Shelob's Lair

I'll preface this entry by saying that we're at a little bit of a low here. Sophie's had a stomach problem (understatement) for 3 days and I'm fighting off a cold. So our energy is low and our patience is short. My reportage is going to sound a bit cranky. We've also stayed for a couple of days in a terrible Riad in the Medina in Fes which has been a challenge. I've made a decision never to stay within a Medina (the ancient part of a city) again should we ever return to Morocco. It's just too challenging for our senses.

Here in Fes I'm struck by the claustrophobic quality of the alleys and laneways that riddle the Medina. It's a huge, tangled and unruly space (to me). Sometimes the routes are open to the air but more often than not there are roofs or structures covering them. Walking along a narrow alleyway you never know whether you're likely to be forced to turn right or left or given the choice. It's a labyrinthine mess and it's quite intimidating to wander through. I have no idea how a stranger might easily have navigated this before Google maps and GPS. Even with that technology wayfinding is problematic because the signal might put you somewhere inside a building instead of an alleyway. Direction indicated by one's phone is often erroneous. 

   Talaa Kebira

Because these paths are sometimes open to the sky one might imagine that a huge, malevolent arachnoid creature could be creeping along the rooftops, moving much faster and less restrictedly than a human-scaled individual might at street level. Of course I haven't seen any spawn of Ichor but at times I've felt the oppressiveness of the confines. Never have I been closer to apprehending what Frodo and Sam we're experiencing in Sauron's fortress than when spending a couple of days in the Medina in Fes. 

   Shelob's lair? Narrowest passages not       indicated.

Many of the individuals I pass along these roads have grown up here and for them this environment is native, coded into their being. I can imagine that their brains have been formed in such a way that spatial mapping is two-dimensional and exceptionally well tuned to this maze. There is almost no vertical axis except within houses - one might be within 30 m of another place but would have to travel 200 m to get there because of the confusion of passages. There is an order to the width of the roads. The main roads here are called Taalas. They are about 20' wide and solidly arrayed with shops and cafes. Then there are many connecting roads that offshoot these at any angle and are perhaps half the width. These are usually called Zkaks. Finally there are even narrower corridors, only three or four feet wide, that lead to private dwellings and hidden Riads. It is all built upon what must have been a rolling topography because walking along these roads one is perceptibly descending or climbing a hill -  on an undulating incline or decline - there may also be a series of a wide steps with short risers. So, unlike Marrakesh, this necessitates the use of mules and small pushcarts. Motorcycles and bicycles would be useless here and dangerous.

  Second widest passage - a Zkak

Contrast this with the wide vastness of the desert: sun-blasted plains that stretch to a distant horizon.

    A narrow passage

   From our Riad in Fes

My main issue (bitch) regarding Morocco - at least vacationing here - is that, aside from traveling through the desert,  when walking through the souks of the Medina there's nothing much else to experience besides visiting museums (often quite good) and witnessing the infinitely redundant ware is that is being offered along these miles of aisles. I'm just not into shopping. 

The artisanry we find in the palaces, gardens and museums is quite incredible and has made our visit visually stimulating. Islamic Art involves the use of geometric repeat pattern and delicate scrolling detail. The result is often meditative and evokes a feeling of reverence and profound attention. The genius artisans who created these masterpieces are anonymous but the quality of workmanship is stunning. The media are primarily stone, ceramic and wood. The quality transcends almost anything we have ever witnessed. One thing I have been particularly fascinated by is their carpets which are much less formulaic than, say, Persian carpets. Some of the Berber people (Boujad) actually weave family narratives or talismanic figures into their carpets. This really appeals to my sensibilities as an illustrator. I love to imagine that a history is symbolically encoded into a woven piece. A carpet is a kind of prayer, family history or object of protection.

I must emphasize though that my complaint about my experiences only apply to the physical environments I have experienced. The  Moroccan people are almost invariably kind and cheerful, patient and helpful.

Several people we consulted before traveling had suggested that, given the brevity of our visit, we shouldn't plan to travel into the desert or up into the Atlas mountains. In retrospect I'm not certain that wouldn't have provided a worthwhile respite.

   Near the Ain Zlatain (gate)

We're on a train to Tangier. On to Spain in a couple of days. Hopefully our health and our moods will improve. Inshallah.