Photos: Terre >> Afrique >> Maroc >> Nord >> Fes >> Fès

S'enregistrer

  << Previous Next >>

moroccan riad


moroccan riad
Information sur la photo
Copyright: Kristaps KL (zmey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 102 N: 1423] (5514)
Genre: Lieux
Média: Couleur
Date de prise de vue: 2006-02-23
Catégories: Architecture
Appareil photographique: Canon powershot G7
Versions: version originale, Workshop
Date de soumission: 2007-12-09 20:56
Vue: 1397
Favoris: 2 [voir]
Points: 30
[Ligne directrice - Note] Note du photographe
i guess, my note to this pic will be more like a piece of travelogue. but... it is what is is... :)

last year, after having seen casablanca for a day, we quickly decided it was not a place for us. a friend of mine had suggested Fes as something more authentic and a tad less touristy than the popular marrakech. so, off we went... to Fes.

as i was approaching the old city, i noticed a motorcycle following my car through the traffic. at the first light, the cyclist pulled up to my car. 'you are going the wrong way'..., he said in broken english. well, friend, how do you know where i am going? i replied. 'your number plates are from the airport, you must bet tourists and all of them want to go to the old fes. this is the wrong way...'

as we continued the conversation, it turned out our insightful follower was a local "geography student" (who accidentally, could not give me a straight answer to any of the general geographical questions i posed) who would gladly take us to a "good hotel" if we followed him. suspicious he sounded, didn't he? coincidence or not, the night before we had read all the nice stories about "unlicensed guides" who trick tourists in these whereabouts.

oh well, what do we have to lose? why no follow our new friend and see what happens. hassan (that's his name) took us to the very middle of old medina to a "garage" that looked more like a depot for wrecked cars. "you can leave your car here. safe here". ok, this started to seem like fun to me. we left the car (insured) and followed hassan with our bags. "no, no, bags go with him", hassan pointed at a lone youngster with a cart. in a whim, our bags disappeared into the cart and disappered into the maze of the old medina... oh well, we didn't have that much valuables in those after all, we thought to ourselves.

we followed hassan deeper into the medina. at a very shady looking street corner with cracked walls, donkey dung and what not, hassan invited us to follow him into even a darker alley. "good hotel here, my friends, good hotel". we looked at each other in disbelief, but hey, something told us to proceed. voila, this is the sight that opened before our eyes once we made it through the door. a beautiful moroccan riad all to ourselves... (we were traveling off season).

hiring our motorcycle follower as our guide (which i did right after coming to riada) was actually the best thing that could have happened to us. as an example: one day, hassan was taking us into a one way street going against the traffic. sensibly, i expressed my concern about a potential local police encounter. "no worry about police. you are with hassan, friend!", my guide assured me. as we learned later, he was not boasting.

this pic is a dedication to hassan - the best unlicensed guide i have ever met. hassan is nowhere to be seen, but he's somewhere there, behind the curtains, "arranging stuff". a bit more on the invisible hassan can be read in the note to avene's capture of Fes' tanneries.

--
about the subject of the picture: a riad is a traditional moroccan house or palace with an interior garden. many riads are now used as hotels or restaurants and make a peaceful break from the hustle and bustle outside.

i have posted an alternative angle of the riad's interior in a workshop photo. i did not like that one as much compositionally, but, i think, it shows more interesting details of this wonderful place.
fulvio52, ViktorVaughn, pasternak, Jeppo, steliosk, pboehringer, ifanik, gildasjan, BLO, avene, gunbud, scobert trouve(nt) cette note utile
Only registered TrekEarth members may rate photo notes.
Ajouter Critique [Ligne directrice - Critique ] 
Seuls les membres de TrekEarth enregistrés peuvent rédiger des critiques.
Discussions
Enchaînement de réflexionsInitiateur de la discussion Messages Modifié
A ViktorVaughn: riad in feszmey 1 12-17 20:12
A BLO: paldieszmey 1 12-12 14:39
A avene: :)zmey 1 12-12 13:06
A pboehringer: human presencezmey 1 12-11 07:48
A ViktorVaughn: hotel namezmey 1 12-10 03:13
Vous devez vous authentifier pour démarrer une discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • aadilj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1997 W: 62 N: 1633] (11816)
  • [2007-12-09 21:08]

A lovely image with pleasing composition and good management of lights and colours. the textures too have come out nicely making it a lovely image to look at. I like your pov and the perspective. nice job indeed.

