From Marrakech to Casablanca.

---

Lotty's version



Our journey recommenced with a train ride from Marrakech to Casablanca. As you will gather from Planty's entry we left Marrakech with heavy hearts. we had grown fond of the city where the best food was in the street, seatbelts and indicators both appear optional and you can buy half a shark in the local Carrefour..... Casablanca had a lot to live up to!



We negotiated taxis and trains to Casablanca with ease, like experienced travellers. Our only slight hiccup was that we were in carriage 1, compartment 3, seats 35/36 on the train. Obviously this is Morocco so carriage 1 is the second one along and we ended up having to move seats, walking down a moving train and crossing carriages with our rucksacks was no easy task, however we left a compartment full of Moroccans, some of them smelling less than clean to a much quieter one with two ladies and two tiny sleeping twins.



First impressions of Casablanca.... It smells of fish, there is a lot of regeneration work taking place and its incredibly run down and grotty. From our hotel we walked down to Ricks cafe, a restaurant/bar based on the original from the film Casablanca. We walked through a highly industrial area interspersed with some brand new hotels. And in a particularly grubby area, we saw Ricks cafe. we walked up some steps to some heavy wooden doors held open by smartly dressed greeters and entered a dimly lit lobby. After asking if we were drinking or dining the Maître de drew back a big heavy curtain and our senses are assaulted by a buzz of activity and a beauty we never expected given the surroundings. It was like stepping back in time to the 1940's..... a very sophisticated 1940's. We were completely under dressed and unprepared for it. after raving about street food for the last week, the concept of being waited on hand and foot was difficult to grasp... however we managed it! The food was amazing! I had a Caesar salad, Swordfish with eggplant and pesto and chocolate lava cake. Planty had melted goats cheese with fig bread and pear chutney, filet mignon and chocolate lava cake. With beer, wine and water it all came to £60. since we had both been eating for £10 it was a massive jump, however the same experience in the UK would have been well over £100 and it was just so good! Our evening basically ended with us waddling back down the road (past a man carrying a stingray bizarrely enough! And I had only had 1 glass of wine.) to the hotel and collapsing; too fat to move!



We knew before we arrived in Casablanca there was not much to see, so the next morning we were in no hurry to leave our hotel. At around lunch time we decided to stroll up to the Hassan II mosque. Looming half from the wasteland half from the sea (referring to a verse in the koran stating 'the throne of God was on the water) the mosque was impressive and imposing. We strolled round the grounds taking in the highest minaret in the world (at 200 meters) and then had a guided tour of the inside. After removing our shoes we were shown around the 20,000 square meter prayer hall adorned with Marble, glass, titanium, cedar wood, chandeliers and mosaics from places such as Marrakech, Venice and Russia. It was magnificent but we spent a good part of the tour planning where we would have our ballroom, cinema and living quarters so probably are not qualified to comment on the quality of the tour guide; She thought Planty was Moroccan anyway so can't be that good! As we left and walked through the slums we couldn't help but wonder at the money spent on one building whilst all around it was poverty. There is obviously a lot of regeneration occurring at the moment, I just hope this benefits the locals and puts some money in their pockets! Now is not the best time to visit Casablanca but I think in the near future it will be a new and cosmopolitan area, in stark contrast to the culture and history we loved in Marrakech.







Planty's version



On our final night in Marrakech we decided once more to head to the main square in the Medina for something to eat and to simply admire to wondrous sights that Marakech had to offer us for one last time. Our trip down to the main square took a slightly different route than normal, usually we took the hotel's shuttle bus down there, but this simply operated on a first come first served basis, unfortunately, we wouldn't fit on this one. Rather than wait another 2 hours for the next one we decided to share a taxi with another couple from the hotel, but found this choice to be a slightly difficult one too. The first taxi insisted that we pay 100 Dirhams (£7.60) for a 5 minute taxi ride, once he was told politely to sod off! We soon realised that smaller taxis are only allowed to carry 3 passengers, and these were the only taxis that where around at the time. I'm not too sure how, but we managed to pay a local guy 50 dirhams (£3.80) to take us into the medina in the back of his van.......'when in Rome' and all that I suppose.



On previous visits to the main square we had scanned the food stalls and decided that on our next visit, we would eat at the busiest one, this was also the one that seemed to produce the most smoke and steam from it's cooking, at times I felt like I was back in my raving day's, smoke all around me, not being able to see the person next to me or the chaos that we were engulfed in, wondering what was happening, then I remembered as I started to chow down on my delicious sausages (not too sure what meat they were made from because being a Muslim country, it probably wasn't pork) and a delicious selection of mixed kebabs, which were sublime!



We then took refuge in a near by roof top bar simply taking in the main square for a final time before we headed off to Casablanca the next day. Recently, we had decided that we would never go back to the same place twice as we would like to see more of what the world has to offer, we had already made an exception with Reykjavik, and it then became evident as we gazed on in awe of the main square, that we will be back in Marrakech.



