Maghreb #21

The view facing the Hassan II boulevard in the Ville Nouvelle in Fez.

I snapped this shot in the afternoon and the boulevard was fairly empty. Come nighttime, Hassan II is the primary source of entertainment in this district. You might remember that Fez is the religious capital of Morocco with scant "entertainment" options. What's more, people seemingly get a little stir-crazy from self-imposed exile indoors during the heat of the day (siesta). Hordes of families and individuals wander up and down the boulevard spending quality time with one another. Men congregate at the (male only) cafes that line the street- smoking, talking, and (of course!) vocalizing their appreciation of Western-looking women. Various vendors roam the strip selling their wares (ice cream, bouncy balloons). Meandering the strip each night was my primary source of entertainment as well. The people-watching is prime, given the sheer volume of people trolling the avenue.