Fes

Fes - home of the funny little red hat with a funny little tassle on the end worn by funny little men - is a fully-functioning medieval medina (marketplace) that is a labyrinth of over 9400 alleyways that stretches out over a few square kilometres. Twists and turns and dead ends await the unwary and baffle the wanderer at every possible opportunity. Leave your sense of direction and the 21st century at the city gate. Apart from being one of the most confusing places on earth, Fes is a step back in time to a place where horses and donkeys still tread streets where no car has ever been. We spent four days stuck in the mayhem of hagglers and hawkers before we found our way to Meknes.


After the confusion of Fes, Meknes was a welcome change of pace. Our second person hunt took place in the city's laid back streets. We were looking for Wayl (pronounced Wah-eel) who housed and fed Dennis for three weeks the last time he was in Morocco. This time round, we experienced success. After seven years without contact (the result of Dennis losing his address book!), it was great to catch up with an old mate and relive our past adventures together. The crazy cab chase and secret alleyway rendevous were some of the highlights of our new adventures together. Whilst in Meknes, we also took time out to visit the ruined Roman city of Volubilis. The city contained some surprisingly intact mosaics and ruins. Pretty impressive considering that they have been sitting out in the African sun for the last 2000 years!


We are now relaxing in Chefchaouen, Morocco's equivalent of Nimbin. Perched high up in the Rif Mountains, it is a beautiful blue city with spectacular views around every corner. Today was the inaugural match of our Chess Championship. We are in for a long, tense tournament - our first match ended in a stalemate. We will keep you posted on future results and the barbaric punishments that await the "LOSER!"


Happy birthday to Mimi. We hope you enjoy your first birthday as a new mum!

And Rosey, we hope the schnoz gets better soon, mate! We hope that this is not the end of your pretty boy good looks!