A really great sleep.....albeit the room was surprisingly freezing last night....but two sleeping bags and a Barry radiator always win....

Good breakfast with our Fes family of tea with breads and honey / jams.....delicious way to start.....then the battle.....our hustler turned up and wanted to take us on a tour.....or maybe was translated to yes for him but no for me.....stubbornness wins through and we continued with our day determined not to get lost in the warrens of a medina!

But we saw the kind of things that we wanted to see and not so much-like chickens being throttled, stinking animal heads and the general behind the scenes life for a Moroccan in ancient Fes medina. The tanneries were not as stinky as what we had been prepared for and the engineering structures through the alleys provided considerable conversation for two Royal Engineers! The palace was a stark contrast and the New Ville not so characteristic but all the same the ancientness still majestic.

The rain and chilled air yesterday tricked us and we ventured out today unprepared for 30 degrees of heat so are now un petit peu pink!

A chat with a few other travellers has charged us to once again rethink our plans...maybe a day trip to the hills tomorrow then on to Marrakech via Meknes before finding our feet in the Atlas Mountains with our ambition to summit Toubkal still a priority. Essouria back on the coast sounds unique so one to delve into the guidebook for some more info.

Fes has some intriguing and winding lanes that form a thoroughly confusing maze....a grand palace....a new and uninteresting quarter.....but is surrounded by some spectacular views of the lusciously green Middle Atlas Mountains.....definitely want to taste the rural life and get away from the hustle and bustle of the cities....