View from Convento de Cristo once a Templar stronghold

Monday, January 6, 2014

Part 5:  If you take away the cell phones, internet and the questionable electricity, the Medina and older parts of the cities, are Medieval.  Craftsmanship is the real deal there as everything is made by hand in the same way it was made 500 years ago.  The leather goods, so lovely to look at, stink to high heaven when you get them home because the tanning treatment still uses cow urine and pigeon poop.  The gorgeous metal works are done over coal fires in tiny hole-like hovels in the walls of the souks, no ventilation or burn safety measures taken.  Carpets are woven by hand, cushions and mattresses stuffed with wool on the narrow streets.  Certainly there are no labor laws protecting the workers and so much is done in terribly hazardous conditions.  20% of Morocco's labor force work in industry of this kind, making exports mostly for European markets.  To be continued....
Real Estate office (really)

Woodworker

Mattress making

city workers laying pipes

Fish shop

Delivery day

Many streets too narrow for cars so use carts

Another Realtor

Live snail pusher

Crumbled house

Souk

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