Chapter 9 - Days 10-11:Fes (Days 2-3)

Chapter 9 - Day 10   Fes (Day 2)

After several days of travelling bumpy roads in a vehicle with questionable suspension, plus the vileness of yesterday’s tannery incident, I chose to revel in the fluid freedom of the swimming pool. 

A few laps later, my muscles relaxed, letting go of the stress of that misadventure, allowing my body to feel more lithe, relaxed and alive.

photo by kind courtesy of www.msccruises.com

Anton sat in the shade; book in one hand, cola in the other, frowning as his eyes watched me, though his mind seemed lost in thought. 

When I climbed out of the pool and sat with Anton, sharing his cola, I hoped he would talk about his worries. But our conversation that morning focused only on frivolities, like shopping.

Being physically active in water had helped drain the shock out of my system, so I welcomed conversation - even about shopping.

By lunchtime, I was outwardly my cheerful, trusting self again.  Inwardly, however, I wondered if somehow I had put myself at risk and my mind was asking serious questions: 

With my darker complexion, had my wearing a djellaba drawn negative attention from my assailants? 

Were Arab sensibilities outraged by seeing me - a supposed Moroccan woman - flirting openly with a white male.

Had my ignorance of local customs caused what might have escalated into an embarrassing international incident?

Or had I simply been alone, in the wrong place at the wrong time?

While nothing excused the crass treatment to which I had been subjected, genuine misinterpretation might explain the shocked surprise I saw on my assailant's faces, when I had screamed at them in plain

 Anglo - Saxon ENGLISH!  

When travelling in exotic land,

 so many things we must  

seek to UNDERSTAND!

Happily, lunchtime aromas interrupted my brooding inner thoughts.  And, with a smile, I realized how  truly wonderful it was, being in this place, with all these people, at this moment in time. 

Our drivers knew their 'security curfews' cost us all valuable exploration time, and had thus put extra effort into procuring for us healthy, tasty lunchtime meals. 

photo by kind courtesy of: http://blog.travel-exploration.com/category/fes-unesco-world-heritage-site

It seemed, to me, that they were spending all their free time in Morocco, guarding our van and belongings or collecting delicious locally made  food on our behalves.

The previous night, they had even stayed in camp, forgoing their own suppers to make sure our ailing nurses were properly hydrated.  These men were beyond amazing.  Bless them both!

After lunch, I was - surprisingly - eager to return to the Medina, with Anton. Those thugs had stolen my camera, but I was determined they would not also steal my joie de vivre!

Having joined this overland trek at the very last moment, I had not brought any travellers' cheques with me.  Nor did I have anything left to sell, after bartering my watch for the group's belated lunch in Tangier. With no credit card to my name, I thus had no money with which to purchase goods.

To remedy this untenable situation, I combined some personal knowledge of Anton with brazen ingenuity to hatch yet another cunning plan!  
I would offer my services as his 'personal shopper'!

photo by kind courtesy of apetcher.wordpress.com

From our Love Bus conversations, I knew that Anton loathed the very idea of bargaining for goods. He would prefer simply to pay whatever inflated price the vendor asked for his purchases.

But today he had a secret weapon - me!  Haggling was in my blood!  So I suggested an idea that would benefit us both. 

With his permission, I would bargain for every item on each of our shopping lists. Then Anton would use his credit card to pay the final, greatly-reduced price for all our purchases!

He would thus save, substantially, on the goods I acquired on his behalf. And I would spend a portion of those savings, on a few souvenirs of my own. 

  

It was a symbiotic arrangement.  And, as even watching me haggle was a lot of fun, both of us greatly enjoyed that afternoon together.

photo by kind courtesy of askives.com

On Anton's behalf, I negotiated a fabulous price on some amazing Moroccan tiles and ceramics, and small rugs, often for a fraction of their original asking price. 

He then selected heavier, more expensive items, such as artwork, lamps and larger rugs, which he arranged to have shipped directly to his London home.  

 photo by kind courtesy of beyondmarrakech.com

photo by kind courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

For myself, I acquired a small rug, a jewel-toned woven blanket, a short tunic caftan and some unique trinkets.

photo by kind courtesy of lyst.com

We celebrated our success by sampling many different food and drink offerings, in the Souk!

Having made no specific plans for after supper, I spent the evening quietly writing in my journal. I also wrote postcards, for mailing back to England the next day, including one cheeky one to my boss in London.

I did wonder if the Moroccan postal system was any swifter than British Mail.  If not, then I'd probably arrive in England long before my boss received and read her postcard.  That is -  if I still had a job!

Swimming and sunshine helped to heal my physical bruises. And a successful afternoon of bargaining in the souk was just what I'd needed to boost my self confidence.

With the resilience of youth, I had rebounded from 

the unwarranted violence of the previous day. 

Meditating before an early bedtime, I thanked my angels for their ever-present help in so speedily healing my agitated spirit. And then I slept soundly, looking forward to another day in this ancient and wonderful city of Fes.

Chapter 9 - Day 11   Fes (Day 3)

The dry winds of the middle Atlas mountains warmed up our campsite quickly after dawn, and by the time we'd finished breakfast, the temperature had risen to a dry and comfortable 80F

I chose to repeat the previous day's exercise pattern of swimming before lunchtime, rather than risking the same fate as our nurses by swimming and sunbathing in the hotter afternoon sun.

Assured that I would be safe without his hovering over me, Anton and his camera went in search of more Moroccan architecture. 

photo by kind courtesy of 
http://www.voyagesphotosmanu.com/fountain_of_fes.html

His aim was to learn about and photograph Zelig, the ornate tile-work seen on public fountains that were everywhere in Fes.

photo by kind courtesy ofgoafrica.about.com

Having had my camera stolen by the tannery thugs, Anton promised to later share with me whatever photographs he took.  
 photo by kind courtesy of 123rf.com

 

But I would have to wait a long time for those pictures.

