Lantern, Fes, Morocco
This is my painting of a brass lantern I purchased in the medina in Fes, Morocco in October of 2003. The Fes el Bali medina is a famous walled district of narrow alleys that dates back to medieval times and is now a protected heritage site. Dark, disorienting, and packed with people and donkeys, it can be an overwhelming place to visit for an outsider. I decided to listen to the many people who suggested I hire a guide for my visit, and my hotel connected me with one.
My guide was essential for finding my way around and understanding what I was seeing. In addition to keeping away the inevitable kids asking for change, he was able to let me know when it was okay to photograph things that I might have hesitated to point at a camera at on my own, such as the busy courtyard of a madrasa. Most importantly, my guide also knew the way out of the medina! Without him I suspect I would still be there, trekking in circles under the watchful eyes of the local cats.
In the tight alleys are mosques, riads (houses) and hotels hidden behind discreet walls, which are easy to walk past if you're not looking for them. More visible are the countless workshops of the souk, including a fascinating but stinking leather tannery and many shops selling very specific niche products.
After successfully resisting an obligatory carpet shop sales pitch, I did happily purchase a small and lightweight brass and stained-glass lantern in a nearby metal workshop. I found it more interesting than a carpet, and also much easier to lug along in my pack for the rest of my journey. (It cost next to nothing — as a comparison, I recall my basic hotel rooms costing about $5 per night. I tipped the guide more than 100% of the quoted base price and I still felt cheap.)
Normally we don't purchase souvenirs when traveling, aside from the occassional speciality food or liquor item, but I'm glad I picked up something to remember this particular adventure. Miraculously, this intricate lantern made it home in one piece and has sat on our bookshelf ever since. When I put a small candle inside for the purposes of this painting it was the first time I'd seen it lit.