Lucy Patterson HANDS-ON

Morocco is a land of donkeys, mules and horses. I fell in love with donkeys the first time I visited Morocco and I’m still trying to persuade my fellow householders that we need one…
In the old part of the city of Fes, in the walled medina where the streets are narrow and cobbled, the only traffic is by foot and hoof.
It’s so nice to have all traffic moving at ‘leg’ speed and to be free from the noise and pollution of mechanical vehicles. I loved lying in bed in the early morning and listening to the sound of hooves clip-clopping below our cantilevered bedroom.
I also found it an absolute joy to regularly meet these beautiful animals while wandering through the streets of the medina.
You have to keep on your toes though! Sometimes I’d be in my own little world, browsing from shop front to shop front, when suddenly a shout would alert me to the fact that a heavily loaded mule was barrelling straight towards me!
Horses, donkeys and mules transport everything in the medina. From bags of cement, to…crates of Coca-cola! (I took these two photos on my first trip to Morocco, back in 2007.)
And of course the early morning rubbish collection in the medina is done with donkeys too.
Sometimes people hitch a ride too…

We were often struck by the endless calm patience of the animals we saw.
So many times we came across a mule or donkey quietly standing by itself – not tied to anything – simply waiting for its person to return. Or, in the case of the donkey below, waiting for its person to wake up from an afternoon nap!
Such gorgeous animals.

In the old, walled Moroccan city of Fes, you never have to look far to find examples of the traditional tile art of zelij. Gateways, mosques, courtyards in private homes, public fountains and the walls of Islamic schools are all decorated with these glazed cut tiles.

The great blue gate of Bab Boujloud is covered in intricately carved midnight blue tiles, framing a dramatic entranceway into the medina.

Here, zelij on the walls of Medersa Bou Inania (an Islamic school) features panels of Qur’anic calligraphy and complicated interlocking geometric patterns.

Zelij marks the moment you step off the dusty cobbled main street of Tala’a Kbira, and into the calm of the medersa.

Sahrij Medersa (in the Andalusian quarter of the city), was built in 1321. Now, after centuries of foot traffic, many of its tiles are worn bare.

Zelij often has a limited, striking colour palette, in this case: black, white, dark green and mustard yellow, with the natural colour of the fired clay showing through where the calligraphy has been carved out.

Patterns vary from simple checks to highly complicated combinations of geometric shapes and Arabic calligraphy.

Fes is also famous for it’s many public water fountains which are often completely covered in tiles.

I love this brass tap!

Less traditional, but graphically eye-catching was this bright pink plastic cup against the tilework.

Public fountains also often have built-in seating where old men gather to gossip and watch the world go by. I love the colours of this cushion against the simple tile pattern.

Donkeys tomorrow…!