I realize I still have to blog about Lima and Buenos Aires but it's been 15 months and my memory is suspect. So here's my account of the lovely Morocco before that goes the same route!
I should really start with how we decided on Morocco. On our Peru trip last year we stayed in a nice place which had a world map shower curtain hanging in the bathroom. We came back home and promptly purchased one of our own. So one fine day we were talking about how Spain is one country we both haven't been to in Europe and also how we wanted to go to some place in Africa. One look at the curtain and we realized how close Morocco was to Spain. It was perfect- we are self proclaimed foodies and the Moroccan cuisine was the bait
We soon agreed that we wanted to spend most of our time in Morocco and I'm glad we did. All of one week. We opted to only go to Barcelona in Spain and not over complicate the trip. We needed a lead time of 3 weeks to get our visas but it was fairly smooth.
Casablanca was our first stop. Even though it has the international airport and is the closest to the capital (Rabat), there's not really a lot to see in Casablanca. So we planned just about 24 hours there. You get to the city by a short 40 min train ride from the airport. After checking into our hotel and taking a nap, we stepped out to explore the area. The place reminded us a lot of India, the streets, the buildings, the bargaining with the taxi driver. Our first halt - a bakery. It is here that I lost my heart to the most amazing almond croissant to have ever been made. This would be the first of more from the same shop and few more from around Morocco that never matched up. It was the perfect mix of flaky with the delicious not-too-sweet filling of mild almond paste. Sigh!
We wandered to the Mohammed V square which had a few stately buildings and a park. There was also a large fountain which were surrounded by families on their evening out and street vendors. Everything from henna application, colored baby chicks to shellfish soup and potato chips were on sale. The mister did not think the potato chips would be hygenic enough for me. The Old post office there is a pretty sight with its tile inlays. From there we walked and landed near the medina.
The medina or old town is a large walled area that houses hundreds of families, shops and mosques. I think it's the most exciting part of any Moroccan city. The Casablanca Medina is not particularly noteworthy but it was our first medina experience. The wares for sale were more touristy than what we would see in Fez and the prices were much higher. We didn't spend too long there and set out to find the recommended place for dinner. The food there was fantastic but I think we got conned. We paid close to $40 for dinner and would be our priciest meal in the country. That's what happens when you order something like the seasonal fish which isn't on the menu!
Early next morning we stopped for a breakfast of- what else- almond croissant. We checked out a small market and took a taxi to see the one thing Casablanca can boast about- the Hassan II mosque by the sea. Now, this mosque is not historic but it is stunningly beautiful. It is partially built on water to adhere to a line in the Quran that talks about the seat of the God being on water. Tourists of all religions are allowed inside and the only request is that you are respectfully dressed and take your footwear off. You can go in if you are part of a guided tour and trust me, the tour was totally worth it. The pure marble, the intricate artwork and proximity to the sea. It's also a great place for a photo shoot with it's many majestic arches.After a quick lunch we checked out and headed to the train station. 4 hours to Fez.
