Salaam alaikoum <=> wa alaikoum salaam (Peace be upon you <==> Peace be upon you too)
We strolled through the narrow streets of the medina, we got lost in its labyrinth and we discovered riads hidden by stone walls and huge carved wooden doors … Several times, we nearly had heart attacks upon hearing the mule-herders shouting “belek, belek”: we had to scramble out of the way to avoid being crushed like bugs! We were also taken by surprise by the odors emanating from the tanneries – a handkerchief drenched in perfume helped to keep us from fainting – but what an incredible spectacle… At last, our wandering led us to concealed treasures, to veritable hidden caves of Ali-Baba (but alas, no prince Ali Ababoua – at least not for us, but we’re nice: we were thinking about our friends!)
We met an abundance of artisans which enabled us to select beautiful products made in the Fes medina and designed by Zoobeetle. Some of our favorite artisans are:
- Mister Ouazani, creator of zellige (tile work) tables, who collaborated with Abad, a talented woodworker. As a result, we can promise you sublime tables in cedar wood and Fes blue zellige.
- Mohammed: weaver of cactus-fiber rugs on an ancestral loom for beautifully-colored throws.
- Madam Hussein: creator of Berber-style designs on glass and clay for 100% Moroccan glasses bearing our scarab logo.
- Mister Samir: the last creator in Morocco (yes, we believe him!) of wooden hammam buckets made with neither glue nor nails => sorry, those we kept for ourselves to use as office bins!
- But also Rachid: for his leather boots and Moroccan kilim rugs – in exclusive colors – as well as ballerina-slipper-babouches – a little imagination, please!, and “underpant-rugs”, more commonly called boucherouites, – and of course, a superb gift box whose concept will be explained at a later date. CHOUKRANE (Thanks!).
As you can see, we’ve brought you back wonderful things… Soon to be available on www.zoobeetle.com .
Bslâma! (Goodbye!)