CATS (and Fes)

I think now is a good time to mention the cat population of Morocco. The number of cats in Morocco is probably comparable with the number of cigarette butts strewn through the sand at the beach in Barcelona, or in the gutters in Paris, or the number of people on pills at a music festival, say, Stereo, back home. They're not like domestic cats either, they're lean, small and don't tend to be as conceited. However, some were too scary looking - missing an eye/ear or mangled from a fight with the possibility of having rabies - to pat. With the number of photos I've collected of the cutest kitties I think I'm well on my way on to being that future single crazy cat lady that lives next door... and seriously, watch the video.

1. Busing it through Morocco.
2. Standard.
3. Pastilla, a pie-like pastry traditionally made with pigeon but here with chicken, as well as sultanas, nuts, an incomprehensible amount of spices (as usual) encased in phyllo-like pastry and then sprinkled with icing sugar and cinnamon.

4. 5. Fes' medina is literally a maze. We took our hostel's advice and got a private guide and we were more than thankful for her. She mentioned most visitors only see the two main streets; Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghir that are filled with mostly uninteresting touristy stores selling fakes, and it's understandable because the second you venture off either of them, you end up in a unnavigable maze of narrow alleys shadowed by tall walls and structures that bridge low over your head.

6. 7. 8. 9. Before it was a wood museum, the Fondouk el-Nejjarine provided food and shelter for travelling traders. There's a cute little cafe on the rooftop, though not so pleasant when the sun is beating down mercilessly...

10. Trying on Morocco's latest threads.
11. 12. 13. 14. Al-Attarine Madrasa was built in the early 14th century, can't get over Arabic architecture, just look at all those hand-carved walls, and this was seven hundred years ago!!!!! Why does this stuff not have a greater influence on what is built now??

15. The closest we got to getting into a mosque. The Al-Karaouine University was built buy a rich woman called Fatima (sadly I don't remember anything else about her...) and is HUGE.
16. The famed Chouara tannery. We just stood there watching the men work like they've been doing for the last nine centuries or so. Just casually. Also it's important to note that it smelt like death. Probably from the hides and also pigeon shit (they soak the leather in it to soften it up). One cool thing though is that the whole process uses natural methods, things like saffron, poppies and henna are used to dye the leather.

17. View from a museum filled with random crap that didn't seem to be really on display...
18. 19. View of the Fez medina from the five star hotel Les Merinides just before sunset and at night.
20. Mohammed at Dar El Yasmine teaching us how to make berber whisky the right way.