Fes

After two days in Marrakech, we woke up early the next day to catch the train to Fes. I’ve always loved train rides so I actually looked forward to it even though we were effectively ‘wasting’ our day just traveling to Fes.There is a robust rivalry that exists between Fes and Marrakech. We first learned about it from one of our taxi drivers in Marrakech, but even if he hadn’t mentioned it, we were bound to find out. When we got to Fes, the tour guides and locals we met often boasted of the bounties and beauty of Fes, almost always at the expense of Marrakech. In many ways, though, I have to admit it was well deserved.

Off the bat, Fes struck me as more conservative compared to Marrakech. Perhaps it was partly due to its repute as the spiritual or religious capital of Morocco. Also, people here spoke less English compared to the people in Marrakech.

Unfortunately, we only had a day to experience the entire city, which was evidently ludicrous. We arrived there at night and had to leave two mornings after. With Marrakech, I felt like I’ve become friends with. With Fes, I felt like I was merely introduced. Fes is so rich with culture and mystery that I’ve already resolved to come back to get to know her better.

Not like I needed any more convincing. Morocco had me at hello.