At our campsite luncheon, the nurses - having heard about my haggling skills - asked me to bargain on their behalves during an afternoon shopping trip through the Medina.  

We agreed on terms, and three of our group's men quickly volunteered to join us, as bodyguards.  Anton had disappeared right after our group meal, and so, was not one of our band of merry shoppers,

photo by kind courtesy of casbahdecor.com 

The ladies were looking for small or lightweight ceramic, textile and brass items that could be easily carried back to England in their packs.

It was such fun experiencing the souk with the ladies, as we sampled foods, and refreshing drinks along the way.  

We frequently strayed from our main objective, since we simply had to examine every pretty bauble or exotic aroma that caught our attention that day.

Wandering through this ever-changing and fascinating marketplace, seemed the most natural way to soak up the atmosphere and culture of Fes.  And, with our bodyguards keeping an eye on us, we girls had a giggling good time.

But when we eventually did remember to shop, the bargaining arrangement and rules remained the same, so the ladies, and I, enjoyed some very rewarding experiences that afternoon!

Even though we had grazed our way through half the food stalls in the souk before returning to camp, I was once again ravenous! 

Anton had returned to camp earlier than we had, and enjoyed a quick swim and a quiet read, until we arrived to show off our spoils.  

Afterwards, he pulled me to one side, whispering that I should not plan to eat supper with the group tonight, since he had arranged a special evening for us both.  He also asked me to wear heels and modern gear for our dinner date. 

A dinner date?!  I was very surprised, but also delighted!  It seems that Anton  had sought out more than just fountains that morning. So, of course, I agreed to accompany him to supper in one of Fes' premier restaurants.

photo by kind courtesy of mymotels.com

Our restaurant was framed by lush olive groves and the ancient ruins of the Medina walls.  Inside, its sumptuous tiled walls and satin and velvet furnishings created an exquisitely romantic mood.  It was the ideal place to experience the tranquility and sensuality of exotic Morocco.

For more about fine dining in Fes  press here

Today Fes boasts an international tourist base for whom cordon bleu chefs  create Mediterranean menus with a Moroccan slant, including some interesting seafood dishes such as swordfish with pomegranates.

But in 1972, our choices were far simpler.

photo by kind courtesy of www.solidrecipe.com

Anton and I walked through to a table for two, in view of the fountain, on the terrace. Once seated, he ordered us a traditional dish, lamb tagine, and a bottle or two of red wine.

by kind courtesy of http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lamb-tagine

A tajin, or tagine, is a Berber dish from North Africa, that is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. 

press here for a Tagine recipe

My palate loved how all the different spices melded together to give this dish its distinctive flavour.  And eating outside in the cool of the evening, in this uncrowded courtyard, surrounded by palm trees and a beautiful fountain, was a very special added bonus

photo by kind courtesy of http://www.saffronmarigold.com

We lingered for a long time on that terrace, holding hands, gazing deeply into each other's eyes, sipping our wine. 

It seemed so very natural to be there with this amazing man who had come to mean so much more to me, than just a fortuitous bodyguard.

Anton was sweet and attentive, and his stories filled with such humour and passion I could have sat there all night, just listening to him talk. At times, I sensed he wanted to say more but was somehow afraid to spoil the moment.

The air sizzled with expectancy. Our courtyard dinner for two, in this exotic restaurant, was so seductive that we were both in danger of surrendering to it.

I knew, in the way that women do,  that Anton wanted to kiss me. But with the tannery crisis still painfully fresh in my mind, was grateful that he resisted the urge.  My emotions were still all over the map. And I did not want to risk having negative feelings from that incident impact on our pleasure.
 

A lot of strange and wonderful things had happened to 'bond' the pair of us,  yet a mere twelve days earlier,  Anton and I had been strangers. And beyond what we had shared whilst travelling, we knew nothing about each other personal lives or personalities.

My mind understood that, despite our mutually compelling and enchanting attraction, our current feelings were largely the result of circumstance and opportunity.

Though sorely tempted to act upon those feelings, we talked it over and eventually made a rational decision to remain 'just friends' till the trip was over.  At least I did.  

Kissing, holding hands and the occasional friendly hug would have to suffice, whether or not our hormones objected to the unnatural restraint!  

Anton behaved like a real gentleman and immediately respected my decision, agreeing that we might become lovers later, when - or if - we both felt that was right for who we were in our everyday lives, back in England.

It was oddly refreshing and liberating to talk 

so openly with Anton about our feelings.

Choosing not to move our liaison beyond friendship actually permitted us both to enjoy the rest of our trip without the complication of a sexual dalliance.

Who knew that postponing passion would so 
heighten our awareness of the sights, sounds 
and aromas of life in the here and now?

We finished our wine, then hand in hand, strolled back to the security of our campsite.  The huge gates were locked behind us, as we were the last campers to arrive.

Most campers were already sleeping.  So we each washed up and changed into our night attire before, once again, sharing the same tent, in separate sleeping bags, as frustrated but loving friends.

Today had been a good day - busy and varied yet also very rewarding - in countless ways!  Too tired to journal or meditate, I fell asleep next to Anton, still holding his hand, smiling into the darkness.

Tomorrow, our last day in Fes,
would end with a visit to

the Chief of Police!

Coming Soon! 

Section 3 - Chapter 10

Fes  (Day 4)

Self-awareness in Sensual Surroundings

My Road to Morocco - My Road to Morocco - Day 12