Fez, Morocco

My first exposure to the word Fez came in the form of something very similar to this picture. Had I known the phrase "Wtf??" in elementary school, I would've said or thought it. I mean, who else but potbellied white men would be this happy when the Gulf War had just begun? And what were they doing wearing hats with tassels and Arabic names in glitter? Are they trying to make fun of me?? Somehow my grandfather knew what I was thinking, and somehow he knew they were representing Shriners Children's Hospital. Great cause, funny looking hat.

I was so sure our time in Fez would be spent in jest or competition -- Who spotted the most Fez hats in Fez! --  of course, I ended up feeling like a tactless potbellied white American man instead.

(Image courtesy of North Iowa Today)

You know the saying, "The man makes the suit"? It couldn't be truer here. Less the blatant machismo as witnessed in Marrakech, the hat lost its bawdiness (for this teenager at least). Add the assuredness that comes with living in a city with the oldest university in the world and nearly every man young, old, thin, fat, short, tall, hair-chested, or bare-chested (if they walked around shirtless -- and they definitely wouldn't) becomes a distinguished gentleman.

I wish I had pictures of even taller hats worn by aging men refusing to let their years dictate attire or the squat hats barely managing to stay on cherub heads. Sadly, I don't. Nor the gazillion other pictures I took in two days. But all you need to know to visit Fez is how the man makes the hat, the city makes the man, and the city makes and made Morocco -- the country's first independence movement began here. Not adding Fez to your Morocco itinerary is like telling your international friends and family not to visit Boston if they're visiting the states for the first time. You'd be missing out on one of the prettiest, culturally rich, and history making city in either country. And if my words haven't convinced you by now, well then, I might as well call this thing quits and sign up on Instagram ::gulp::

Length of Stay

Two days

Docking Index

      

Seven anchors, I had to dock a few anchors (is it horrible that I laughed at my own joke? and how have I not used this pun before?!) because I'll go broke paying the guides who help me find my way home through this.