Fes is an interesting city in that it has a really elaborate medina; however, to be honest, if you know what main square you are headed to, and just follow the signs, it's actually quite easy. The medina has much more of a Prince of Persia medieval feel to it. You are constantly walking through narrow lanes, watching for donkey trains laden with bricks or people with wheelbarrows, crossing underneath clay ramparts. It looks really cool compared to the other medinas we have explored. The people in Fes, though, are a bit crude. We have had more men catcalling and saying inappropriate things to us in this city than we have in any other throughout our travels - and this was while we were wearing jeans and a nice long sleeve top (our backpacker chic).
We've also discovered that people in Morocco love India. Pallavi is experiencing the same kind of celebrity that she did in Indonesia. No sooner do people see Pallavi and learn that she's from India then they reply with "Shah Rukh Khan!" Or, my personal favorite, they then just call after her as she passes them on the street, "Hey India!" I never realized how big Bollywood actually is as an international enterprise until now. A few months ago, Pallavi had cued me in that for collective cultures, Bollywood is more relatable, especially when it comes to inter-family relationships.
Speaking of families, today wasn't about exploring Fes and the medina. Today was about attending Nadia's cousin's wedding eve henna ceremony. We had been invited and went to her house to celebrate. In Morocco, the night before the wedding, the women get together and they hire somebody to put elaborate henna on the bride and then more simple henna on the other women. The bride puts on this velvety green dress, with lots of jewelry, and a crown, and walks into the main room behind two unwed girls who carry two large candles. There is also another family member who carries a tray laden with a bowl with two eggs and incense, a silver rose-water container, and some green velvety thing that looks like a Moroccan top-hat (but isn't) that holds sugar. The bride then sits on this throne of pillows that the family creates for her and the family starts the sing. The family sings the entire time that the henna is being applied to the bride's hands and feet.
This family is so incredibly welcoming. They put henna on both of us as well. I've never had henna put. I've never even seen it put! Usually, there are women trying to sell you henna in the square, so I try to avoid any eye contact or curious glances to avoid their attention and sales pitches. It is pretty cool. This girl who applied it really had great talent. Pallavi says that they apply it differently here than they do in India. It is much thinner here, which allows them to make the design more elaborate. They just put henna on the first digit of all fingers on my left hand, then a vine down from my index finger to just past my wrist. I must say that it suits me!
The family also let us play their instruments and got us up to dance with the crowd. It was full of fun. In fact, it was so much fun that we have shifted our plans to move from Fes by a day so that we can attend the wedding! What does one wear to a Moroccan wedding? We already wore our backpacker chic. Guess shopping for wedding clothes is one way to get a Moroccan souvenir.
We've also discovered that people in Morocco love India. Pallavi is experiencing the same kind of celebrity that she did in Indonesia. No sooner do people see Pallavi and learn that she's from India then they reply with "Shah Rukh Khan!" Or, my personal favorite, they then just call after her as she passes them on the street, "Hey India!" I never realized how big Bollywood actually is as an international enterprise until now. A few months ago, Pallavi had cued me in that for collective cultures, Bollywood is more relatable, especially when it comes to inter-family relationships.
Speaking of families, today wasn't about exploring Fes and the medina. Today was about attending Nadia's cousin's wedding eve henna ceremony. We had been invited and went to her house to celebrate. In Morocco, the night before the wedding, the women get together and they hire somebody to put elaborate henna on the bride and then more simple henna on the other women. The bride puts on this velvety green dress, with lots of jewelry, and a crown, and walks into the main room behind two unwed girls who carry two large candles. There is also another family member who carries a tray laden with a bowl with two eggs and incense, a silver rose-water container, and some green velvety thing that looks like a Moroccan top-hat (but isn't) that holds sugar. The bride then sits on this throne of pillows that the family creates for her and the family starts the sing. The family sings the entire time that the henna is being applied to the bride's hands and feet.
This family is so incredibly welcoming. They put henna on both of us as well. I've never had henna put. I've never even seen it put! Usually, there are women trying to sell you henna in the square, so I try to avoid any eye contact or curious glances to avoid their attention and sales pitches. It is pretty cool. This girl who applied it really had great talent. Pallavi says that they apply it differently here than they do in India. It is much thinner here, which allows them to make the design more elaborate. They just put henna on the first digit of all fingers on my left hand, then a vine down from my index finger to just past my wrist. I must say that it suits me!
The family also let us play their instruments and got us up to dance with the crowd. It was full of fun. In fact, it was so much fun that we have shifted our plans to move from Fes by a day so that we can attend the wedding! What does one wear to a Moroccan wedding? We already wore our backpacker chic. Guess shopping for wedding clothes is one way to get a Moroccan souvenir.
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