Aug 19 – Last Morning in Fes

Checkout was not until noon, so we decided to see the Jewish cemeteries on the other end of town while we were still luggage-free. Muslims, Jews, Berbers and Christians seem to live relatively harmoniously in this country. It is predominantly Muslim, but every town will have its Jewish quarter and synagogue. If memory serves, we only saw one church, in Casablanca.

The cemeteries of these respective groups are very different. We only saw Muslim gravesites from a distance, but they are generally whitewashed boxes sitting above ground, with a flat stone slab marker at one end. In the Jewish cemetery, the gravestones are shaped like rounded prisms, also whitewashed, packed tightly together at the top of a hill. There was a man at the door to the cemetery asking us for money for entry, but we realized once we got in, that he had not actually been working for the cemetery. This puts us into a slightly foul mood. Inside it is very peaceful though – we were the only tourists at that moment.

My first encounter with olive trees was in here. I’m not sure why olive trees in particular were so exciting to me (in a couscous sort of way) when I saw so many other exotic trees on this trip I’d never seen before. Maybe it was the Greek myth connection (Athena’s gift to Athens), or maybe just because I like olives so much. We got to sample some yummy Moroccan olives in their tajines, and they were sometimes set down as the complimentary appetizers.

After the cemetery, we walk through the Jewish quarter (mellah) to see their recently restored synagogue (50Dh donation), including their torah and the hammam (bath) located under the building. Before we taxi off, we also take a peek at the gates to the Fes Palace.

Next - Aug 19 – Trip to Azrou