Place to see: Fez, Fezna, Morocco

About this place:

Deep within the Moroccan city of Fez lies the oldest leather tannery in the world, Choura Tannery, dating back to the 11th century. Fes al Bali medina, the city’s largest, is a medieval labyrinth; nearly inaccessible without the repeated youthful offers to guide every conspicuous stranger. Narrow alley ways bustle with a hiveish energy, swelling with djellaba-clad men, overfull donkeys, and merchants excited to action by an outsider’s presence. Overhanging tapestries shade the unyielding North-African sun. An anxious disorientation develops, pairing well with the timelessness of the medina.

Negotiating deeper, a sense of arid decay; an ancient patina only a city unsullied by the automobile could cultivate. Storefronts and homes lay neglected, abandoned in pursuit of a better future, for other, more modern parts of the city.

The immediacy of the leather souq is betrayed by the noxious scent of the tannery. Sprigs of mint are enthusiastically accepted from leather merchants plying customers within. Leather craft shops selling bags and babouche tempt with promises of a rooftop terrace....and air. The odor, however, does not relent.

Terraces overlook a varicolored honeycomb of stone vessels filled with dyes of henna, saffron, and mint. Old men, thigh-deep in diluted pigeon excrement, pass on time-honored traditions to their apprentice sons. Men below work quickly, an insect-like grace taking advantage of the fading sun and milder temperatures. Surrounding rooftops, covered with drying hides, attest to a long days work. Nearby streams foam bright red with discharge. The disheartening reality of the souq contrasts with the pride possessed by the guild members. These are the best jobs in the medina and judgement is a luxury reserved for outsiders.