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Author Suzanna Clarke and her husband, Sandy McCutcheon, first visited Morocco in 2003 and fell in love with Fez, a city Clarke calls “the cultural and spiritual heart” of the country. They decided to buy a rundown riad with the goal of restoring it using traditional craftsmen and typical Moroccan materials—a lengthy labor of love that Clarke captures in her recently published book, A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco. Indagare spoke to the Australia-based writer and photojournalist about her experiences in Morocco and what not to miss on a trip to Fez.

What impressed you the most about Fez?

The warmth and friendliness of the locals immediately endeared us to the city. Walking through the narrow streets of the Medina, where there are no cars but instead donkeys and foot traffic, we felt as though we had been plunged back to the fourteenth century. The ancient Medina has a population of around 300,000 and about 30,000 of those are artisans, so everywhere people are making things in tiny workshops – from leather and ironwork to embroidery and ceramics. The city is designed on Islamic principles of social harmony, with each section of the city having its own school, hammam (bath-house), mosque, fountain and bakery.

What experiences of living in Fez stand out in your mind?

When I think of Fez, I picture donkeys and traditionally dressed people in the cobbled streets; exchanging greetings with my neighbors as I go to the local souk to buy fresh vegetables and fruit in season; the scent of Moroccan spices, rose petals and orange blossom, and freshly baked bread; the fountain tinkling in my courtyard; the lyrical song of the early morning call to prayer, and watching sunset from our flat roof, from where you can look over the city to the foothills of the Atlas mountains beyond.

What aspects of life in Morocco surprised you most?

I had never lived in a city that was not centered around cars, and it was a revelation how much more people-orientated the Fez Medina is than many Western cities. A lot of life takes place on the street: children play, adults chat, and old people sit on their doorsteps and warm themselves in the sun. I was also surprised at how organized everyday life is. For example, my trash is collected every day except Fridays with a knock on the door by a fellow with a donkey. It is also fascinating that local women, who dress traditionally on the street including covering their heads, strip down without a qualm to their knickers in the public hammam (bath-house). They will wash each other’s backs and hair, and have long conversations. They seem much more casually intimate with one another than the majority of women in Western countries.

Are there any new customs or traditions that you took back to Australia?

Moroccan cuisine is an obvious tradition that we have taken back with us to Australia, as we both love cooking and regularly make tagines, cous-cous and Moroccan-style salads. On a deeper level, we have developed an appreciation of how fortunate we are to experience living in another culture and doing so has given us a fresh perspective on our own.

What would you recommend to someone planning a move to a foreign country?

When you move to a foreign country, it’s important not to get drawn exclusively into the world of ex-patriots, but to forge links with the locals. Learning the language as early as possible in your stay will earn you their respect and break down barriers. And it’s a good idea to try not to keep comparing your new home to what you have left behind, because it is likely you will romanticize the latter, which won’t help to deal with the realities of your current life.

What guidance would you offer to someone visiting Fez?

In visiting Fez Medina, you need to be prepared to immerse yourself in an entirely different reality. Some people find this exhilarating, while others are fearful and remain within the confines of their tour groups. However, it is fine to explore Fez on your own. You can follow the two main streets down the hill and back up again, following the eight-pointed stars mounted on the walls to guide you. It’s unlikely you will experience serious problems and Moroccans are usually friendly and helpful. If you feel this friendliness is turning pushy, saying la shukran (no thank you) is usually sufficient discouragement. Never give money to try and get rid of people who may be hassling you – usually offering to guide you or show you their brother’s carpet shop.

If you were to repeat the entire experience, is there anything you would do differently?

If I was to do such a restoration again, I would like to allow more time and money so it wasn’t so stressful. But isn’t that always the case? I also would have sacked our recalcitrant plumber, rather than putting up with his lame excuses. He was constantly telling us he couldn’t show up to work as another of his relatives had died. By the end of the process, we estimated he had lost about six or seven family members. Really, he was a most unfortunate fellow. Apart from these things, however, we were lucky to find good workers, and receive a great deal of helpful advice, which helped us avoid some serious pitfalls.

Read about Clarke’s favorite places not to miss on a trip to Fez.

The View From Fez (www.riadzany.blogspot.com), a blog written by Clarke and McCutcheon has up-to-date news and a searchable archive.

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Author Suzanna Clarke and her husband, Sandy McCutcheon bought and restored a traditional riad in Fez, having fallen in love with the city in their travel. The experience is documented Clarke’s recently published book, A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco. Here the Australia-based writer and photojournalist shares her favorite places in the city.

What are some sights/places not to miss on a first time trip Fez?

On your first trip to Fez, you can either employ a licensed guide, or go alone. If you are doing the latter, I suggest starting with a coffee at the Hotel Merinides, which has a fabulous view out over the Medina. Then go to the main city gate, the Bab Boujeloud, and begin your walk down the hill. Take the left hand fork which leads you to the Talaa Kbira, one of the two main thoroughfares. After the food souk, on the right you will come to the Bou Inania, a 14th century religious college with exquisite plaster work and carving that has been beautifully restored. You can pop across the alley to the Café Clock for lunch (ask to sit on the terrace), which has delicious and exotic fare such as camel burgers, before walking down to the thousand year old tanneries where you will see men walking the narrow paths between huge vats of colorful dyes, and the surrounding buildings covered with drying pelts. Be warned, it can be pretty smelly when the weather is hot.

