We took a train to Fes and arrived in the mid-afternoon.  Our host at Dar D’or Fes greeted us at the door and poured us a few cups of mint tea while he advised us on things to do in the city.  He asked where we had visited most recently, and when we told him that we’d enjoyed seeing Marrakech, he nodded.  “Good,” he said, “Fes is much better.  You’ll really like it here.”

We ate dinner at a restaurant called Café Clock, located down a winding alley with the walls painted in vivid rainbow colors.  We found a seat on the rooftop terrace, surrounded by plants and a few stray cats.  I ordered a banana milkshake with homemade ice cream – perhaps the best milkshake I’ve ever eaten.

The next morning, we were treated to a breakfast comparable to the size of our breakfasts at Riad Jonan.  We spent the day wandering the city; I noticed that the souks were interspersed with craftsmen, not only selling but creating the products in the shops.  We saw a tannery, wood carvers, metalworkers, weavers, and stone carvers (who we later discovered were carving holy verses into tombstones – I’m glad we didn’t try to haggle with any of them or suggest that we’d like to purchase their work as a souvenir for our friends).  When it became very hot, we sought shelter in the woodworking museum, where we learned how wood is used and carved in mosques, homes, festivals, and military ventures.

On our second night, we had the best meal we’d experienced in Morocco.  Our host at Dar D’or Fes and his wife cooked an elaborate dinner for us and waited on us at a candlelit table.  They served several cold salads (many of which were similar to the ones we’d had at Dar Filali) and then a perfectly flavorful chicken tagine – all created with ingredients fresh from the market that morning.