Tetouan

Our first morning in Morocco we decided to take a grand taxi to Tetuan. The first taxi (a big clapped out blue Mercedes) we saw had three passengers in already but the driver told us to get in the front passenger seat. This being Morocco, we both squeezed in and clung on to each other whilst the driver negotiated the mad traffic. Every now and then someone got out of the back and someone else got in. For quite a lot of the journey there were 4 passengers in the back including 2 women. We passed many uniformed traffic police but they were totally unconcerned. The 20 minute journey seemed to last forever - I kept wondering what would happen if the passenger door flew open. We were charged 10Dh (1euro) for the trip for both of us.

A bit shaken by the ride, we made for Tourist Information. It was a lovely warm sunny day. Following the Rough Guide map we walked up some steps towards a market. The smell of dead animals was overpowering so we turned back and found another route. Tourist Information is in a grand 18th century government building and it was open. The security guard in front of the massive doorway showed us into an enormous room with a long table down one side and one large desk in a corner behind which sat the Tourism Officer. He gave us a photocopied map (too dark to be of use) and told us to visit the medina. Martin asked if there were official guides and Mohammed appeared as if by magic. Mohammed was probably about our age and spoke English. He wore a brown jellabah with a woollen scarf around his neck. He wouldn't be pinned down to a charge but as newcomers to the country he was our best hope.

Here he is:


We said we would like a coffee first and he took us to his favourite haunt – the Cafe National where he seemed to know everyone. We talked about our trip and he gave us some advice about where we should go. He said he had worked as a guide for about 40 years – most of the time working for big travel companies but he had got fed up with being told where he must take people and now worked independently for less hours but more job satisfaction. He had been president of the Association of Tourism Guides for several years. Several of his acquaintances assured us we had found the very best guide. After coffee Mohammed took us to see the outside of the King's Palace and a couple of the gateways (Bab) to the medina (there are 8 altogether). The 15th century medina had been built by the Andalucians – the Moors and Jews who had been kicked out of Granada.

Then we entered the medina through Bab Er Rouah.



It was like going into a completely different world – a medieval warren of narrow streets - all shaded from the sun and some quite dark.


Some of the streets were reasonably quiet and mainly residential.


Mostly there were people selling different things in different areas.


In the area selling food there were women sitting next to piles of lovely fresh vegetables; huge baskets filled to the brim with lentils and dried beans, almonds and dried fruit;
chickens crammed into cages; little shops or stalls selling bread and honey cakes (complete with bees). Very occasionally you would get a glimpse inside a small narrow dark room where men were sitting around smoking and drinking (mostly mint tea). On every street corner men were standing around, sometimes talking, sometimes just on their own.

Mohammed took us to the baker who was loading flat round loaves into a huge wood fired brick oven at ground level.

The loaves had been brought to him to bake by people who lived in the area. The baker was near the mosque and a water supply where people came to fill large containers. Bread, water and religion being the most important necessities of life, according to Mohammed. Here we saw children running past us and turning to shout “Hola” and give us the most beautiful smiles.

The extensive flea market was recycling all sorts of bits and bobs.

In the Jewish area there were a few jewelry shops. Mohammed explained that Friday was a quiet day – a day for prayers and eating couscous. In the artisan quarters there were very old thin grey bearded men working away at leather to make intricately patterned bags. They all spoke to Mohammed but they looked tired and drawn. There were also coloured blocks of lime for sale for limewashing walls. Mohammed showed us the Arts and Crafts school where traditional crafts like leatherwork and plasterwork were taught. However, he said they use plastic now instead of leather and the craftmanship is not the same.

We were then taken to two amazingly grand (if slightly shabby) 18th century houses which people hired for weddings.
These beautiful palacios came complete with gorgeous tiled floors and walls, chandeliers, carved wooden ceilings and furniture. They cost 2-3000 Dh to hire for 24 hours.

Our final stop before lunch was the pharmacy – quite a large room shelved all around. On the shelves were big glass jars with all sorts of herbs and spices.

The pharmacist (a friend of Mohammed of course) was a personable young man who spoke good English. He gave us a little talk about various cures and spices and we bought some curry powder and some cumin (cheaper in Toucan!).

Somehow we had agreed to be taken for lunch and we found ourselves in another very beautiful building with exquisite tiling and woodwork and chandeliers. We had a traditional meal of harira soup followed by kebabs (for Martin) and tasty lightly spiced couscous with pieces of chicken, carrots, cabbage, onion, courgettes. To finish, there was fruit and little almond cakes and mint tea. The restaurant was quite busy as it was couscous day. The meal did not take long and then suddenly Mohammed announced that we must pay and go and see three more markets in the medina.

One of these was, unfortunately, the carpet shop. Here, Mohammed abandoned us to the persuasive charms and patter of Mustafa who sat us down and plied us with more mint tea whilst his well trained young assistant mesmerisingly unfolded gloriously coloured carpet after carpet in front of us. Very soon in the process, Martin went up to Mustafa and explained that we were not going to buy anything. But the train had been set in motion and could not be stopped. “We keep smiling” smiled Mustafa and got his assistant to unfold some blankets for us.

We finally managed to extricate ourselves honourably on Mohammed's return, saying we might return later in the holiday.....

Our next visit was the tannery – an outside area full of pools for dying and cleaning the hides which were drying draped over the walls.

We were then shown the metalwork quarter where all sorts of pots, pans, ironwork was displayed.


The medina was full of stuff – mostly useful stuff but we didn't see much buying and selling going on – nor were we hassled. Maybe because it was Friday and we were with Mohammed.
He would have shown us more but our heads were reeling – the unusual sights, sounds, smells were overwhelming so we finally said goodbye to Mohammed and paid him (using the Rough Guide to help us as he didn't offer a figure) and got a rather more grand grand taxi just for the two of us (50Dh) back to the campsite. The smells stayed with us for a long time – a mixture of animals (mostly chickens), hides, human bodies, spices and cooking and occasional bad drains – the smells of lives lived in close contact with others.

This was the most expensive day of our trip so far.........but we will never forget it.