At 13 years old, I was already familiar with the famous leather tanneries of Fez. That is, through television. I became familiar with the Moroccan souks and riads as well; it all seemed like a dream to me. Well, dream came true. But the tanneries weren’t as pleasant as the telly made it seem.
When traveling to the leather tanneries, make sure you’re wearing appropriate clothing for the walking you’ll do through the leather-making process. Be prepared to get a little splashed on your feet and jeans or legs if you’re wearing a skirt. Oh and don’t be like me and wear a skirt that drags. That’s a big no-no.
You see, to put it frankly, the alleys are wet and the air smells like something was slaughtered. In this case, the smell would come from animals that were slaughtered to make leather goods. It may not be the smoothest smelling experience but it’s so worth it to experience the leather-making process, from production to product.
In the midst of the tanneries you can find places to shop for leather goods. There are leather bags, Moroccan poufs, shoes, and even fur skins. And did I mention they’re beautiful?
