Damasceneware is one of the traditional crafts of Meknes and really nowhere else in Morocco. It is also practised in Toledo where gold is inset into elaborate abstract patterns against black metal backgrounds in methods which have remained the same for a thousand years. Presumably Meknes ware has the same origins and the skills were brought from Toledo by refugees from the reconquista but here silver is used instead of gold.
The silver is applied as a fine wire to base metal which has to be heated and beaten to darken it and hammered into shape before the pattern is applied and annealed to the surface. Peacocks, in particular, are atraditional design but market demand has caused the craftsmen to branch out into such non-moroccan additions as kangaroos.
Moulay Idriss is a lovely little town just North of Meknes. It takes it's name and fame from the tomb of the eponymous "saint", an object of pilgrimage. Because of this non-muslims were not allowed to stay in the town overnight until 2005. The upshot of this is that it has no major hotels but a number of guest houses which are considerably cheaper than established competitors in Meknes and Fes. You would want to take advantage of this if you intend to visit Volubilis which is only 4km from the town.
We were frustrated in our efforts to stay by the demise of the cooling fan in our hire car. We paid only a flying visit. We could only get a peep at the tomb which is protected from unbelievers by a barrier. A local faux guide took us round the pretty back streets above the mosque but after a while I gave up because of the gradient and sloped off to buy a hat a la Blues Brothers.
The zillij tilework of Morocco is well known but one of the more attractive aspects of a wander is to look down at the boring grey you are walking on. They eschew boring plain rectagonal pavers, or, if they do use them add pattern, in favour of fairly elaborate tessilating blocks. If they do have to use rectangles they will use elaborate laying patterns. Pattern for pattern's sake.
Just south of Azoud in the Cedar Forests and by a convenient restaurant which obviously is responsible for feeding them you will certainly see Barbary Apes. We followed the directions in the Rough Guide which were spot on. It was a hot Sunday so there were loads of daytrippers out from Rabat and Fes who were getting very excited covering the apes with crisps and then being repaid by having their car ariels investigated. Enterprising young men brought richly capirisoned Horsesfor the tourists to pose for photos on and the children have rides.
