We arrived at our hotel, the Riad Fes after sunset and was greeted with a welcome drink and welcoming staff. We were escorted to our room which happens to be on the roof near the bar. There was a beautiful moon rise which meant we quickly located our tripods and headed out to take a few photos.
We were totally exhausted after hours in the air and in airports but also needed a refreshing shower. We were out as soon as our heads hit the pillow and didn't wake up until our alarm awoke us the next morning.
We meet some old friends and also meet some new faces down at breakfast. The trip doesn't officially begin until this evening but we were eager to take our cameras out into the passageways of the Medina. One of our group had to return to Rabat to claim their luggage that came in after our departure (which is why we always arrive a day early) but the rest of us headed out to explore.
The Medina is a off limits to cars due to the very narrow streets that are lined with stores. It's very easy to get very lost but we managed to keep our bearings during our adventure. Restaurants, butchers, egg and vegetable vendors and stores selling silver and mosaic tiles. You have to be careful not to talk to everyone because they are all trying to hustle you for money. We made our way to the Blue Gate, one of many where you can enter the Medina, to use the ATM.
We headed back in to take in more of the sites. Cats are everywhere which explains the lack of rodents near all the food stalls. They are thin but look healthy.
After doing a little shopping we headed back toward our hotel which we actually found with little difficulty. We were hungry and walked to a suggested restaurant, The Ruined Garden, for tapas. The food was wonderful and was only $20 for all 4 of us!
After resting for a while in the room and unpacking a little, our group meet on the rooftop bar for drinks and introductions. We are back with Ira Block, Liza Politti and Ari Espay (Fancy Girl Street Boy for this trip. We have people from Mexico, Switzerland, Trinidad, England and spots across the US. We also have a couple of professional photographers along. It should be a great group to learn from. We had dinner in the hotel before retiring for the evening.
Tomorrow: Class then the Medina
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