Life in Morocco - the city of Fes

Fes is titled the spiritual capital of Morocco. Lots of mosques, muslim and the palace. We ate typical Moroccan fair for last night's supper and this morning's breakfast. Tonight we head out again for a special restaurant in the old town and for some entertainment. We had our Medina (old town) tour by bus and on foot this morning until 1:30 pm. Such a thing in my life I will never see again.
First of all, coming across the country was a very sad statement for the poverty of this 3rd world country. People live in hovels, pull their water out of community wells and still ride and use donkeys for their plowing and hauling. We couldn't take our eyes off the destituteness of it all. It tugs at your heart. I felt like jumping off the bus and rescuing the children. Some mothers have up to 12 children and yet they work all day in the fields tending to crops. 60% of the people still live in the country growing food for the population. It was Sunday so we had a very good chance to see how the families spend their holy day. Lots still worked in and around their praying time.
We climbed mountain after mountain, yes, you heard me, yet more mountains - my favourite. However, after seeing the state of life for these people, a simple mountain could not bother me here.
The Medina or the center of the city where most business is carried out was our destination this morning. We had a lesson on a few Moroccan phrases to learn before we could go into the tangled, crowded area. Our guide, a Fes inhabitant, said that it took him 20 visits with a guide himself before he didn't get lost in the area. We were very carefully watched.
The phrases we had to lea;rn were: balack balack - listen for it to be yelled. If it is heard the third time, it's too late. A bloody big donkey is riding up your ass. Today i used it myself to move one of my group out of the way for a man with a cart.
The other word in Ls Shokron which means No Thankyou. This is needed in order to get the merchants off you as they try to sell their wares all over your body. Will continue my memories after I plug in.
Later
j