Feztive Towns

The nine hour drive took me through ever-changing scenery, starting in the rolling reddish dunes of the Sahara, then past rocky, arid landscapes with the occasional palm filled oasis and adjoining small settlements, over the Middle Atlas Mountains, through the snowy alp like city of Ifrane with a pine forest that looked more at home in Sweden than Morocco if it hadn’t have been for the troops of monkeys playing in it, before finally arriving in Fez. The medina in Fez was if possible even more of a maze than the one in Marrakech, and really is the stereotypical, chaotic hustle and bustle with all the sounds, colours and smells that I had expected.

It is the largest medina in the world and I spent a few days wandering around the twisting lanes, constantly getting lost and climbing to rooftop terraces offering great views of the city and its iconic leather tanneries.Here they still practice the same methods, with all natural dyes and softeners, which they have been using for over a thousand years to prepare their leather hides. I really enjoyed Fez, but it does get intense and you are rarely left alone, with people trying to sell you stuff or scam into giving them money, so after these hectic days I needed a respite, I got on a bus to the small town of Chefchaouen, and I really couldn’t have picked a better spot to relax.

The town has to be up there with the most picturesque I have ever seen, perched in a valley surrounded by jagged mountain peaks, almost all the buildings are painted in different shades of pastel blue, creating an almost ridiculously postcard perfect community with a peaceful ambience. I stayed three days, catching my breath, chilling at the hostel and walking around the blue Andalusian houses and cobblestoned alleys, before deciding to catch another bus heading north once more.

This bus took me to Tangier which on first impression wasn't great, gone were the quiet days of Chefchaouen and I was back in the cauldron getting hassled again. On a clear day you can see the European continent from here but the following morning was anything but that, it was really cold, windy and cloudy, so after strolling around for a couple of hours I decided to cut my losses, leave Tangier and finally start heading south!