souq

Wandering aimlessly is the best way to experience the 'medinas' or 'souqs' as the market areas are known, a spaghetti of narrow interconnected cobbled paths. Best to stick to the main ones if you don't want to get lost, which is inevitable. In the old city in Fez, there is a colour coded system of overhead signs marking the way at random intervals for five different routes. They are not always there when there is a fork in the road! I found this a helpful way to navigate until you start to recognise particular shops of landmarks. There are spectacular mosques and madrassas (Koranic schools) along the way which also serve to mark the way. In Fes, I saw signs requesting that  non Muslims not enter the mosques, a bit disappointing- however you can see the opulent interiors from the entrance. Five times a day you can hear the same 'call to prayer' from the speakers on the minaret on top of the mosques, easily the tallest towers visible. Men with their heads covered in a prayer cap, will race to the mosques. I saw one fellow who was late and locked out, standing outside with his eyes tightly shut, reciting the verses passionately along with those inside.