjoyed the most,
without hesitation I would choose Fez.
I have always given more affection to
the majestic natural scenery of high
mountains, wide seas, long rivers,
rarely favoring big cities. But I cannot
help falling in love with Fez. This
city is so special; fluctuating between
the traditional, the seriousness of
an ancient capital, its boisterous
characters of the souk (market) and its
idyllic French styled villas.
If Marrakesh is busy and bustling,
attractive as a young man full of
life, Fez is a mature and seductive
man full of hidden wisdom. The
once-oldest capital of housing the
most dynasties, Fez has witnessed
the country's ups and downs over
thousands of years. It was not until
1912 that the French-Morocco treaty
was signed in Fez, bringing Morocco
to the list of French colonies. This
treaty also moved the capital to Rabat.
Despite the change of capitals, Fez is
still the center of art, culture and the
spirit of the kingdom.
After four days in a bouncy car
and struggling on the back of a
camel outside the Sahara Desert, I
was back to civilization. Through
the car window, I felt as if I were
travelling back in time through
three completely different eras of
the city. The first era is the new Dar
Dbibegh, built by the French in
the colonial period, a harmonious
combination between traditional
Moroccan and modern European
architecture. Then to the FÃs el-
Jedid, the "new" administrative
center, beginning in the 13 th century
under the Marinid dynasty. Finally,
I walked into a completely different
world: FÃs el-Bali, which covers the
medina (fortress city); the oldest town
established under the 8th-century
Idrisid dynasty.
Starting a new day on a high tower
My day in Fez typically began before
dawn when I was awakened by the
adhan - the Islamic call to prayer.
From the highest tower, I could
clearly hear the adhan, spreading to
every corner of the city in oscillating
tones - wavering from high to low.
Muslims pray five times a day, every
day: dawn, noon, midday, sunset and
one hour after sunset. They gather in
mosques, Islamic schools or pray in
private, always facing the direction
of Mecca.
In the early morning I walked to Bab
Boujloud, the most special gate of
Fez, connecting FÃs el-Jedid to the
old town of FÃs el-Bali. This place
is called "Blue Gate" because of the
color of the meticulously decorated
bricks, covering both sides of the
wall: one face in cobalt blue - the
color of Fez, the other in green - the
color of Islam.
Fez's medina is often referred to as
a cryptic labyrinth. It is the largest
pedestrian street in the world with
a population three times larger than
the main island of Venice, Italy. In
the medina, motorized vehicles are
banned entirely due to the many
stairs running up and down the
narrow streets, only a few dozen
centimeters wide. The walls of Fez
encompass invaluable cultural and
architectural treasures. In an area of
a few square kilometers, there are
countless gates, palaces, mosques,
Islamic schools, and fountains,
among some of the best preserved in
the enchanting Arab world, seducing
wanderers who love to explore, much
like myself.
TRAVELLIVE
95