The Artisans of Fez - Fez, Morocco

Carving on a gold plate

The man patiently working on his piece

Rambling in Fez medina would be more meaningful if we understand the history as well as the culture of the locals.  Fez is more than just a religious city, trade and artisans flourish from medieval until today.  It is a paradise of artisans and traditional authentic crafts is all over the Medina.  If you have a lot of time, it would be wonderful to explore the Medina and get yourself lost among the 9,000 little shops but if time is your biggest constraint then hiring a trusted guide is the best option. We tried both, getting ourselves lost in this medieval walled city as well as hiring a professional guide.

We were lucky to have an excellent guide, Khalid, who introduced to us several crafts and artwork available in the city. We stopped to have a glimpse of some artisans working on silver, gold and camel bone.   The artisans are very skillful as they have inherited the trade from one generation to another for hundred of years. The medina though congested, is divided into various sections

Lovely intricate design on the plate

Unlike our earlier experience of getting lost in the crowded Medina, this time with Khalid, we moved from one section of the souk to another with great ease but sharing the narrow streets with the donkeys can be hard. When we heard men shouting "Belek, Belek!" surely behind us will be the heavy laden donkeys trying to make their way.  

Very effective time management - in just half a day, we were able to get to most part of the Medina. We went to the metal section, the tannery for the leathers, the food section, textiles section, copper and wood section. Several names of the sections in Arabic were mentioned by Khalid, like Attarine,  Daraqqin, Saffarin and I lost count of them.

We bought this beautiful piece as a wedding gift for a friend

Copper, silver and gold plated plate for the wall decoration

Beautifully decorated pieces

The chest box is made of camel bone and wood

Mirror decorated with camel bones

Hand-crafted tombstone 

The man working on the tombstone

Beautiful jar made from pieces of camel bones

Hand-made cooking pots

Takengon Morning Market - Takengon, Aceh, Indonesia

It was a busy Monday morning in Ramadhan - Takengon

At about 7 am and everybody is rushing to the market

It was the nicest morning I ever felt...the air is fresh and crisp in Takengon. You can really feel the difference...in the mountains with no pollution. It was about 6.30 am and we decided to check-out early.  Takengon begins its day as busy as every other days but it's Ramadhan and everyone is rushing to the morning market to get their daily supplies. It's a rule of thumb - if you get to shop early, you'll get better quality of groceries. Along with the locals we walked through the market to shop for some interesting food that we have never come across our lives. 

Fresh matured coconuts for sale

Morning market in Indonesia is such an interesting place to include in your itinerary. Not only it gives you a fascinating opportunity to experience local environment, colorful surrounding, noisy atmosphere but it's also a photography heaven. The petty vendors shout and call for their customers, friendliness is the key to their business success...it's the way they compete to lure their customers. Hence, they are also camera friendly. The moment you point your camera at them, they're ready to give your a pose and a smile. Even taking pictures of their merchandise is not a problem. 

           Depik are small fish from Lake Lut Tawar. They taste very delicious.

Deepik vendor selling her fish according to its sizes

Last night, at the restaurant, we ate Depik, small fish from the lake and it tastes superbly delicious. The availability of the fish is very seasonal and in fact it is the season now.  So we intended to take home some Depik. By the local standards, Depik is expensive, about 120,000 Rupiah (about $11 USD) per kilogram and the price varies with size.  The price is actually equivalent to the price of meat in Aceh! 

Then we moved on to the vegetable sections and our eyes were glued on the colorful fruits and vegetables neatly lined in rows on the streets.  We walked all over tempting to buy a lot of things but since our journey would be a long way before we fly home, it's not a good idea to buy anything perishable. Then, from a distance we watched the fish section...I can't stand the stinky smell...the fishmongers and vendors were happily calling for their customers.  The local fish come from the lake while salt water fish come from the neighboring fishing town in Aceh.  

At about half past eight, we left Takengon leaving joyful memory of such a short stay. The friendliness of the Gayo inhabitants and the tasteful Gayo Coffee  will last long in our memory. As soon as we left Takengon, we were back on the rocky road of Kabupaten Aceh Tengah. Our next destination is Tritit, another site of the recent earthquake. 

We thought we were early at 7 am but there were already many people

Vegetables vendors and their goods

Colorful vegetables neatly lined on the street

The locals shopping for their daily supplies

Fish is the popular protein

Depik are small fish from Lake Lut Tawar. They tastes very delicious. 

The fishmongers asked their picture to be taken

Tuna fish which must have come from other parts of Aceh

The Beca is more elaborate with front cover and operates with a motor engine 

Beca (Trishaw) is a common transportation in the town

The basket at the sides of the bike are loaded with fresh fish

Posing for the camera - they are happy and ready to begin their day

Bandang fish is the favorite of many

The fishmonger's motorcycle is loaded with fish for sale around the villages

Noodles is so popular among the locals

Morning in Pecangan - Jepara, Central Java, Indonesia

The lady selling vegetables in the village of Pecangan market

It was about 2am by the time we arrived in Jepara. Jepara is only about 180km from Yogyakarta but due to the road condition and heavy traffic the journey takes more that 5 hours. There are no highway and most of the roads have only two small lanes. Java is the most densely populated island and hardly did we see any jungle along the road. Every space is occupied with human being, padi field or little shops and restaurants.

Busy morning in the Pecangan Market

In the home of Nyoirah, I tried to get two hours of sleep so that I'll stay awake the whole day. The day for a typical Indonesian villager probably starts as early as 4 am, and fajar (morning) prayer is about 4.30 am. About 95% of the locals are Muslims. By 5 am, business in the busy street of Pecangan market is in its full swing. I am delighted to be in this little village. It is amazing to see the petty traders with their happy faces calling for customers.

My appearance in the market was obvious and I could feel their eyes on me. We exchanged smiles and the next thing, they were just ready for the camera. Everything is cheap in the market. But my concern is the level of hygiene, especially most of the cooked food and cakes are placed in the tray so close to the feet of the people passing by. With a hardcore poverty population of 29 million in Indonesia, the hard life of the locals are observable.

Pecangan Market, Jepara

Sweet Potatoes 

Tapioca is the popular food in Java

Fried food at your feet

Chicken intestines sate

Grilled Squids

Smiling broadly for the camera

Local cakes and delicacies for breakfast

Busy day in the market

Walking with loads on their back

Shopping at San Lorenzo Leather Market - Florence, Italy

Colorful quality leather jackets and handbags at reasonable price

San Lorenzo leather market is a popular spot in Florence and the number of visitors flooding the place justifies its popularity. I first come across this market while watching one of most inspiring journey of Samantha Brown aired on television and I thought one day I shall visit this place.I end up visiting this place twice in 2010 and 2012! Even if you are not planning for a shopping spree, a visit to Florence market would be interesting and photographing in this market is fun. But be careful with your belongings and beware of pickpockets around this area.

The market is just a short walk from Santa Novella train station.  It is fun with all colors around us and the noise adds to the excitement. Great place to shop for jackets, belts, purses and wallets for personal use and gifts. Many stalls along the streets have their main store just behind them and the owners speak English very well which makes bargaining easier.  Bargain quietly and politely, as some vendors can be pushy. 

You need a few hours or half a day to shop here and to give yourself time to observe the quality of the leather before purchasing. Quality can vary greatly from one stall to another so pick your items carefully.