Date received: Wed Nov 29 2000, 03:39 PM PST
I'm back in a big city, this time Fes. Fes is similar to Marrakech, with an ancient Medina, or old city, at its heart. There is nothing quite like walking around the narrow streets of a medina in Morocco. I visited a tannery today, where they make leather goods. The same techniques, and in fact the same exact vats, have been used for centuries.
Fes is certainly a different pace from being out in the desert. The past week has been very mellow, but now I am back in a city, I get pestered all the time. People just start following me around, wanting to take me to some shop or another. It is very hard to just walk around on your own.
Ramadan (period of fasting from sunrise to sunset) has started, which has made being a tourist rather difficult. I don't like to offend by eating during the day, but come dinner time, everything closes up so that everyone can go home to eat. So it is hard to find the right time to eat.
Tomorrow, I will go to Meknes, another old city, then head north.
peter