On the way, keep an eye out for the weaving and embroidery workshops. At the bottom of the hill, visit the Henna souk, a quiet oasis where you will find lots of wonderful blue and white Fez ceramics and small items like rose moisturizer and henna which make great gifts. It’s worth seeing the Nejjarine Museum of Wood Arts and Crafts and the street nearby where they make elaborate wedding thrones. Then wander through Place Seffarine, to see brass pots and lanterns being made, down the street of the knife grinders, and past the dyers. You will eventually reach my favorite food souk, the one next to R’Cif. The olives and dried and fresh fruit are particularly good. After that you can either brave walking back up the hill via the other main thoroughfare, the Talaa Sghira, or catch a pedi taxi back to your hotel.

If you feel in need of a bit of pampering after all that walking, Nausika Spa at Avenue Bahnini in the Ville Nouvelle (212-35-61-00-06) is a modern and well equipped place to experience an up-market hammam and massage. For the full Fez Medina experience, I suggest you stay at a traditional riad in the Medina, which will have far more atmosphere than a new hotel in the Ville Nouvelle. The best selection of places to stay is offered through Fez Riads (www.fez-riads.com).

What are some of your favorite restaurants/cafes?

My favorite street café is Thami’s, the last one in the street near the Bab Bou Jeloud, which serves freshly made food, such as chicken and fish at reasonable prices. You can sit under the mulberry tree and watch the crowds meander past. Try the makoodas (fried potato cakes) with some Moroccan harissa (hot sauce). You can also visit Café Clock in the Talaa Kbira for snacks or lunch; Ryad Mabrouka (212-35-63-63-45) or Maison Bleue (212-35-63-60-52) for a slap-up Moroccan meal.

Do you have advice for someone who is interested in exploring/shopping in the Medina?

Bargaining is an expected part of buying most goods in Fez, except food. If you are with a guide or other Moroccan, be aware you will be paying at least an additional forty percent to cover their commission. You can also explore the Medina on your own, or seek out a specific shop later. When a merchant says he will post your parcel, it will almost certainly happen, as there are strict regulations concerning this. Don’t buy antique fixtures or fittings taken from Fez houses – particularly doors. If you do, you are supporting a trade which is robbing a World Heritage-listed city of some of the very features that makes it unique. However, there are plenty of artifacts you can purchase such as pottery, embroidery; leather work, metalwork and weaving that provide skilled craftsmen and women with income and a way to sustain centuries-old traditions.

The View From Fez (www.riadzany.blogspot.com), a blog written by Clarke and McCutcheon has up-to-date news and a searchable archive.

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Study abroad programs for high school students rarely inspire envy in adults, but that’s essentially what happened with China Prep. The travel company, which launched in 2006, started off solely leading groups of high school students on three-to-six-week trips in China (read an earlier Indagare article on the trips). The journeys incorporated intensive Mandarin classes with visits to cultural sites and meetings with interesting locals. But after the first few, China Prep’s founder Brantley Turner Bradley was persuaded—largely by the parents of her former travelers—to change her business model. The Brown alumna and current New Yorker now offers custom journeys for curious travelers of all ages, with her first departure scheduled for September. This spring, she also plans to launch a few set ones, with pre-designed itineraries.

If Bradley’s previous programs are any indication, the adult trips should not disappoint. On a summer ’07 China Prep journey to Beijing, Shanghai and China’s rural Yunnan Province, students visited all the must-see galleries, museums and sites. But it was the people that really set the experience apart. “I find personal stories so interesting”, says Bradley, “[on China Prep’s trips] we try to meet someone new every day.” While visiting Beijing’s Dashanzi Art District, a former factory space, turned starving artist enclave, turned hip gallery area, the group stopped to chat with an ex-pat (a friend of Turner’s), who owned an apartment there and had witnessed the district’s shifting demographics firsthand. According to Deb Agrin, an adult on that trip: “The main galleries are not private, but the general public doesn’t get to sit down and have an hourlong conversation with someone from the area. Not everyone has access to these types of insights.”

Bradley’s own personal story is unique and, when putting together China Prep’s itineraries, her connections run deep. Her fascination with China was sparked as a child when her parents moved to Hong Kong for 15 years. At Brown she took as many classes on the country as possible and eventually returned for grad school. She later accepted a consumer research position in Shanghai, where her specialty was the Chinese youth—a job that required interviewing a wide array of tastemakers, ranging from contemporary photographers and artists to hip-hop dancers and pop culture icons. On the (abovementioned summer ’07 trip) students met with experts from various fields in Shanghai. These included graphic and fashion designers like Helen Li, creator of the trendy Insh brand and well-known among teenagers for judging an America’s Next Top Model competition, as well as architects and journalists. The latter discussed the various forces at work in the Chinese government’s controversial destruction of hutongs (traditional housing units being torn down for more modern high rises).

While many of Bradley’s insiders will remain the same for the adult trips, China Prep’s new itineraries will, of course, require a bit of tweaking. Mandarin classes will not be required and dorms—appropriate accommodations for high school students studying at universities—will be replaced with luxury hotel rooms. Bradley also plans to visit more antique stores and markets—not always a big hit with the under 20 set. But while the ages of China Prep’s travelers are changing, Bradley’s mission stays the same: “My goal on every trip is to create passion for China. My favorite part is watching people fall in love with the country.”