Back to the Motherland

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I am writing this blog after we got home but I will add to it as I get time. I arranged a trip to Morocco as a present for my husband, Phil, for his 40th birthday. He and his family left Casablanca when he was 7 years old to immigrate to Canada and he never returned so I figured it would be a great way o celebrate the big 4-0!!!
We arrived in Casa and passed through customs no problem, then on to Hotel Diwan which was a little pricey, but nice (it had a bidet!). Casablanca was the only place we stayed at an "expensive" hotel; all the rest were in Rough Guides "moderate" range.
Casablanca is a weird mix of old and new. Mercedes and donkey carts, head scarves and Armani suits. It is really a cool cultural mix. The French really concentrated their efforts during their 50-year stay here and in Rabat. There are lots of great old art deco buildings that are architecturally wonderful but are starting to show age and wear. Casablanca's population has almost tripled since Phil left in 1974 and the Moroccan government has been doing their best to keep up with the growth by building new housing (trying to reduce the amount of slums) and creating better roads.
Up until the early 90's Casablanca was the only Moroccan city without any great monument, so the Hassan II mosque was created on the site of an old municipal pool and the outlying areas. It is truly astounding and beautiful. I won't bore you with the details which you can get online, but suffice to say it is the third largest mosque in the world behind Mecca and Medina. The tour is definitely worth it.
There are several ways to get around in Morocco besides just walking. City bus, petit taxis, grand taxis (for between towns), regional buses, and trains. Each cities' petit taxis are different colors: Casablanca was red, Meknes was gold-ish, Fes was green (I think) etc. They are plentiful and cheap, plus we really go the scoop on news and the national "pulse" from the taxi drivers.
One more thing I must note for you English-speakers. If you do not speak French or (better yet) Arabic, you are going to be really really lost unless you go with a tour group or just stick to the bigger cities. Phil, of course, is French-fluent, and I understand and read/write it well, just my response is slow. In the outlying areas it is sometimes hard to find people who even speak much French, it is usually mainly Arabic or Berber (one of three dialects!) Usually in those areas it is the older people who speak French.
So, the first day we just chilled and walked around. We went into what's left of the Old Medina and were promptly accosted by one of the infamous "touts" who steered us into a shop where they tried to force us to buy carpets. Needless to say we DID NOT buy a carpet, despite being plied with tea and niceties. Lesson #1: learn to say NO nicely, but firmly and STICK TO IT!! After we learned this lesson, we had no more problems.
We bought some street food: some dates (3 kinds!) and fevre which are fava beans cooked and then rolled in cumin and a little salt--yum yum!!
We also learned to love sitting at the tea cafes with locals and watching the world go by. The tea cafes where introduced by the French and mostly replaced the fondouks (places where traders would stop to relax and have tea) as a way to socialize and relax. America needs to take some cues from the Moroccans as far as socialization skills go.

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Photos

Hassan II mosque
It was so beautiful and built partially over the sea! It was very calming there; a great place to just sit quietly and reflect.

Hassan II--the main hall
All the materials except the glass in the chandeliers and the small columns by the rear where made from Moroccan materials and craftsmen. Simply stunning!

Great Art Nouveau buildings
Good example of Art nouveau architecture

Art deco
Check out the tops of the buildings in the aftground of the photo for some really cool art deco architecture....think "The Wizard of Oz!"