Day 8 Casablanca, Morocco
A bit of Atlantic Ocean rock & roll as we sailed last night but slept well! Arrived in the bustling city of Casablanca to breakfast as a giant “Morrocan sun” arose. Tour of the city today – 6 million people and as much traffic! Traffic jams but it does move. Goes in all directions in some order with much tooting and triple parking! New tram system operating looks good. All shapes and sizes of motorbikes and helmets (or not) with some very interesting loads – reminded me of Shanghai. Just as much variety in cars. Hot and dusty. First stop – Rick’s Café – mythical gin palace of Casablanca movie fame.
Have a fabulous view out our ship windows of the Hassan II Mosque towering above the port. Viewed up close it is massive and ornate. Has room for 25,000 inside and another 80,000 can be accommodated in the huge outside courtyards. Made of Carrera marble at an estimated cost of $800 million, it is impressive. Sits on a promentary jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful arches and inlaid marble mosaics on mosque itself and also lines of arches and lovely garden areas around the courtyard. The call to prayer was very audible from our room tonight. We enjoyed some sweet mint Moroccan tea at a waterfront hotel – nice beach! Many resorts along the beachfront and some expensive housing areas nearby. Quite a contrast to some of the other areas, shantytowns, we drove through but then you see that the world over and not only here! There are also some beautiful parks, boulevards and buildings – Parisian art deco (ornate wrought iron balconies, carved facades, rounded corners) meets Colonial-Mauresque as they call it here (Islamic arches, columns, scroll work).
The Kings Palace also has incredibly ornate plaster-work (carved when plaster is wet), and beautiful art-deco administrative buildings. Casablanca is an economic and business hub – full of contradictions – cosmopolitan, liberal and progressive, old and new, traditional and modern with both French and Moorish influences very visible.
A city (and country) with a fascinating history. And not worried about politics our guide kept telling us. Fascinating shopping markets – I was particularly interested in the fruit, spice, vege and fish market. Some good bargaining skills are useful. There are the hawkers too so a persistent ‘no’ is required. Blistering heat this afternoon – focussed on keeping cool, drinking water and using hand sanitiser (extra vigilance at cruise ship command!).
