Into the new.

All around the Medina there are huge sighs as the frenetic Xmas and New Year rush for beds eases off, to be replaced by slight consternation regarding the soon to be axed direct flights to Fes. How will this affect tourism, well time will tell, but in the meantime I guess its time for everyone to get their own house in order. By this I mean continuing those snags and running repairs that inevitably crop up in the old medina houses after heavy guest use and also after the last bout of heavy showers(its not all sun and fun folks) where do those pesky leaks come from.

Its also a time to get out and about to see what else is going on in the immediate environs, so a trip to see my good friend Lionel and famille seemed to be in order in the imperial Meknes.

His newly renovated place overlooking Bab Monsour is coming on a treat with the guest dar now having a fully tiled courtyard and budding garden since my last visit, well done mate! We spent my couple of days there walking about 100 miles so it seemed up, down, through the medina and the palace sights picking up stray simsaars who showed us an incredible variety of houses. As with Fes the prices are shooting up but Meknes has a lot to offer although unfortunately not the same variety of restaurants, but a budding nightlife so I am told and a calmer less frenetic pace than good old Fes.

Lionel was snapping away at the various houses and you can see the results on his new blogspot mekneshouses which has a link under my notable bloggers section. Several maison dhotes are springing up to cater for the individual trekkers as opposed to the coach parties of before of slightly older clientele shall we say. Bab Monsour itself is being renovated and all around this area there is massive repaving and restructuring ongoing due to the Kings insistence I believe, after all it is an Imperial city and does not want to lag behind its illustrious neighbour Fes, 50k away.

I saw a couple of houses that piqued my interest in the 40,000 euro bracket although out on a limb regarding access to the main tourist trail but in areas due for regeneration and having a realness not always apparent as such in the tourist areas. Although not near to an airport apart from Fes, Meknes is in the loop of the picturesque micro climate grape growing region that encompasses the ever wonderful Volubilis and my fave town Moulay Idriss.