Dans un recent passe et jusqu'aux annees 60 environ  quand la population de
Fes
n'etait qu'une  petite fraction de ce qu'elle est devenue aujourd'hui , il y
avait des toilettes publiques
situees  a quelques centaines de metres  l'une de l'autre  .(par exemples,
il y avait celles de
Nejjarine, My Idriss, Karaouine, cherratiine, seffarine, Sidi Telloq. Rciif,
etc.....etc...
Dans une certaines periode , toutes les 300 mosquees de l'ancienne ville de
Fes
avaient leurs  toilettes bien propres et bien entretenues.
La ville de Fes acccueille  maintenant a peu pres quelques millions de
touristes de
passage chaque annee qui visitent la Medina , une medina  sans  W.C.   P U B
L I Q U E S
comme nous le rappelle avec regrets  cette dame  auteur de la lettre
ci-dessous  qui a du^ rester
dans sa chambre d'hotel  au lieu de visiter le  but  de son voyage  de
crainte de faire
ses besoins dans  ses propres vetements dans la medina de Fes.
Qui est reponsable de cette bourde? Pourquoi appeler les touristes a visiter
une cite qui ne dispose pas de V.C puliques????
Inutile de repeter encore une fois de plus  que la medina  de Fes demeure
encore depourvue de toilettes publiques
fonctionnant proprement  au 21 eme siecle pour des raisons d'incompetence de
plusieurs
generations successives de planificateurs,  de maires et de conseillers
municipaux aveugles , sourds et  handicappes
de l'ordorat, inaptes...... bien que sa population   a explose durant  les
dernieres decennies
a cause des migrations  des ruraux  vers la cite idrisside.
De nos jours la plupart  de ces  anciens W.C. publiques sont tombes en
desuetude,en ruine et ferme's a cause de
la negligence et de la cecite des responsables de la ville . Nos ancetres
qui avaient planifie la ville  de
Fes  dans le passe etaient des gens  sages qui anticipaient les problemes
avant qu'ils ne se
produisent et placaient  le reconfort de l'etre humain et ses besoins  les
plus urgents au-dessus de tout marchandage ,
de toute valeur materielle, de tout prix et de toute priorite  budegetaire,
de toute politique
 et autres considerations.
----------------------------

Ci- joint une copie de l'Email
que je viens de recevoir d'une amie qui veut garder l'anonymat
pour exposer le probleme commente'plus haut
afin que ceux qui sont concernes fassent leur devoir .

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: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:56:39 +0000
From: ...........
To...............

Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 5:03:36 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Entry 19

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Salam Alekum,

Greetings from X..and Z...from the lobby of our hotel in Fes (not, Fez, as
our guide has informed us belongs to the red hat, and not the city.) We are
here enjoying the day while the rest of the troop is off beating their way
through the labyrinth of the famous Medina - the one in which people get
lost and never return. We were to have three guides and some local children
leading us through to ensure that we all stay together and not get lost.
There will be much shopping and avoiding of donkeys and their 'presents' in
the streets. They are to be in there for three hours!!!! with no bathrooms
(says Z  ) and many, many people and animals.

A..and I were concerned about being 'stuck in the maze' with no turning
back. Our guide was very sweet, however, and offered us the option of going
in only part of the way and then being led back by some of the street
urchins, back to the bus and the driver, where we would wait for the rest of
the group to emerge. H...and A..may be taking advantage of that option.
S.and  I, however, decided to be even more cowardly, and not leave the hotel
at all! K...has been revisited with another bout of "Moroccan Revenge,"(ca
veut dire la diarrhee que les touristes attrapent  au Maroc)  -- far worse
than the first - and S. , somewhat, so, -- and decided to stay and provide
moral support and company. (So sweet!)

We have been taking our time exploring the hotel and beautiful poolside, and
now taking advantage of free wi-fi! Happy day!

Our drive through the mountains from Marakkesh to Fes, was spectacular,
although extremely long - nine and half hours! The terrain looks like a
cross between Sadona and Mexico. The color of the soil was the same terra
cotta red as the soil of Rousillion, France. We drove through miles and
miles of barren farm fields and desperate poverty. The small towns were so
desperate looking with run-down homes, shops, and market places of the
Berbers. Some of the farmers were quite well off, however, due to the
fertile farmland. They have no way to spend their money, though, so look
impoverished, anyway. One area produces tons and tons of onions, but doesn't
export them. Instead, they store them in huge tarp-covered mounds and hope
to sell them before they spoil, in a matter of a couple of months.

There were olive trees everywhere - a major source of income. We drove
through a huge area that was the land of the king, passed down for
generations. There we saw huge herds of black cattle that are exported to
Saudi Arabia. Goats, donkeys,stray cats, sheep and their shepherds, dotted
the hillsides. (Cats were Mohammed's favorite animals and protected now, by
everyone. They are fed, but wild and extremely scrawny - and prolific.)

Driving between the Atlas and Rift Mountains was very twisty and turny and
unexpected. Our bus driver was simply incredible. He had to avoid donkeys
and people and extremely slow moving chicken trucks. We were really
surprised to see how green and agricultural it was in the valleys between
the mountain ranges. The scenery was stunning. K... took  many photos to
share. :0)

We're anxious for the return of the group to see what the day was actually
like. It sounded as if there was enough to keep them busy for hours and
hours.

S...and I are both ready to return to Spain where we can drink the water and
enjoy calm tummies. Karen's cold is just about gone, but many on the bus are
succumbing to whatever virus is going around. At least we don't have the
swine flu, here! Maybe we've gotten the better end of the bargain. ;0) So
far, Sondra, Hal, Aloha, and Vicki are staying healthy. Hallelujah!

Hope YOU all are well. We are thinking of you here in exotic Morocco.

With love,

X...and Z...

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P.S