Hey Kristaps,

Great story to accompany this picture. The detail in the walls of the hotel are very impressive. So colourful. It looks like a wonderful place to stay. I can't wait to visit Fes, and hopefully I will be able to find a unique hotel like you have found.

Do you even know the name of this hotel? How much did you end up paying a night here?

Regards,
David

  • Great 
  • vedra Gold Star Critiquer [C: 567 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-12-10 0:07]

Hi Kristaps,
I like your close-up view of this traditional Moroccan house. The details are well captured and there are so many of them to be observed. The middle column is placed in the center, but it's good you moved slightly off-centre to get richer composition.
Vedrana

Nice one, Kristaps, very interesting architecture shown here, typically arabic, reminds me of Alhambra in Spain, good light control actually!

Schastlivo
Sasha

Hi Kristaps,
Lovely composition, the shadows are well balanced creating a nice atmosphere.
Very good description of this beautiful place

Regards
Stelios

Hi Kristaps,
wonderful overall detail & colors, and an outstanding light management.
Great story too, I really enjoyed reading it.
All in all : an excellent job, my friend!
See ya around,
Fulvio.

Hello Kristaps,
wonderful detail & colors
great atmosphere
nice capture
TFS
regards
Ozhan

  • Great 
  • danyy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 7606 W: 448 N: 10760] (54738)
  • [2007-12-10 15:22]

Bonjour Kristaps,
une photo toute nette et tellemnt bien exposée qu'on ne risque pas de rater le moindre détail de cette architecture très enjolivée et si caractéristique.
Pas facile à cadrer tout cela.
Regards.
Daniel.

Kristaps,
what a remarkably beautiful architecture an inner decoration. Amazing! the only thing that I miss is some person in the local dressing to complement the scene. I know, the perfect photography is not always available and we have to work with what we got and you did it quite well despite no human presence.
Regards, Peter

  • Great 
  • ifanik Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1642 W: 52 N: 3026] (16818)
  • [2007-12-11 1:56]

Hi Kristaps
This building is wonderful
Amazing architectural details
Your photo is great
BEST REGARDS
NICK

Bonjour Kristaps
Un bon Pov qui met à merveille cette architecture en valeur.Une image bien nette et très bien exposée.
Du très bon job.
Bonne journée
Cordialement
Gildas

  • Great 
  • BLO Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 58 W: 0 N: 27] (180)
  • [2007-12-11 12:00]
  • [+]

ha, nelauziisjos nevalodaa. Pasakaina bilde, apbriinojama kraasu tiiriiba un detaljas. Citaa gadiijumaa es teiktu- to busy, bet sjeit tas ljoti iederaas. Lai jums jauks celjojums un daudz jaunas, labas bildes!

  • Great 
  • avene Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1437 W: 80 N: 1837] (6906)
  • [2007-12-12 12:56]
  • [+]

sounds like quite an adventure with disappearing car and bags, but the riad seems good enough consolation. love this scene from "1000 and one nights", the decorations look delicate as lace. did you get a genie ready to grant your three wishes?

amazing clarity on details, and you've managed the light very well - it's light enought to appreciate the intricate patterns, but not too bright, so it still conveys the atmosphere of the cool inner courtyard. I also think that the point of view facing that corner creates a strong 3D effect, I like it a lot. excellent shot.

best,
K.

  • Great 
  • gunbud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4588 W: 4 N: 4463] (19980)
  • [2007-12-14 20:25]

Hello Kristaps,
Very good lighting renders strong clear colors and fantastic details this wonderful North African archritecture. The intricate details of this wonderful carvings are beautifully sceen and your note most thoughtful.
Regards, Tom

Hello Kristaps,
Wow! This is one fantastic shot! The sharpness and superb details are incredible. It is hard to believe that you took this with a digicam. This is one of the finest archtectual shots that I have seen for awhile on TE. You took a leap of faith with your guide and it paid of royally! Outstanding!
Stan

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF