CAMBRIDGE - May 21
Part of the reason that we didn't really post from Istanbul is that we were bummed about not being able to upload photos, and the other part is that we wanted to spend the last few days of our trip just being together.
Monday, our last day, we made sure to spend the day exactly right. We visited the Topkapi Palace first thing in the morning. Too lazy to find an actual tour guide, we hired Ari to play the part. There were loads of English speaking tour guides around, and we caught snippets from them, too. And, like a true tour guide, Ari made up everything that he didn't know. The Ottoman's ruled their empire from and lived at Topkapi from 1453 to 1839. The palace itself was much more akin to a campus than a solitary huge building. Disappointingly, there were no furnishings, but the tilework, plaster carvings, and ornate painting certainly filled the space with their grandeur. The collection of jewels and gifts from foreign royalty on display in the treasury building were UNBELIEVABLE. Ruby encrusted swords, six foot solid gold candle sticks, and the world's third largest diamond were on display. Emeralds that the Wizard of Oz would have envied, jewelry, crowns, and utter wealth were on display for all to ogle.
Having enjoyed our lunch at the docks so much the day before, we went for a repeat. The fish monger recommended sea bass and small red fish with a Turkish name and we were not disappointed. The sun was shining, Ari had rolled up his pants when we waded through the fish guts, and the tasty food made for the perfect meal.
As we were finishing a Turkish Popeye came over and offered to take us for a cruise on his small fishing boat. We headed out in the other direction towards the Golden Horn and with the boat all to ourselves we actually put the camera away for the first time all month and enjoyed a nice little cuddle. Popeye didn't speak any English, but he pointed out the sites on the shore and told us all about them in Turkish. We think.
The Galata Bridge that connects Sultanahmet (the area of town with all of the historic sites) to Beyoglu (the hot neighborhood with stylish eateries and trendy shopping) was always packed with men fishing. At every hour of the day and night, they would be lined up shoulder to shoulder hauling in lines full of little sardines. Some were sport fishers, catching dinner for their family, others salty old men filling buckets with the little silver fish. The bridge had a lower level that was a string of small eateries, and we parked on beanbag chairs and enjoyed a nargila (Turkish for sheesha water pipe) watching the boats and ferries glide across the strait and the sun go down over Istanbul.
All weekend, we had been searching for the perfect mezze, sampling the small plate offerings at different restaurants. With perfect timing, we found the most delicious mezze on our last evening. We had our last kebaps, glasses of raki, and divine little salads Monday evening, bringing the perfect close to the perfect trip.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Friday, May 21, 2010
CAMBRIDGE - May 21
OK, we've been home for a couple days now, so we are cheating a little by posting about Istanbul, but there is so much more to share! We've written about most of what we did on Saturday (eat!), but the Aya Sofya deserves a bit more of a mention. Built by Justinian from 532-537 as a huge Byzantine cathedral, it was later commandeered by Mehmet I and converted to a mosque. Right now, the building is a museum and not an actively religious site and we found the historical preservation of it quite interesting. When originally constructed, the walls and ceilings were adorned with the most magnificent mosaics depicting Justinian, his wife Theodora, Jesus, and many of the saints. The backgrounds were gold, the detail was astounding, and the size and quantity unbelievable. Later, when it was converted to a mosque, the mosaics were covered with plaster which was then painted ornately. Today we think it is considered a mosque, because that its most recent usage, but more than that it is a living piece of history. The mosaics are slowly being uncovered and there are constant restoration projects. We found it so interesting that the conservationists were removing the painted plaster in favor of the mosaics, when the plaster itself dates from the 1400's. We were really glad that we had arrived so early as we got to walk in and really feel the awe that the space inspired.
The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art had an amazing collection of rugs and antiques. A bit fried from the night before at the hottest live music venue in town, we just enjoyed wandering through and looking at the pieces, and probably didn't learn as much as we should have while we were there. Same was true at the Istanbul Archeological Museums, though we really enjoyed the Byzantine relief sculpture there.
We guess we did squeeze in a bit more than just eating, because we spent the latter part of the afternoon gallery hopping through contemporary art galleries in the Beyoglu area of town. We had been to the Istanbul Modern museum the day before, and were nonplussed by its collection. Armed with Time Out Istanbul, we set out to see something that was actually hot, and we were not disappointed. We visited half a dozen fairly large private galleries with pieces that were though provoking, intelligent, and well crafted. It was a real treat, as the work we have been seeing in Boston for the last few years has been much less cutting-edge and creative.
Sunday, we did a little shopping in the morning at the Arasta Bazaar. Then, in the early afternoon, we took a ferry ride through the Bosphorus- the narrow strait that divides Europe from Asia. Istanbul is a unique city in that it straddles both continents, though the Asian side is now mostly residential, so we did not visit it. The city is built on a series of hills on both sides overlooking the water. We spent the most glorious afternoon enjoying the sunshine, sea air, and views of the city's skyline and suburbs.
Our memory card from our camera is at the doctor's office, so we promise to get the rest of our photos up as soon as we can. Don't worry-- there are plenty more good ones.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
OK, we've been home for a couple days now, so we are cheating a little by posting about Istanbul, but there is so much more to share! We've written about most of what we did on Saturday (eat!), but the Aya Sofya deserves a bit more of a mention. Built by Justinian from 532-537 as a huge Byzantine cathedral, it was later commandeered by Mehmet I and converted to a mosque. Right now, the building is a museum and not an actively religious site and we found the historical preservation of it quite interesting. When originally constructed, the walls and ceilings were adorned with the most magnificent mosaics depicting Justinian, his wife Theodora, Jesus, and many of the saints. The backgrounds were gold, the detail was astounding, and the size and quantity unbelievable. Later, when it was converted to a mosque, the mosaics were covered with plaster which was then painted ornately. Today we think it is considered a mosque, because that its most recent usage, but more than that it is a living piece of history. The mosaics are slowly being uncovered and there are constant restoration projects. We found it so interesting that the conservationists were removing the painted plaster in favor of the mosaics, when the plaster itself dates from the 1400's. We were really glad that we had arrived so early as we got to walk in and really feel the awe that the space inspired.
The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art had an amazing collection of rugs and antiques. A bit fried from the night before at the hottest live music venue in town, we just enjoyed wandering through and looking at the pieces, and probably didn't learn as much as we should have while we were there. Same was true at the Istanbul Archeological Museums, though we really enjoyed the Byzantine relief sculpture there.
We guess we did squeeze in a bit more than just eating, because we spent the latter part of the afternoon gallery hopping through contemporary art galleries in the Beyoglu area of town. We had been to the Istanbul Modern museum the day before, and were nonplussed by its collection. Armed with Time Out Istanbul, we set out to see something that was actually hot, and we were not disappointed. We visited half a dozen fairly large private galleries with pieces that were though provoking, intelligent, and well crafted. It was a real treat, as the work we have been seeing in Boston for the last few years has been much less cutting-edge and creative.
Sunday, we did a little shopping in the morning at the Arasta Bazaar. Then, in the early afternoon, we took a ferry ride through the Bosphorus- the narrow strait that divides Europe from Asia. Istanbul is a unique city in that it straddles both continents, though the Asian side is now mostly residential, so we did not visit it. The city is built on a series of hills on both sides overlooking the water. We spent the most glorious afternoon enjoying the sunshine, sea air, and views of the city's skyline and suburbs.
Our memory card from our camera is at the doctor's office, so we promise to get the rest of our photos up as soon as we can. Don't worry-- there are plenty more good ones.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
CAMBRIDGE - May 20
Istanbul was a fantastic city in which to close out our trip. A cool, vibrant city, we fell in love immediately. The line between living in and visiting was much more distinct in Istanbul than anywhere else we had visited on this trip-- the sights were tourist destinations with buses constantly unloading, with no locals in sight. Just barely off the beaten path, we would be the only tourists on the block. Nonetheless, we were not going to be so backpacker elitist as to skip the spectacular sights.
Friday morning we were up early and headed straight for the Blue Mosque. Built by Sultan Ahmet I and completed in 1616, it stands as a marvel of Ottoman architecture. Named the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles in its interior, the hype did not disappoint. Approaching the mosque, we had been struck by the beauty of its soaring minarets and cascading domes. It was truly spectacular, and once inside we stood for a while with our heads back and mouths gaping open in awe.
After the mosque, we were off to see the Basilica Cistern. It was pretty cool inside, but its story was far more compelling than the actual site itself. Built by Justinian in 532, it was forgotten some time before the Muslim Conquest. In 1545, Petrus Gyllius was researching Byzantine antiquities and was curious when locals told him they could catch fish from their basements. A little excavation revealed an underground cistern nearly 10,000 square meters. (For you Americans who only measure in yards, that's really big). A true green architecture project, all of the columns supporting the ceiling had been taken from nearby pagan temples during construction. At the far end of the cistern, there are two columns supported by huge stone medusa heads, one sideways, the other upside down. Rumor has it that these orientations render her gaze powerless. Primed from seeing the mummies, Jillian was disappointed to see a head made out of stone when she had been hoping to see a head made out of, well, Medusa.
The small mosaic museum tucked into a bazaar proved to be the coolest sight of the day. A team of archeologists discovered an early Byzantine palace floor in the 1950's, and left it completely in tact. With a few minor restorations and a catwalk for visitors, the museum was really just a viewing place for the floor. We were the only people visiting while we were there, and really got to take our time appreciating the intricacy of the designs.
We visited the Grand Bazaar late in the afternoon. Grand would have been a much more apt description of the souks in Morocco, but we managed to find a few treasures to bring home with us before heading to dinner.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Istanbul was a fantastic city in which to close out our trip. A cool, vibrant city, we fell in love immediately. The line between living in and visiting was much more distinct in Istanbul than anywhere else we had visited on this trip-- the sights were tourist destinations with buses constantly unloading, with no locals in sight. Just barely off the beaten path, we would be the only tourists on the block. Nonetheless, we were not going to be so backpacker elitist as to skip the spectacular sights.
Friday morning we were up early and headed straight for the Blue Mosque. Built by Sultan Ahmet I and completed in 1616, it stands as a marvel of Ottoman architecture. Named the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles in its interior, the hype did not disappoint. Approaching the mosque, we had been struck by the beauty of its soaring minarets and cascading domes. It was truly spectacular, and once inside we stood for a while with our heads back and mouths gaping open in awe.
After the mosque, we were off to see the Basilica Cistern. It was pretty cool inside, but its story was far more compelling than the actual site itself. Built by Justinian in 532, it was forgotten some time before the Muslim Conquest. In 1545, Petrus Gyllius was researching Byzantine antiquities and was curious when locals told him they could catch fish from their basements. A little excavation revealed an underground cistern nearly 10,000 square meters. (For you Americans who only measure in yards, that's really big). A true green architecture project, all of the columns supporting the ceiling had been taken from nearby pagan temples during construction. At the far end of the cistern, there are two columns supported by huge stone medusa heads, one sideways, the other upside down. Rumor has it that these orientations render her gaze powerless. Primed from seeing the mummies, Jillian was disappointed to see a head made out of stone when she had been hoping to see a head made out of, well, Medusa.
The small mosaic museum tucked into a bazaar proved to be the coolest sight of the day. A team of archeologists discovered an early Byzantine palace floor in the 1950's, and left it completely in tact. With a few minor restorations and a catwalk for visitors, the museum was really just a viewing place for the floor. We were the only people visiting while we were there, and really got to take our time appreciating the intricacy of the designs.
We visited the Grand Bazaar late in the afternoon. Grand would have been a much more apt description of the souks in Morocco, but we managed to find a few treasures to bring home with us before heading to dinner.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
ISTANBUL - May 18
We arrived safely in Istanbul last Thursday and it has been quite a change of pace. We went right from a bustling medina with alleys and donkeys pulling carts and camel butchers to a cosmopolitan European city with contemporary art galleries, designer clothing, and small passport stamps. In our travels, we have noticed that the grandeur of a country's passport visa is inversely proportional to their level of economic development.
We've visited all of the requisite sites in Istanbul, but unsurprisingly we have been enjoying its food the most. Faced with the fact that we only had three days left on our trip, we squeezed in a few extra meals per day. According to our calculations, we could indulge a little bit-- OK, a lot a bit-- and still come home without a net gain thanks to our intermittent travelers' diarrhea.
Here's how Saturday went down:
8:12am - Homemade museli and yogurt on the roof deck of our hotel. A modest beginning to a gluttonous day.
8:36am - On line to see the Aya Sofya. The doors didn't open until 9, but we wanted to avoid the crowds, so as to not waste too much time that could otherwise be spent eating.
10:12am - That was nice. Cool church/mosque. Hot mosaics. Let's get a snack.
10:14am - Snack time! Jillian's new friend from the day before, Elif, invited us for a cup of apple tea at his restaurant. Since we were already sitting, we figured we might as well have some fresh Turkish spanikopita with our tea.
10:36am - Left the restaurant with two cheek kisses and a bag of spanikopita for our afternoon snack, all from Elif.
10:38am - No sense in letting a bag full of warm spanikopita cool. Those were delicious.
12:20pm - In keeping our promise to have breakfast at a small restaurant we stumbled upon the night before, we sat down for our third breakfast of the day. The grateful proprietors prepared some special dishes for us in addition to the already generous breakfast bufe (buffet). With our stomachs already aching, we still couldn't refuse the tasty eggs, salad, savory pastry, cheese, olives, homemade breads and jams, Turkish tea and coffee, and cookies. The eggs were quite possibly the best we've ever had, and everything else was not far behind.
1:18pm - After chatting a bit, the zaftig cook provided us with her secret recipe and we rolled, literally rolled, out the door.
2:46pm - The afternoon boat ride would not have been complete without a few morsels of Turkish delight candy which we shared happily with the children sitting next to us.
4:11pm - After the boat ride, we took a photographic journey into the fish market. Ari reminded Jillian that wading through fish guts wasn't quite as much fun without the camera- it was just wading through fish guts.
4:18pm - The last fish stall boasted a big grill and small plastic chairs along the water. The fisherman in the big rubber boots (not flip flops, as we were in) pointed out his freshest catch, which soon became our lunch. Moments later, one plate overflowing with fried sardines and one plate with the biggest juiciest tastiest most succulent shrimp arrived and were delightfully devoured.
4:57pm - Thinking something green might pull us out of our food comas, we bought a bag of little green plums that we had been eying for days. Though tasty with a nice sour bite, we were still too full for words.
5:20pm - Oooh! Fresh corn nuts in the spice market. 200g, please!
6:36pm - Still walking off breakfast.
7:36pm - Waiting to be hungry for dinner. Pit stop for a Turkish coffee.
8:36pm - Still walking off breakfast.
9:17pm - Oooh! There it is. That first sign of hunger. Table for 2, please.
9:42pm - Three mezzes should suffice, thank you, sir. We've eaten quite a bit today and we're not that hungry. We'll just have the smoked trout, roasted aubergine, and yogurt salad.
10:11pm - Those were so good, we seemed to have found room for more. You recommend the taramasalata and the white bean salad? OK, those sound perfect. And, another round of raki, please.
10:50pm - Before the kitchen closes, we'd love to squeeze in an order for a lamb and pistachio kebap. We can't leave without trying the spicy walnut salad? OK, we'll have one of those too. That should just about do it for us, thank you.
We made it back to the hotel before the tram stopped for the evening and got a good night's sleep, resting up to do it all again on Sunday.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
We arrived safely in Istanbul last Thursday and it has been quite a change of pace. We went right from a bustling medina with alleys and donkeys pulling carts and camel butchers to a cosmopolitan European city with contemporary art galleries, designer clothing, and small passport stamps. In our travels, we have noticed that the grandeur of a country's passport visa is inversely proportional to their level of economic development.
We've visited all of the requisite sites in Istanbul, but unsurprisingly we have been enjoying its food the most. Faced with the fact that we only had three days left on our trip, we squeezed in a few extra meals per day. According to our calculations, we could indulge a little bit-- OK, a lot a bit-- and still come home without a net gain thanks to our intermittent travelers' diarrhea.
Here's how Saturday went down:
8:12am - Homemade museli and yogurt on the roof deck of our hotel. A modest beginning to a gluttonous day.
8:36am - On line to see the Aya Sofya. The doors didn't open until 9, but we wanted to avoid the crowds, so as to not waste too much time that could otherwise be spent eating.
10:12am - That was nice. Cool church/mosque. Hot mosaics. Let's get a snack.
10:14am - Snack time! Jillian's new friend from the day before, Elif, invited us for a cup of apple tea at his restaurant. Since we were already sitting, we figured we might as well have some fresh Turkish spanikopita with our tea.
10:36am - Left the restaurant with two cheek kisses and a bag of spanikopita for our afternoon snack, all from Elif.
10:38am - No sense in letting a bag full of warm spanikopita cool. Those were delicious.
12:20pm - In keeping our promise to have breakfast at a small restaurant we stumbled upon the night before, we sat down for our third breakfast of the day. The grateful proprietors prepared some special dishes for us in addition to the already generous breakfast bufe (buffet). With our stomachs already aching, we still couldn't refuse the tasty eggs, salad, savory pastry, cheese, olives, homemade breads and jams, Turkish tea and coffee, and cookies. The eggs were quite possibly the best we've ever had, and everything else was not far behind.
1:18pm - After chatting a bit, the zaftig cook provided us with her secret recipe and we rolled, literally rolled, out the door.
2:46pm - The afternoon boat ride would not have been complete without a few morsels of Turkish delight candy which we shared happily with the children sitting next to us.
