#TBT on Friday: Fez

"My travel buddy Laura & myself have been friends for over 10 years now and we started travelling together in 2007. I have always loved these girl trips and we have seen wonderful things together.
Now we are both settled and travelling together is a bit more difficult, but I am sure we will do a girl trip again, maybe not so far, and not so long, but it will be fun anyway."

A few years ago, my friend Laura and I went to Fez, Morocco, when Ryanair first opened their route to this city. I think at that point the customs checkpoint was not prepared at all for European tourists invading the city per 200, so getting into the country was slow. I also think the locals had never seen 2 blue-eyed girls with neon pink and yellow ballerina shoes before, or at least that's how it felt. It was our first time in Morocco. We had a good time there, although it was a bit of a culture shock. We stayed in a very cool riad ( see here), where we had our own cosy fireplace in our room, our own dressing, 2 bathrooms. It was just gorgeous. Allah Akbar (I don't know the exact spelling) (God is great) blares the loudspeaker from the nearby minaret (also at 5 in the morning). The most beautiful houses are hidden behind an ordinary door in a narrow street. We had exciting times in the back of a dilapidated p'tit taxi where you could see the ground moving under you because no car floor present. But at least it takes you where you need to be for no money at all (probably we paid trop chèr anyway) We visited some local bathing houses in the old city, but we could not get ourselves to really go into one, I think the cultural difference was a bit too big with our western spa-expectations. So we decided to visit a 'real' spa (which was 10 times more expensive) where we felt more comfortable. Until we got inside and got into the heart of the spa, filled with eucalyptus mist.
Big women in black bathing suits washing / scrubbing / peeling other women on marble stone tables without any form of prudery. It was all a bit surreal (read: Lisa a little traumatized). My skin has never felt softer though.


























 (my apologies for the bad quality photos, pre editing era)