The first thing you are handed before entering the front door of the tannery is a handful of fresh mint.
After that there was some discussion in Arabic between our guide in Fez and the guide for the tannery. Then some French is discussed between my wife, our guide and the tannery guide. Once it’s known that I’m the only one that doesn’t speak French there is some more back forth in Arabic and French. After a bit, my American-ness shows itself as I blurt out “Ça Va?” Trying to get an idea of what’s going on. With that the tannery guide just looks at me, laughs and starts speaking almost perfect English but with a bit of southern drawl. He looks a bit like a cross between Walt Disney and Kevin Spacey.
He leads us up four floors of their leather shop where they have almost every sort of leather good you could want. Each level with its own expertise. When we get to the top floor, it is wide open on one side which opens up to the Chouara Tannery. You then quickly put that fresh mint to use by holding it right up to your nose.
The smell that hits you is just as strong as the sight of all the clay and brick pots filled with mysterious liquids and animal skins. Unpleasant is an understatement. I can only compare it to being next to where a fast food company stores their waste grease; after multiple hot days. We were lucky because the wind was blowing the smells away from us, but when that wind stopped, it hit you full force. The mint leaves helped, but it can only do so much.
The many pots are filled with dyes made from natural ingredients, but it’s far from safe. And men spend all day working the skins over and over. Moving them from one pot to another.
The white pots are where the skins are first placed to soften them up. Those are filled with water lye and pigeon poop. And where do they get the pigeon poop? From the people living in the Medina. They pay roughly a euro for kilo of poop collected.
When we were done taking everything in we looked over the many leather goods. I was interested in a leather jacket and had the most uncomfortable time bargaining with our guide to get a good price on it. But we agreed on a price and I got a nice camel belly black leather jacket.
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