4:11pm - After the boat ride, we took a photographic journey into the fish market. Ari reminded Jillian that wading through fish guts wasn't quite as much fun without the camera- it was just wading through fish guts.
4:18pm - The last fish stall boasted a big grill and small plastic chairs along the water. The fisherman in the big rubber boots (not flip flops, as we were in) pointed out his freshest catch, which soon became our lunch. Moments later, one plate overflowing with fried sardines and one plate with the biggest juiciest tastiest most succulent shrimp arrived and were delightfully devoured.
4:57pm - Thinking something green might pull us out of our food comas, we bought a bag of little green plums that we had been eying for days. Though tasty with a nice sour bite, we were still too full for words.
5:20pm - Oooh! Fresh corn nuts in the spice market. 200g, please!
6:36pm - Still walking off breakfast.
7:36pm - Waiting to be hungry for dinner. Pit stop for a Turkish coffee.
8:36pm - Still walking off breakfast.
9:17pm - Oooh! There it is. That first sign of hunger. Table for 2, please.
9:42pm - Three mezzes should suffice, thank you, sir. We've eaten quite a bit today and we're not that hungry. We'll just have the smoked trout, roasted aubergine, and yogurt salad.
10:11pm - Those were so good, we seemed to have found room for more. You recommend the taramasalata and the white bean salad? OK, those sound perfect. And, another round of raki, please.
10:50pm - Before the kitchen closes, we'd love to squeeze in an order for a lamb and pistachio kebap. We can't leave without trying the spicy walnut salad? OK, we'll have one of those too. That should just about do it for us, thank you.
We made it back to the hotel before the tram stopped for the evening and got a good night's sleep, resting up to do it all again on Sunday.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
ISTANBUL - May 18
We guess it has been a little while since we last posted, because we haven't even written about Casablanca yet. Last Wednesday, we boarded a train from Fez for a 5 hour ride skirting the Middle Atlas Mountains and then along the sea to Casablanca. It was remarkably comfortable, especially given the harrowing bus rides earlier in the trip. We can't quite figure out why we had been advised not to take the train by several people, but we are always grateful for a variety of experiences.
One night in Casablanca was more than enough. We spent the late afternoon at the Hassan II Mosque, the world's third largest mosque built right on the ocean about 30 years ago. Here we found that a little baksheesh (tip) goes a long way. The sanctuary of the mosque is not open to non-Muslims, but an all-too-eager gentleman was happy to show us around the lower levels of the building provided we do so in the dark. We were able to view some spectacular marble fountains and mosaic tiles using the camera flash, but most of what he pointed out to us was completely cloaked in darkness. We've probably made better choices on the trip and were very relieved when the four big security guards let us out of the bowels of the building for another bit of baksheesh.
Afterwards, we walked around the city a little bit, but it was not the most friendly or interesting place we had visited. A mediocre meal at a touristy seafood joint rounded out our visit to Casa and brought our time in Morocco to a close.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
We guess it has been a little while since we last posted, because we haven't even written about Casablanca yet. Last Wednesday, we boarded a train from Fez for a 5 hour ride skirting the Middle Atlas Mountains and then along the sea to Casablanca. It was remarkably comfortable, especially given the harrowing bus rides earlier in the trip. We can't quite figure out why we had been advised not to take the train by several people, but we are always grateful for a variety of experiences.
One night in Casablanca was more than enough. We spent the late afternoon at the Hassan II Mosque, the world's third largest mosque built right on the ocean about 30 years ago. Here we found that a little baksheesh (tip) goes a long way. The sanctuary of the mosque is not open to non-Muslims, but an all-too-eager gentleman was happy to show us around the lower levels of the building provided we do so in the dark. We were able to view some spectacular marble fountains and mosaic tiles using the camera flash, but most of what he pointed out to us was completely cloaked in darkness. We've probably made better choices on the trip and were very relieved when the four big security guards let us out of the bowels of the building for another bit of baksheesh.
Afterwards, we walked around the city a little bit, but it was not the most friendly or interesting place we had visited. A mediocre meal at a touristy seafood joint rounded out our visit to Casa and brought our time in Morocco to a close.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
FEZ - May 11
Have we been here for 5 days already? The days are fading in and out, and we have completely lost track of all time. Happy belated Mother's Day, as today is the first day we have thought about the date or day or time since we arrived from Marrakesh.
