The waters of Fez

Leave a comment on today’s post, over at Mutterings,and you have a chance at winning a copy of the Garment of Shadows ARC.

Water is the reason for Fez. It is the source of a hundred springs, which means every large house has its courtyard fountain, every street corner its public fountain:

And as if the suq’s guiding spirit had heard my plea, around the next corner was an open area where three of the diminutive lanes came together, which in any normal town would have gone unnoticed but here was tantamount to a village green. Set into one of the resulting corners was a magnificently tiled fountain, at the moment gushing water into a child’s brass pot. I waited while two women filled their jugs, then pushed forward to thrust my hands under the frigid clear water.

There’s a great-looking film made about Fez and its waters—including the water clock, which enters into Garment of Shadows. The film’s trailer is here:

Hidden Waters — Trailer (HD) from Joseph Lukawski on Vimeo.

To read more Garment of Shadows, go here.

To order a copy—hardback, audio, e-book, or signed—go here.

47 Comments

  1. Katie on July 13, 2012 at 2:21 am

    I love the picture of a city built for water but it saddens me that the water is disappearing. Hopefully people will work to change that in the future!

  2. Robbin Stull on July 13, 2012 at 3:02 am

    The tilework with its intricate designs and vivid colors projects a sense of coolness in overwhelming heat.

  3. D Smith on July 13, 2012 at 5:07 am

    I love having the glimpse into the life in Fez. It speaks of humanity, the spiritual, and the needful. May this glimpse of Fez serve me well in moments of selfishness.

  4. Seth Huckstead on July 13, 2012 at 5:22 am

    Here’s to a review copy…

  5. Katie on July 13, 2012 at 5:28 am

    I want a fountain like that. Gorgeous!

  6. Beth Kanell on July 13, 2012 at 5:33 am

    Having the film trailer with this post is a great combo — thank you! I can almost catch the scent of the air, now that I have visuals, sounds … and a sense of what Russell is experiencing as she races through the scene.

  7. La Donna on July 13, 2012 at 5:49 am

    Is it September yet?

  8. Carol m on July 13, 2012 at 6:04 am

    I’d love to have a courtyard with a beautiful fountain!

  9. Anne Tierney on July 13, 2012 at 6:31 am

    Oh, for September 4th to be here!

  10. Jen on July 13, 2012 at 6:40 am

    I’ve been trying to decide between Morroco and Iceland for my next trip. You are not making the decision any easier.

  11. Terry on July 13, 2012 at 6:45 am

    I wonder if Russell will complete her ensemble with a fez? Surely, Holmes will wear one?

  12. Tiffany on July 13, 2012 at 6:47 am

    That is so cool!!! 🙂 The film looks awesome.

  13. Nancy Reynolds on July 13, 2012 at 7:03 am

    Yet another great picture – and I can’t wait to watch the video you provided, too. All these great photos and information – the anticipation for the book is growing daily. Thanks for all this fun lead up to the book!

  14. Judy Westmoreland on July 13, 2012 at 7:04 am

    The tilework is just beautiful. If I
    lived in Fez I would love to have courtyard fountain.

  15. tmgray on July 13, 2012 at 7:43 am

    I’ve always had an itch for adventure! These memoirs and current pics have just ignited that!

  16. Vero A. on July 13, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Ah, water – life itself!

  17. Susan Gainen on July 13, 2012 at 7:51 am

    Everytime I see that tilework I want to paint tile or paint tile designs. Luckily, I have a friend who is a potter who has figured out how to get my designs onto her tiles. I can’t wait to see how it works.

  18. Teresa on July 13, 2012 at 8:05 am

    and after thrusting her hands into that frigid clear water I wonder if the damn spot came out. 😉

  19. Janet Evans on July 13, 2012 at 8:19 am

    Love that you share photos….makes it so much more real. Can hardly wait to read the whole book.

  20. Laura Kennedy on July 13, 2012 at 8:22 am

    I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, where the climate is much like Morocco. I have always craved moisture–rain, fog, baths, pools, fountains, water running over beautifully patterned tiles.

  21. Kathleen on July 13, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Such beautiful tiles on the fountain!

  22. Stacie on July 13, 2012 at 9:14 am

    Wow, what detail!

