A View from the Derb

Just clicked onto the View from Fes blog and was surprised to see my last missive reprinted, well as long as it reaches a wider audience its all right by me. My article just goes to show though that its what goes on behind the scenes here in Fes that makes it the eternally fascinating city that has captured our imagination.

For those of us who are searching for a richer and also simpler life based on sound principles incorporating family values, respect for one another not to mention a lower cost of living then we have found it here. All this is also enhanced by the fact that as I mentioned previously the Medina overall is finally getting the major facelift it deserves. From 1981 onwards when UNESCO and World Bank provided funds and initiatives to stabilise the rot and decay that had undermined life here Fes did not really move forward in great leaps and bounds. I would suggest that some of these monies may have been misappropriated although anyone involved in a contract for supplying the cedar propping up the houses here probably made a pretty penny.

Its only now that we are seeing the true fruits of over 25 years of interest in this World Heritage site. Not only within the medina streets where its visible renovation is taking place nightly but also on the ramparts where six separate contractors are restyling and repairing the city walls. Within the houses also we are seeing a massive amount of investment from Europeans intent on creating or recreating glories from a bygone era hopefully with a sympathetic eye.

As one goes about their daily business its not always apparent exactly how much is going on and I must admit my stroll the other night brought home the extent and also the speed of operations. Maybe the deadline for all this work is 2010 according to the Plan Dazur from the King when we could also expect the other infrastructure to be in place such as the double decker high speed trains, proposed motorway to Oujda and cable car over the Medina!!

In general with the expat community here it is time for a time out as we head towards a traditionally scorching August so everyone will be taking time off to dip a toe back into their previous life. I expect September will see a resurgence in frenetic housebuying and continued costly renovations (its never the price you would like it to be) and with all the proposed new flights winging their way here Fes continues to be the focus of a lot of media attention.