Last Friday (we think) we traveled for 8 hours aboard a bus from Marrakesh to Fez through the Middle Atlas Mountains. Though the views were not nearly as breathtaking as in the High Atlas Mountains, we appreciated that the cliffs were not quite as high as our rickety old bus flung around hairpin turns on the mountainside. Harrowing was the word that we used to describe the bus ride to the Sahara, while the one to Fez was only slightly terrifying. Having arrived safely, we should let you know that we plan to take a train to Casablanca tomorrow, so not to worry.
Arriving from Marrakesh, we were well primed to explore the maze of alleys and hallways and paths that Fessians all call the streets of their medina. We settled quickly into our hotel, and set out to get lost and find dinner.
Fez is the third Imperial City in Morocco, behind Marrakesh and Rabat, and served as the capital of a medieval Islamic Empire that spanned from Spain to Sub-Saharan Africa. It's far less touristy than Marrakesh was, which has been mostly wonderful but a little bit frustrating.
Jillian being Jillian met and ended up chatting all night with a few Masters degree students from Fez University. We learned all about the ins and outs of life in the medina, the politics of tourism, and just how friendly and hospitable Moroccans really are. We were invited to attend a special lecture with them the following morning, and readily agreed. One of their classmates joked that she had known about many different kinds of tourists and tourism, but was quite impressed with our educational tourism. OK, we admit, it was a totally geeky move to check out Fez University, but it was really an offer we couldn't refuse. After class, El-Medhi took us for a stroll through the medina. We saw his home, primary school, the shop of his brother and we met many of his friends. We could hardly walk two meters without a "salaam aleykum"coming from someone. As he is both a student and a middle school English teacher 100km outside of Fez, our walk was cut short as he caught a bus to head to the remote village where he teaches.
We've spent the last few days in and out of shops, eating brochettes (kebabs) from the grill at the camel butcher and homemade yoghurt, stumbling upon fine craftsmen in their studios, and encountering the most exquisite inlaid ceramic public drinking fountains and peering into mosques and medersas.
Don't be fooled, we have been fulfilling our touristy obligations of seeing the historical and Jewish sites too. Two days ago, we took a petit taxi (yes, that's what they call their cutey pitootey busted little red taxis) to the Mellah, the Jewish section of town. El-Medhi had explained to us that relations between Jews and Muslims in Morocco are quite good, and in fact the Mellah in each city was not erected as a ghetto, but as a protected place for Jews to live. In Fez, the Mellah abuts the beautiful Royal Palace, demonstrating just how important it was/is to the monarchy to look after the Jews. We're not sure how true this was throughout the entire history of Moroccan Jewry, but today the Moroccans are very proud of their good relations and in Marrakesh particularly we found that Jews and Jewish artifacts were considered exotic and really cool. Huh.
In the mellah we encountered a very different style of architecture, where all of the homes had balconies. We don't know why this is, we just noticed it. For some baksheesh (a tip or some small change) a gentleman led us through the mellah to the home of a revered rabbi, a decrepit Sephardic synagogue, and the recently restored 17th century Ibn Danan Synagogue. From there we walked to the beautiful whitewashed Jewish cemetery that overlooked the stunning hillsides of Fez.
There is no mistaking the laugh of Ed Wynn as the old banker in Mary Poppins. Think for a minute, yup, you remember the one. Yesterday, as we drank our morning cappuccinos and tour guides approached us to offer their services, we heard the laugh from across the square. We had not been planning on taking a tour, but the guide's friendly demeanor and full body laugh (heart attack?) won us over immediately. For several hours, this charming old man led us through the medina sharing all of its secrets with us. Two days before, we had thought Al-Medhi had been a popular dude, but we hadn't seen anything yet. As he imparted wisdom and we walked, all of Fez came out to greet him. Children stopped begging for candy, business transactions were halted, parchese dice were held, and idle time was made lively as Missouri Al-somethingsomething strutted by with us. He shouted lively greetings to some, but only those who had not already greeted him. We don't know exactly what he was saying, but everyone laughed as he rolled his R's longer than R's have ever been rolled. He told us it was something to the effect of "all politicians are donkey shit" but something was lost in translation, because everyone reacted as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard. His life lessons were deep and his joy contagious. We learned a little bit about the history of the medina walking around with him too.
CULINARY SIDE NOTE: Just in case you want to know where to get the freshest camel meat in town, the butchers in Fez proudly hang a camel head in front of their store touting their goods. Hoofs and testicles are on display too, for the discerning chef. We have been trolling restaurants far and wide, but as yet haven't been any more adventurous than a camel burger with fries. In all fairness, though, we haven't seen "ball soup" on any menus. As former (and Ari soon to be again) New Yorkers, the irony was not lost on us when we dined on a pastilla de pigeon. It was a delicate pastry filled with meat and an assortment of spices, and was truly divine.