As we headed towards our pick up point to take us back to our hotel, I couldn't help feel somewhat deflated, I wasn't really that bothered about Morocco as a whole, I was far more excited about the other countries we were to visit on our travels, and besides, the 2 previous years we'd visited other north African countries (Tunisia and Egypt), surely once you'd seen one you'd seen them all? fortunately this was not the case with Morocco, more specifically Marrakech, we'd headed into the main square for the first time nervously anticipating what would happen to us and if we would come out the other side unscathed. What had actually happened was that this mental city and the madness that ensues on a daily and nightly basis, 24/7, 365 days a year had really taken up a place in our hearts. All that can be left to say is that this marvellous, mind blowing melting pot of colour, sights, sounds, smells, this city that 2 weeks ago I couldn't care less about had impacted on me in a way I never thought possible, from this day fore, Marrakech will always hold fond memories for me, and I will always highly recommend that everyone, one day MUST visit Marrakech, especially the main square and most definitely at night, once the true heart, soul and spirit of Morocco comes alive.



Casablanca was our next destination as our onward flight to Dubai via Doha but firstly Tunis (which we only discovered the other day) was from there. Lotty had read quite a lot into the places that we were visiting, because I quite frankly couldn't be arsed, but she failed to tell me until it was too late to book another hotel, that we were staying in one without a pool and with no bar (such hotels do actually exist as I am currently finding out for myself the hard way). We managed to leave Marrakech and get to Casablanca stress free, apart from the Moroccan numerical system being backwards and carriage number 1, as it clearly stated on our tickets, wasn't the first carriage on the train, it was the second......makes loads of sense of course. If you haven't figured out by now, I'm being a sarcastic little sod.



We had been used to eating street food in Marrakech, food that was delicious but at the same time, ridiculously cheap, so when we decided to give Rick's Cafe a try, (for those under the age of 80, it was made famous by the film 'Casablanca' at some point last century.....or maybe the one before that, either way its old and in black and white) we where amazed that a starter there, cost more than feeding both of us at a street food stall including drinks. Nevertheless, the food in Rick's was top quality, the setting, décor and attention to detail where all fantastic, my filet mignon was cooked so rare and to perfection that as I began to cut into it, I could hear a faint 'moo' from the thick chunk of meat as if somehow the cow was still alive and begging for mercy. Unfortunately I ignored the begs, and scoffed it down without a care in the world.



We left Rick's and headed back to the hotel having to cross various roads to avoid building sites and the general dump that Casablanca is. Lotty had told me that the best thing to see in Casablanca was some mosque, all of you who know me well enough now that religion is not a thing I have ever taken interest. In my opinion, religion is basically people arguing about who's imaginary friend is the best, but because we had sod all else to do, I reluctantly agreed to go and check the place out, and I have to say I’m glad I did now. As we walked along the road that has 'houses' that look like Stevie Wonder was in charge of their construction on one side, and the Casablanca Marina being built on the other side, the Mosque came into view in the distance. As we got closer, I began to see what the fuss was all about, the place is massive!!!! We took a tour around the inside of the mosque and I was gob smacked, simply blown away at the décor both inside and out and how magnificent it is. It took a team of 2,500 builders along with 10,000 craftsmen, 6 years to build the Hassan II Mosque from 1987-1993, I can only suggest that if churches in the UK where that well made, taking a team of 12,500 people 6 years to building the sodding thing, I might start to take an interest in religion. But I don't think I have anything to be concerned about thanks to the state of the British economy at the minute.



Well basically that's it from Morocco, as I lie on the floor of our hotel room because I'm too lazy to sit on a chair or get onto the bed, because like typical Western tourists, we've just stuffed our faces at the Pizza Hut conveniently situated next door to our hotel, next stop Dubai, which I'm sure will open our eyes in a whole new way and I look forward to informing you all about it, goodbye for now :-)



Final point so my mum doesn't have a heart attack; Planty was exaggerating when he said we got in the back of a random van, it was a taxi, we are just not convinced it was a legal one!

---

Photos

DSCF7606
Train station!

Comments

[mum]

the van
Am i really that predictable! How did you know I was having a heart attack? Love you loads. xxxx

[sweetchildofmine]

Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes.
Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies Ducks and pigs and chickens call Animal carpet wall to wall American ladies five-foot tall in blue Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind Had to get away to see what we could find Hope the days that lie ahead Bring us back to where they've led Listen not to what's been said to you Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express They're taking me to Marrakesh All aboard the train, all aboard the train I've been saving all my money just to take you there I smell the garden in your hair Take the train from Casablanca going south Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth Colored cottons hang in the air Charming cobras in the square Striped djellebas we can wear at home Well, let me hear you now Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express They're taking me to Marrakesh Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express They're taking me to Marrakesh All on board the train, all on board the train All on board You have to change it around a bit, but read this and thought of you . Enjoying your adventures , look out Dubai !!! Love D x