A Tomb with a View (Part 4 of 4)

A Tomb with a View

The last leg of this past week's journey was to my favorite Imperial city, Fes, and my future home of Ifrane.  In previous accounts of my trips to Fes (click here and here), I already covered most of what we did in our two short days in the old city.  Further - and unlike Marrakesh - I didn't come away with many more profound thoughts (though I did come away with some profound blisters from new shoes). However, two new sites added to my already gleaming perception of the city: The Merinid Tombs and The Borj Nord Kasbah and Weapons Museum.

More Goats than Tombs

The Fortress

A trip to Fes needs to include a trip up the northwestern foothills and the two aforementioned sites.  Why?  The view.  After a handful of visits now, I've seen a couple panoramic views of the old city from riad terraces; they were pretty nice.  To be honest, they were pretty close to the views from the hills I'm currently trying to promote.  But, there's a little something more to the northwest view.

If you start your trip from the old medina to the tombs, two things happen.  First, your travel contrasts.  You begin in crowded alleys, dodging the "baraka" chants of donkey pushers while making futile attempts at orienting your frustratingly small - and incomplete...and inaccurate - map to the plastered maze that you're trying to exit.  Finding that nearest exit door to the outside world is a worthy goal and pretty easy to communicate to the locals as you wind and snake your way towards it.  Once you make it to the other side of your door, the open road to the tombs greets you with suddenly fresher air, modest views of the urban forest you just exited and agricultural, mountain plains to the north.

A Walk Up to the Clouds

Second, you work up a sweat.  Regardless of where you start, your destination is uphill and an honest walk is required to claim your prize.  Someone once told me that nothing's worth it unless you work for it.  This holds true for the view from the tombs.  Most people can walk up the stairs of their resorts for a view without breaking a sweat.  Minutes later, they lose some appreciation for it (guilty!).  Having to make a 20-minute walk uphill prolongs the appreciation...and the experience.

To the Tombs!  The Merinid Tombs were built in the 16th century and are now nothing more than a couple of ruined structures (all that walking for this?!).  Unlike the Saadian Tombs in Marrakesh, time, weather and most likely plunderers have taken their toll on the site.  No marked graves remain, and no other tourists bumped our elbows during the trip.  We enjoyed our view of the oldest part of the city's defense alone.

The Tour Guide Taking a Break

After a short walk to the Barj Nord Kasbah, we enjoyed what I consider the best museum I've seen in Morocco, the Museum of Arms.  Built in 1582 by the Saadian's, the fortress once defended and controlled the entire city.  Today, more than 1,000 pieces of weaponry are chronologically exhibited in 16 rooms.  Recently renovated after its 1963 grand opening, the museum boasts informative display markers that are written in both Arabic and French (unlike most other museums, which are predominantly in French only).

"Benadiq" (Rifles) 

Come Back with your Shield...or on it! 

 Learning...Again

Ow, my feet!

After a prolonged break atop the fortress' roof, we collected our things and got a cab to Ifrane some 45 minutes down the road.  The city was crisply cool during our arrival despite a large sun floating overhead.  Shortly after we exited our chariot, we met with a colleague for lunch and then toured the tiny Swiss stand-in, passing by my future university and the town's out-of-place villas.

 The University

The Duck Pond

 Someone hamming it up in front of Ifrane's Lion...

Ok...someone else hamming it up.

Though I've skipped some points and excluded some of the photos rolling along the slide shows, that concludes our ten good days.  Thank you, Azeezatie, for the pix, and I hope you enjoyed catching up with us!