March 18, 2010

Morocco - Fés

BAB BOU JELOUD
Fez is famous for its yellow walls and gates surrounding the old part of the city. Here the most famous - Bab Bou Jeloud.


SLEEPY...
Another sleepy man and his precious objects.


SCHOOLGIRL
I love this picture, because this girl looks cute in her jeans trousers and with a heavy backpack. Start talking with local children and they will not leave you in peace, especially when in a bigger group.


LONG DAY
A working day is really long here, but work also looks different. Men sitting in cafes are also working! Like this boy which should take a short siesta nap:).


ENTERTAINMENTS - LONGLASTING!
If you want to buy something valuable and nice for a low price, be prepared for the whole ceremony of bargaining, including an invitation for sweet mint tee, patting, laughing, shouting and swearing. Although most things are for tourists, still they keep up local authenticity. Fez is a famous artcraft centre, things made in the same way as centuries ago.


FÉS AND PEOPLE
I could do only one thing in Fez and not get bored: be sittin in a café (of course difficult here as cafés are men zones) and watching people. There is such a huge variety! Especially the way they dress - from very modern European till some very strange, probably regional outfits. Surprisingly a lot of smiling faces - people are in chaos, in hurry, very energetic, but not tense.


TREASURES
Fez is a city of treasures - ancient temples, university, precious architecture admired till now. Most of this buildings are hidden behind thick walls. But this place is easy to find.


YELLOW ANCIENT CITY
Fez is amazing. It can be a shock after neaty European streets and city lay-outs. It's a staggering labyrinth where chaos have its own rules. Streets are public and private - life is overflowing from houses, patios. The buzz, mixture of smells and abundance of things is unbelievable.


GUARDIAN ANGEL
We were travelling in Morocco with my friend Agnieszka. Quite a challenge - two women in an Islamic country. But once one learns the rules, it is quite easy. This beautiful middle-aged woman we met in a train from Tanger to Fez. I call her Guardian Angel, because she was so warm-hearted, smiling, talking about her family, her sister married with a European man. She was obviously very open-minded as she let us to take a picture of her what is not commom for women in Morocco. When we arrived to Fez, I was amazed by how loud she can shout when bargaining with taxi-drivers for us, probably also shouting at them not to rip us off.

Photos and Travels

I love travelling - it is very refreshing. New places, people, landscapes, smells, tastes are so inspirational. Photography is very important part of it. It helps me to discover beauty which I could have passed unnoticed while enjoying myself, talking, laughing. Sometimes there are small things, sometimes situations, moments. Looking at the photos taken I can discover even more. And awake desire to go somewhere once more, and once more ...

First time when I started to use a camera was in Morocco. Actually I was trying to figure out how this complicated device is working when already about 10000 m over the Earth, flying towards the South! The very first day in Morocco I started to use my camera and enjoy it till now:)