The unstoppable promotion of our beloved city of Fez continues. After the successful campaign 'Smile you're in Fez' -that you can find all around the city- was translated into italian thanks to Alessandro from Fez Lounge, Ryanair, the company that you hate in public but you continue to check online in private, has announced a new direct flight Fez-Pisa starting as soon as April. The flight will operate twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday, and will actually be arriving to the Florence airport, which is much better.
So if you are italian and you have not been to Fez you have a golden opportunity to come and discover one of the oldest medinas in the world, and by far the most charming. In Fez they truly love italians and you can often hear some music hits from the 80's including the favourite 'Lasciatemi cantare'(l'Italiano) by Toto Cutugno.
And if you live in Fez and, like Gatsby, you enjoy the finer things of life, you should take a long weekend and go and pay your respects to the Renaissance artist Masaccio and his 'Holy Trinity' in Santa Maria Novella, Florence. And after, only after, enjoy a good fettuccine with funghi porcini and a classic prosciutto pizza.
12:41 PM


The New Year is round the corner and a lot of gossip is going on about which party will Gatsby & his crowd be attending. Well, we can't really say, for now its just the time of opening -virtual- envelopes and have a look at what's on offer.

We know that Riad Fes, like every year, will be hosting the most lavish dinner and party for its clients but also opened to riad non-residents at a price of circa 1500 dirhams, noblesse oblige.

The recently opened Maison Blanche will be throwing a dangerous cocktail of gourmet dishes and live music by the winner of the Star Academy Lebanon, and promises keeping us up till 4 am with plenty of champagne; at circa 1300 dirhams it won't be cheap, but New Year comes only once a year.

Zen Garden announces moroccan live music and plenty of good vibes in an environment that will make you feel like home, all for 800 dirhams.

The uptown youngsters have all confirmed assistance to the famous 'Crystal Reveillon 2010', in the vecinity of Le Majestic, by Action Premiere group , and if interested bookings can be made here: 06 64 68 52 80 asking for Hafid.

While we think that in the medina some things will be going on, and we are sure that our friends from Fez Lounge and Cafeclock will be both organising a soirée, nothing is yet confirmed, but dont worry, Gatsby has ears all over Fez and will keep you posted.
6:23 PM

That time of the year has come when is not really wise to be a sheep ready to be sacrificed for the greatness of God

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two and most sacred Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims. Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country, but in Fez you will find that your workers -in case you are restoring your riad or you are some kind of business owner- ask for about two weeks of holidays that you should kindly decline. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

During the precedent days in the medina of Fez we have seen all kind of knives to be sold and people sharping the old ones for a smooth operation that will be traditionnally performed by the head of the family.

Also you could find your perfect dream sheep in Marjane and other supermarkets, the prices ranging from 1500 dirhams up to 3000 dirhams or more if its a real good looking one. And believe Gatsby when it says that nothing of that poor thing will go to waste: head, horns, lungs, skin...whether edible or wearable, everything will be kept or sold.

The rasta-sheep shown above was found wandering in the Fez medina and lodged by Gatsby who spared it from the ritual, and seems that artist Damien Hirst may be already interested in tranforming it into a piece of art.
9:59 AM

Opened before most of us were born, Les Truites is the perfect refuge restaurant in the skirts of the forgotten Imouzzer. In there everything is old school: the decoration -including the old Martini posters-, the curtains, the efficient heaters, the fireplace. The waiters are also part of the furniture with about 300 years of experience, and the nicest this side of Morocco.
Les Truites makes a perfect stop for lunch on a lazy Sunday before heading for Ifrane, or on the way back from the Cedar forest where everyone likes to feed the monkeys.
On the menu delicious 'escargot a la bourgogne' (snails with parsley and butter), wild trout, wild rabbit, txuctxuca, and other regional delicacies, all washed down with the obligated wine Guerrouane Rouge. Don´t forget to reserve the apple cake as soon as you sit down and keep place like Gatsby does for an extra portion... You'll have the best nap on your way back to Fez...

Hôtel Restaurant
Les Truites
Avenue Mohammed V
Imouzzer du Kandar
Maroc
Tel+212 (0) 35 66 30 02
8:42 AM


With the exception of the supermarkets and the modern western shops that we find most comontly in the Ville Nouvelle, bargaining is still the way of buying goods in Fez. Traditionally is also a way of making conversation that may lead to a friendship. In an environment like the medina with very little reglamentation it is furthermore a way of finding the real value of an object. Oscar Wilde used to say that nowadays the people know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Well, good news is that in Fez you will be challenged constantly to review your abilities and inner truths about how much to pay for something, and you will find that without guiding you are lost. Gatsby has been there and has trained widely on that domain, but experience cannot be wrapped and given, so the first step you will make is being honest to yourself, and then pay whatever you feel. Note that bargaining is an elegant game highly codified and should be practice with manners but firmly. Accept that cup of tea or coffee and do business with them, but remember this quote from the Godfather:

Michael Corleone: C'mon Frankie... my father did business with Hyman Roth, he respected Hyman Roth.
Frank Pentangeli: Your father did business with Hyman Roth, he respected Hyman Roth... but he never *trusted* Hyman Roth!

Gatsby dixit.
5:47 AM

The 7th edition of the growing Bridge Festival of Fez will take place at the hotel Jnan Palace from the 12h of March to the 18th of 2010. While many may have never heard of this initiative, the contestants face an hectic week filled with games, yes, but also with visits to the Medina, the Middle Atlas, thermal therapy, gala dinners and much much more. People fly from all over the world but you can mostly find there some moroccan jet-setters along with english, french and spanish. The setting is very nice and straight out of an Agatha Christie book, let's only hope no murder will be committed, in which case probably they will call Gatsby for help.
The program and all the details can be found in their website:
5:17 AM



'The city was getting nearer, and at the same time it loomed up within my own mind, rising out of the darkness of memory.
A geode of amethyst, brimful of thousands of tightly packed crystals and surrounded by a silver-green rim: this was Fez, the Old City of Fez, in the twilight.'
(Titus Burckhart – Fez)
If you decide to come to Fez and discover why a lot of people fall in love with this magical city, make sure you treat yourself to a nice lodging. Gatsby is an experienced traveller, has slept in a lot of beds and knows a lot of houses. But even in Fez, with its many wonderful riads and lovely restored houses Gatsby has found one that specially suits his mood and its willing to recommend to other discerned travellers.
Dar Attajalli stands out for the beauty of its walls, yes, but specially for the soul that breathes in the entire house and invites you to relax while whispering uncovered secrets of other times and cultures. Not little of that soul comes from the propietor and host, Kleo, that will make sure everything runs smooth around you. Relax in the patio listening the deep sounds of the monumental fountain, lounge in the terrace watching the sun go down, stay in your suite with one book from the well stocked library, here there is only one rule, follow your bliss. And Gatsby knows one thing or two about that.
6:45 AM
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