Casablanca - Day 5

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Feels like more than 5 days since we landed in Casablanca, buts probably because we've covered a lot of this city core on foot. Each day we've headed in a different direction, with a destination in mind and each day we've gone astray and seen more than we intended. Sometimes this was a good thing, and sometimes not. Casablanca is a large modern city with all the same problems of a north American city – air pollution, not enough money to maintain the sidewalks, road construction that increases the traffic jams and lots of people trying to make a living any way they can. There are very few visible tourists like us except when a cruise ship is in town, so we get lots of offers from the taxi drivers and the street vendors, but they usually back off when we refuse their wares.

There are no signs of protest or demonstrations, no banners or groups of angry young men. The sidewalks are lined with cafes filled with men sipping mint tea or coffee and smoking. There are no women in the cafes, without exception, so we haven't sat there, although the waiters are quick to invite us in. Instead we go to the snack bars that serve schwarma or sandwiches and soft drinks. Lunch is usually one of those for about 25 MAD or $3 Cdn.

The biggest attraction in Casablanca is the Hassan Mosque, the 2nd or 3rd largest in the world. It is one of the few functioning mosques that non-Muslims can enter, so we took a tour and were quite impressed. Every surface has some tile or carving or paint and yet it doesn't seem overdone. The guide said the actual cost to build is 2 or 3 times the published cost of $800 million US.

The other area everyone mentions if the old medina or walled city, which is the original settlement. It is a mixture of shops and 3 story buildings still occupied by locals although the segments near the gates are obviously focusing solely on the tourist trade. On Saturday the streets were full of fruit, vegetable, meat, fish and poultry venders doing a brisk business. Ken called it the Carp Market of Casablanca.

We also walked through the Habbous district, which is built like the medina, but only has shops catering to the tourists. The streets are cleaner and wider and not nearly so interesting to visit, but I can see that some visitors would be more comfortable here. The carpets were lovely but knowing what gets imported into Can, we're not tempted to barter and ship.

The weather has been good – 21 to 24 or so in the shade and no rain but in the sun, it's about 10 degrees hotter. Can't imagine what it's like here in the summer. The locals are wearing heavy sweaters or coats outside and must think we're crazy to be walking around in a short sleeved cotton shirt. I've seen people in padded winter coats! The women are conservitavey dressed, most in long robes with their hair covered, but only a few with their faces covered. Many female teens wear tight jeans with tunic top and a scarf – a mix of western and eastern dress.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we start our circular tour of the country. Sure hope we have a good guide and a comfortable bus. Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis and Fes are on the list for the next 3 days.

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Comments

[Bonnie]

loved that mosque interior!
FYI - it's 4 below here....