Our camera cord is a little cranky today, so we can't upload any photos, but we promise to get more up as soon as we can. Fez has been quite a delight to the eyes.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Have we been here for 5 days already? The days are fading in and out, and we have completely lost track of all time. Happy belated Mother's Day, as today is the first day we have thought about the date or day or time since we arrived from Marrakesh.
Last Friday (we think) we traveled for 8 hours aboard a bus from Marrakesh to Fez through the Middle Atlas Mountains. Though the views were not nearly as breathtaking as in the High Atlas Mountains, we appreciated that the cliffs were not quite as high as our rickety old bus flung around hairpin turns on the mountainside. Harrowing was the word that we used to describe the bus ride to the Sahara, while the one to Fez was only slightly terrifying. Having arrived safely, we should let you know that we plan to take a train to Casablanca tomorrow, so not to worry.
Arriving from Marrakesh, we were well primed to explore the maze of alleys and hallways and paths that Fessians all call the streets of their medina. We settled quickly into our hotel, and set out to get lost and find dinner.
Fez is the third Imperial City in Morocco, behind Marrakesh and Rabat, and served as the capital of a medieval Islamic Empire that spanned from Spain to Sub-Saharan Africa. It's far less touristy than Marrakesh was, which has been mostly wonderful but a little bit frustrating.
Jillian being Jillian met and ended up chatting all night with a few Masters degree students from Fez University. We learned all about the ins and outs of life in the medina, the politics of tourism, and just how friendly and hospitable Moroccans really are. We were invited to attend a special lecture with them the following morning, and readily agreed. One of their classmates joked that she had known about many different kinds of tourists and tourism, but was quite impressed with our educational tourism. OK, we admit, it was a totally geeky move to check out Fez University, but it was really an offer we couldn't refuse. After class, El-Medhi took us for a stroll through the medina. We saw his home, primary school, the shop of his brother and we met many of his friends. We could hardly walk two meters without a "salaam aleykum"coming from someone. As he is both a student and a middle school English teacher 100km outside of Fez, our walk was cut short as he caught a bus to head to the remote village where he teaches.
We've spent the last few days in and out of shops, eating brochettes (kebabs) from the grill at the camel butcher and homemade yoghurt, stumbling upon fine craftsmen in their studios, and encountering the most exquisite inlaid ceramic public drinking fountains and peering into mosques and medersas.
Don't be fooled, we have been fulfilling our touristy obligations of seeing the historical and Jewish sites too. Two days ago, we took a petit taxi (yes, that's what they call their cutey pitootey busted little red taxis) to the Mellah, the Jewish section of town. El-Medhi had explained to us that relations between Jews and Muslims in Morocco are quite good, and in fact the Mellah in each city was not erected as a ghetto, but as a protected place for Jews to live. In Fez, the Mellah abuts the beautiful Royal Palace, demonstrating just how important it was/is to the monarchy to look after the Jews. We're not sure how true this was throughout the entire history of Moroccan Jewry, but today the Moroccans are very proud of their good relations and in Marrakesh particularly we found that Jews and Jewish artifacts were considered exotic and really cool. Huh.
In the mellah we encountered a very different style of architecture, where all of the homes had balconies. We don't know why this is, we just noticed it. For some baksheesh (a tip or some small change) a gentleman led us through the mellah to the home of a revered rabbi, a decrepit Sephardic synagogue, and the recently restored 17th century Ibn Danan Synagogue. From there we walked to the beautiful whitewashed Jewish cemetery that overlooked the stunning hillsides of Fez.
There is no mistaking the laugh of Ed Wynn as the old banker in Mary Poppins. Think for a minute, yup, you remember the one. Yesterday, as we drank our morning cappuccinos and tour guides approached us to offer their services, we heard the laugh from across the square. We had not been planning on taking a tour, but the guide's friendly demeanor and full body laugh (heart attack?) won us over immediately. For several hours, this charming old man led us through the medina sharing all of its secrets with us. Two days before, we had thought Al-Medhi had been a popular dude, but we hadn't seen anything yet. As he imparted wisdom and we walked, all of Fez came out to greet him. Children stopped begging for candy, business transactions were halted, parchese dice were held, and idle time was made lively as Missouri Al-somethingsomething strutted by with us. He shouted lively greetings to some, but only those who had not already greeted him. We don't know exactly what he was saying, but everyone laughed as he rolled his R's longer than R's have ever been rolled. He told us it was something to the effect of "all politicians are donkey shit" but something was lost in translation, because everyone reacted as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard. His life lessons were deep and his joy contagious. We learned a little bit about the history of the medina walking around with him too.
