After all that sight-seeing and shopping we were ready for some food!
Down a narrow medina street.
A typical riad-style restaurant, with the dining alcoves off of the main courtyard. This one is draped in fabric--a welcome touch on this chilly day.
Everyone must Instagram the food!
My turn to take a shot of the salad course.
Lamb shank tagine with onions, prunes, and sesame seeds--amazing!
Alex got couscous with lamb and vegetables. The couscous is semolina flour that is steamed at least twice (the good stuff is steamed three times!) and then sifted with the hands to form the tiny pasta pearls.
On our way to the mellah (Jewish quarter), we entered this riad to see what most of them look like. They get chopped up into apartments and fall into disrepair.
Here is a restored riad that is now a museum on woodworking and carving. You can see the expense that goes into restoring one.
Here is the mellah. It is instantly distinguished from the rest of the medina by the balconies on the upper floors. Unlike Muslim dars (houses) which turn inward because Muslim women were not allowed to be seen (no longer the case in Morocco), Jewish homes could have balconies that opened out to the public streets.
The unassuming entrance to the Synagogue Aben Danan, built in the 17th century.
This synagogue was recently restored as part of an effort of Morocco's Ministry of Culture to restore all mosques, churches, and synagogues in the country.
The torah ark.
The mikvah (bath for ritual immersion) can be seen through this portal in the floor.
The mikvah located beneath the synagogue floor.
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