Slice of Fez

We’re off! OK, not quite. First we switch maison d’hotes. Opting to try something new, we move to Dar Seffarine, run by a Norwegian woman and her Iraqi husband. It’s beautiful and understated, and, after we get lost in three taxis finding our way there, great to arrive. The Dar is in the exact center of the medina and has a terrace with unrivalled views.

David had recommended a realtor, but as the man is a devout Muslim, he won’t work on Friday; we have learned that Moroccans work a six-day week, however. He’s not the only one. Remember the photo of the iron pots used for wedding feasts? Yesterday, that street was packed with people. Here it is at mid-day on Friday; despite that one pesky tourist in the background, my point is pretty clear.



In a pinch, we find an American realtor who’s been in business about a year, and race off to see 5 houses by lunchtime. What fun!

OK, here are a few shots of some of the places. Do any of them look remotely interesting? One of the first things anyone who buys a house from a Moroccan is going to want to do is change out the Turkish-style toilets and kitchen. This might be a cultural difference at its most petty, but the diamond pattern on the foot rests is not enough to make this American comfortable about squatting over a hole in the floor. These toilets are in every house we see, from one costing about $16,000 to one at $100,000.



House hunting, we’ve decided, is a great way to get a peek at real Moroccan life. In an otherwise closed place like a medina, it’s the only way – at least at this early stage of our time here – to get inside and see the homes and lifestyles of everyday Moroccans. There are so many incredible gems behind the most unassuming doors. We have a couple of very interesting – heated even – discussions with Moroccans as we tour their homes, discussing everything from politics to economics to language. The overall sentiment is that as much as we want into the medina, many of these people want desperately to be out and situated in a clean, modern apartment in the Ville Nouvelle. Because many can’t afford to maintain their large and elaborate homes, they are living in conditions that are uncomfortable and depressing. We’ve also come face to face with the unemployment faced by many educated, seemingly willing young Moroccans. They feel without prospects here and do not have the money to venture abroad for work either.







Tonight, on the spur of the moment, we’re asked to join Allah and Kate, Dar Seffarine’s owners, for dinner along with an American couple that we’ve just met, who were also staying at Riad Luna, and a few friends of Kate and Allah’s, including a British photographer and an Irish fellow who’s just commencing a renovation project in Fes. Peter and Emily have two weeks remaining of their year-long trek around the world, from Cuba to Beijing. It’s been great hearing their stories and comparing notes from the two ends of our travel spectrum.