CULINARY SIDE NOTE: Just in case you want to know where to get the freshest camel meat in town, the butchers in Fez proudly hang a camel head in front of their store touting their goods. Hoofs and testicles are on display too, for the discerning chef. We have been trolling restaurants far and wide, but as yet haven't been any more adventurous than a camel burger with fries. In all fairness, though, we haven't seen "ball soup" on any menus. As former (and Ari soon to be again) New Yorkers, the irony was not lost on us when we dined on a pastilla de pigeon. It was a delicate pastry filled with meat and an assortment of spices, and was truly divine.
Our camera cord is a little cranky today, so we can't upload any photos, but we promise to get more up as soon as we can. Fez has been quite a delight to the eyes.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Friday, May 07, 2010
FEZ - May 6
We had a fantastic journey through the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara for three days this past week that we have not yet told you about. We met with a small group early in the morning last Saturday to begin our ten hour journey out of Marrakech. Immediately we knew we were in for a treat as our group of 14 introduced ourselves to one another and quickly learned that we hailed from all over the globe (US, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Spain, Germany, Uraguay, England and Morocco). Our guide spoke to the group in Italian or French, which was then translated into Spanish by one of the group members, and a third translated into English for the rest of us.
On our first day, we traveled to Ourzazate taking a winding road through the High Atlas Mountains. The view from the ride was just spectacular, with mountains towering over us and lush valleys below. Small villages and casbahs (castles) dotted the hills as did small herds of sheep and goats, terraced farming, and poppy fields. Though we had originally decided to arrange for the tour to see the desert, we soon found that the ride itself was an awesome part of the trip.
We made some pit stops at roadside villages, and walked through a casbah built entirely out of mud bricks that was begun in 950, and completed about 150 years ago. It was extremely well preserved (thank you, UNESCO and Hollywood) and we felt like we were walking through a huge sand castle. We stopped for a few photo opportunties, at Tizin Tichka Gorge and some other spots, and continued on to M'Gouba to catch the very beginning of their annual Rose Festival. We browsed the shops containing anything you could dream of containing the scent of roses, before stopping at a lovely small hotel for the evening.
On our first day, we traveled to Ourzazate taking a winding road through the High Atlas Mountains. The view from the ride was just spectacular, with mountains towering over us and lush valleys below. Small villages and casbahs (castles) dotted the hills as did small herds of sheep and goats, terraced farming, and poppy fields. Though we had originally decided to arrange for the tour to see the desert, we soon found that the ride itself was an awesome part of the trip.
We made some pit stops at roadside villages, and walked through a casbah built entirely out of mud bricks that was begun in 950, and completed about 150 years ago. It was extremely well preserved (thank you, UNESCO and Hollywood) and we felt like we were walking through a huge sand castle. We stopped for a few photo opportunties, at Tizin Tichka Gorge and some other spots, and continued on to M'Gouba to catch the very beginning of their annual Rose Festival. We browsed the shops containing anything you could dream of containing the scent of roses, before stopping at a lovely small hotel for the evening.
The next day, by late afternoon, we had reached the small town of Merzouga, perched on the very edge of the desert. The town itself consisted of a few small hotels that served as a base for travelers wishing to visit the desert. There was a main road and to reach each of the hotels, one simply had to pull off of the main road, and drive across the sand.
With a few grunts and groans (both from us and the camels) we each hopped climbe up and rode our camels into the desert. As the sun was setting, we caught our first glimpses of the silky dunes named Erg Chebbi, though much of our ride was in darkness. We reached our camp after a 2 hour ride, and climbed down, bow legged from the journey. Dinner was a Berber tagine, and we danced to the drumming and singing of our Berber guides for hours under the cover of the stars. As the party wound down, we laid out mattresses on the sand, and slept soundly on the soft Saharan sand.
On the last morning of our Saharan adventure, we had a delicious breakfast of bread and cheese (it's amazing how much better everything tastes in the middle of the desert) at our Berber campsite and then climbed back onto our camels. The sun cast long shadows on the sandy dunes as we slowly rode back toward Merzouga. With our tushies sore from two days of camel riding, we squeezed back into our tour van for the eight hour ride back to Marrakech. Once there, we used multiple languages and lots of hugs and kisses to say goodbye to our new friends.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
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