Another beautiful day here with such comfortable temps . Going to get the yard work done & enjoy the day .You have a good one & enjoy what you like doing whatever it is. With a big hug.......George
John and I walked through the very narrow streets of the medina. Our tour guide and our local guide were very knowledgeable and explained a lot of the work the craftsmen were doing. Everyone works very hard to make a living in the medina!
Below is a video that I took of workers preparing the leather in the ancient tradition using only natural dyes.
Fez’s tanneries are composed of numerous stone vessels filled with a vast range of dyes and various liquids spread out like a tray of watercolors. Dozens of men, many standing waist deep in dyes, work under the hot sun tending to the hides that remain soaked in the vessels. The tanneries processes the hides of cows, sheep, goats and camels, turning them into high quality leather products such as bags, coats, shoes, and slippers. This is all achieved manually, without the need for modern machinery, and the process has barely changed since medieval times, which makes these tanneries absolutely fascinating to visit.
At the tannery, hides are first soaked in a mixture of cow urine, quicklime, water, and salt. This caustic mixture helps to break down the tough leather, loosen excess fat, flesh, and hair that remain on them. The hides are soaked for two to three days after which tanners scrap away excess hair fibers and fat in order to prepare the hides for dyeing. The hides are then soaked in another set of vats containing a mixture of water and pigeon poop. Pigeon poop contains ammonia that acts as softening agents that allows the hides to become malleable so they can absorb the dye. The tanner uses his bare feet to knead the hides for up to three hours to achieve the desired softness.
Howdy friend .Warm & humid this morning but having a cool front come in late with some rain .Going to the community park today to enjoy the bbq contest they're having .Nice get together with activities for the kids & neighbors socializing . Have a good weekend & take care...George
Geralyn and I had an enjoyable dinner at a local pub in Madrid. The following morning we jetted to Morocco.... pictures and videos of that exotic country will be posted next! Have a great day, John and Ger
Thank you Barb for getting back to us in spite of your reduced activity on-line. John and I were concerned about you and hope your "off-line issues" are rectified quickly!
Toledo is a city and municipality located in central Spain. It is the capital of the province of Toledo. Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.
Toledo is known as the "Imperial City" for having been the main venue of the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and as the "City of the Three Cultures" for the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims and Jews reflected in its history. Toledo has a long history in the production of bladed weapons, which are now popular souvenirs of the city. Have a great day, Love and hugs, Ger and John
Puerto Lápice is a municipality in the province of Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 1,052.
As the name already suggests, Miguel de Cervantes’ legendary book, Don Quixote de La Mancha (published in 1605) was set on the windswept and sparsely populated plateau region called Castilla-La Mancha.
There on La Mancha, Don Quixote—a delusional old man who’s lost his mind from reading too many books on chivalry—goes to battle to defend the honor of a princess called Dulcinea. But Dulcinea isn’t really a princess—she’s a farm girl. The enemies Don Quixote battles aren’t really giants—they’re windmills. And what Don Quixote thinks are castles aren’t really castles—they’re roadside inns.
