Alex ran, jumped, rolled and stomped his way through all of the four imperial cities of Morocco – Fes, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat. Fes is the oldest of the four cities with the old walled section known as Fes el-Bali (Old Fes). A UNESCO World Heritage site, this medina is the largest contiguous car-free urban area in the world. Donkeys and mules are the vehicle of choice. Alex got caught in a stroller in a donkey-jam along the twisting, narrow, stone passageways of the city trapped between bazaars, spice shops and restaurants.Fes is Morocco’s religious and cultural center. Having welcomed people of different faiths and faraway places for centuries, it is one of the world’s best examples that people of different backgrounds can live together peacefully. Unique to the city is its’ natural spring that has kept clean water running in the homes of the old city since the 9th century, and its medersas (theological colleges). Among the finest, Alex visited the Madrasa Bou Inania founded in 1351 as a theological college and today remains a premiere institution.
The best way to explore the old city, get lost in its tiny streets and barter with the shopkeepers is to leave your little one back in the U.S. Pushing a stroller up-and-down the cobblestone streets or hauling nearly 40 pounds of little boy is no easy task. Luckily, the stray cats lounging around the old city provided enough entertainment to keep Alex content for hours between mosques and the riads.