  23. Betsy Chamberlin on July 13, 2012 at 9:31 am

    Moving from rainy humid south-central Pennsylvania to SoCal in my 50’s gave me a whole new viewpoint on water. Surely Morocco must be just as big a step farther along the continuum of water-consciousness.

  24. Scott M on July 13, 2012 at 9:43 am

    Beautiful architecture, and definitely neat to see more of Morocco.

  25. Alice on July 13, 2012 at 9:45 am

    The tiling is so beautiful! The intricate detail makes it look like carved lace.

  26. Libby Dodd on July 13, 2012 at 9:55 am

    So, if Russell went to Fez today she would have a much harder time finding water with which to clean her bloody hands. Very sad to think about.
    Guess I need a copy of the story to cheer me up!

  27. Alissa Nolan on July 13, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Thank you for including the video. Reading this book will be much more vivid with these little snapshots stored in my brain!

  28. Sue Thompson on July 13, 2012 at 10:08 am

    As usual it’s such a shame to see something made with such care and love fading into the grey of 21st century industrial decay.
    I just hope enough of the beauty of such places survives to inspire restoration and renewal.

  29. Jane Steen on July 13, 2012 at 10:15 am

    Thanks for including the film clip – it was very helpful in understanding Fez. Now I want to go there, of course!

  30. Shannon on July 13, 2012 at 10:51 am

    It’s sad to see the water disappearing from that area, and those beautiful old fountains just decaying.

  31. Liz on July 13, 2012 at 11:18 am

    I love the description…I could picture it even without the video.

  32. Emily on July 13, 2012 at 11:37 am

    It’s a place I’ve always wanted to see, but I want Mahmoud and Ali to show me around.

  33. Meredith Taylor on July 13, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    Beautiful images! I missed yesterday’s time limit by seven minutes. grrr Here’s to Fri the 13th.//Meredith

  34. Gail Youngblood on July 13, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Thank you for more photos of Fez. All the better seeing the story when the book finally comes out!. I love the posts asking if it’s September yet. I feel the same way!

  35. Rachel Adrianna on July 13, 2012 at 2:07 pm

    at least someone captured it on video before it goes under!

  36. Meagan on July 13, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    It’s friday the 13th! It must have been beautiful with the river flowing right through the city. I wonder what kind of health problems arose from drinking water straight from the river?

  37. Alison Skier on July 13, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Beautiful tilework fountains…so sad to see the effect factories have had on the city’s water in the film trailer. Can’t wait to read M.R.’s adventures here. She takes me to some exotic places…still so fond of O Jerusalem!

  38. Caryn on July 13, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    Very cool.

  39. Anne Lape on July 13, 2012 at 4:18 pm

    I, as always, look forward to reading about Russel’s deep appreciation for and ability to assimilate to the local culture. I always feel as though I am traveling with her.

  40. Marlyn on July 13, 2012 at 4:49 pm

    I’m confused. Isn’t this “Mutterings”? Why does it say to “leave a comment over at Mutterings” at the top of this page?

  41. Pam Gibson on July 13, 2012 at 5:09 pm

    In Sicily, every little town has its own distinctive set of colors for pottery & tile produced there. I wonder whether the same is true in Morocco; are these tiles identifying where they were made? Much of the Moorish culture still permeates their former lands.

  42. Kim Box on July 13, 2012 at 5:28 pm

    As usual, every time I read Mary Russell I learn something. And in the most delightful way!

  43. Tom Varela on July 13, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    Thanks for this.

  44. Erica Ruth on July 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    What a beautiful but sad film….water is such a precious commodity in so many places, yet we take it for granted so often. On a happier note, the fountain is beautiful!

  45. Elizabeth Copley on July 14, 2012 at 9:15 am

    Love the pictures! The city is beautiful.

  46. Carlina on July 14, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    I’ve been travelling through Spain, especially central and southern Spain, where the Moors, who were from North Africa including Morocco, had a strong historical presence. This is also visible in the architecture as you can see fountains, and former mosques converted into churches or synagogues (as in Toledo), that maintain Moorish influence.

  47. Sarah on July 14, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    Thank you.

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